Calgary Stampede 2013

Every year I try to spend at least a day at the Calgary Stampede, I love the atmosphere, the food, the rodeo, just everything (well maybe not so many people, but that is what makes the Stampede what it is)  This year my sister was getting tickets from one of her customers from work, but the day before we were to get them someone had stolen them.  He felt bad and so gave her money for the boys to use to get in.  It was kinda disappointing cause they we including admission, rides, and rodeo.  But we went the Wednesday and went early so we got in free and they were having a pancake breakfast sponsored by my bank (how nice of them :) )  that we had and we bought the boys ride passes and we just didn't go on rides.

(we made them go on the swings and they closed thier eyes the whole way 

said it was too high, pretty wimpy I thought, lol)

(the sky ride, I think Jaret musta just spotted us)

We had fun anyways, but since it was kids day we stayed away from the agriculture part and the kids zone, my nephews are big enough they want real rides anyways.  I like to see the draft ponies, but its crazy over there on kids day.   I woulda liked to watch cutting but they moved in to another venue cause the Saddledome couldn't be fixed in time.

(always say I have a pile of ponies, and so here is one ;) )

(new show this year, Bell Aqua ranch, says some ride horses, we ride waves. 

 Was a neat fountain/water ski doo show)

The flooding a couple weeks before made it kinda hard for the stamped to be ready in time, they had just put new dirt down the infield and the track and it was all contaminated, so out it went and in new dirt went, 196 million tonnes of dirt, 148 trucks working 24 hours a day for a week to get it done, pretty amazing really, but they were not gonna quit for a flood when they had run consecutively for 100 years, including through both world wars and the depression.  Thier new saying was through Hell or High Water, they sold T-shirts all stampede and the money raised went to flood recovery for Calgary and Area.

Flooding on The Red Deer River

On the 23rd of June we headed to Olds for a mix of a Mothers Day and Fathers Day Welcome Summer BBQ at my Moms house.  We wanted to stop at Dorothy and have a look over the bridge like we did in 2005 when it flooded last time.  It was kinda rainy and miserable so we got a few pics and then left.

On the way home the sun was shining so I got a few pics while we were driving, well Neil was driving this time so I got to take pics on the way.

Then we decided to stop at the Dorothy bridge, I think it looks so pretty in the summer when the grass is green and long.

It was much better stopping on the way home but I was sure glad we had bug spray cause were they sure bad out there!  We saw a couple neighbors who had the same idea and so that was fun to visit with them.

 Then almost home we thought we should stop at Finnegan and see the water there, they had pulled the ferry a few days before and so it wasn't in and I don't think the water was near as bad as last time.  But still kinda high.  We were a few hours before the predicted peak but still impressive.

As far as I know a few houses in the Drumheller/Lehigh area was flooded but otherwise much better prepared and so not so much damage done.

Alberta Floods

So there is a lot of water flooding out rivers in Alberta.  Everywhere on the news has coverage and its just kinda crazy, mostly cause it was so unexpected.  A rainfall warning was posted but no one thought it would get this bad.  All the sudden water was washing out roads in Canmore and Banff and then High River the whole town got flooded and then Calgary, 100 000 people evacuated.  Kinda amazing really and scary at the same time.  My sister got moved out Thursday night and the water is now up to her lawn but has not reached the house yet.  My Grampa also got moved out of his retirement home and is staying with my uncle.  I will just share a couple pics of the flooded area and a couple my sister sent me of her place.

(My Sisters road Thursday night)

(my sisters house is the first one on the corner, 

the ripples are all around the storm drain, 

this was Friday at noon)

(Macloed and 17th Ave yesterday afternoon)

(Calgary Zoo even had to be evacuated)

High Water

We have had so much rain here in the last week we are up to almost 3 inches.  We ussually dont get 3 inches all summer, never mind all in one week!  But there has also been lots of rain in the mountains and so it made the snow melt quicker and so lots more water is in the Red Deer River.  I noticed last Friday and Sat the water at Emerson looked quite high, but never paid much attention to it till I headed to Drum today.

(East Coulee Bridge)

I was on my way to meet Susan and Lu for coffee since it has been so long since I seen them and it was a perfect day.  It was kinda cold and rainy so not much else could be done anyways.  We met at Tim Horton's cause Susan thought her house was too messy from her dog and his messy paws and she didn't have time to bake.  Not that we woulda cared, but I like Tim's too, so it was all good.

(Farther down river)

I also got groceries and an awesome deal on a kindle cover and a laptop cover and new stylus' for my DS.  All for $20!  I was surprised!  But I like it when stuff is on sale cheaper than expected.  I was very glad to go home cause Drum is horrible for tourists all summer, I sure try to avoid it especially on the weekends.

 (West off of Dorothy Bridge)

 (View of Dorothy from bridge, facing East)

 (View at river height)

But on the way home I stopped a couple times to take some pics of the water level cause it looks like we actually have a real river.  The Red Deer so many times is such a small river and later in the fall it sometimes looks like it could be moving backwards its so low.  Only one other time I remember it being so high at that was in 2006 and it was at least a foot higher and flooded many places out, I hope that doesn't happen again this year.