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Calgary,
Alberta: Foothills Ranchlands, Bow River, Banff and
Dinosaurs
by
Jerry W. Bird
The
Calgary Airport contingent was out in force at
Aerospace North America and who can help but be
impressed with their progress. I have followed the
activities at Calgary International Airport for
decades and can remember when you could fly Pacific
Western Airlines to Edmonton for under $20. Some
times I made the trip several times a week. Who can
forget the city where one's media career blossomed,
where he and his family sampled every type of
outdoor activity there was, never missed a
Stampede, and raised two sons, both of whom are now
part of Alberta's hotel industry. From Calgary
International Airport, a visitor can take off on a
variety of cross Canada trips, plus foreign
destinations, such as Seattle, Spokane, Portland,
San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix,
Salt Lake City, Denver, Minneapois-St. Paul, Omaha,
Chicago, Louisville, Boston, Hartford,
Philadelphia, Washington, Oklahoma City, Dallas,
Houston and Nashville. On the World scene, you can
fly direct from Calgary to London, Manchester,
Frankfurt. Seasonal: Maui, Honolulu, Los Cabos,
Mazatlan, Puerta Vallarta, Manzanillo, Cancun and
Cuba
World
Cargo Forum and Expo, September
2006
Calgary, Roundup Centre
Holy
Cowgary!
Check those colorful cattle on the next page.
Canada's
largest living historical village
My company used Heritage Park as the
location for a series of video features, posters
and commercials, produced for Burns Foods, one of
the city's oldest and largest companies. Pat Burns,
an Irish immigrant, was one of the 'Big Four' who
put this once quiet 'cowtown' on the map. Pat
Burns, an Irish immigrant, was one of the 'Big
Four' who put Calgary on the map by launching the
first Stampede. Another Big 4 member was A.E. Cross
of the Calgary Brewery, another client of mine,
famous for its 'horseshoe and buffalo label.'
The
park proved to be the ideal setting, with its old
fashioned farm kitchens, cast iron stoves, ornate
ovens and large wooden chopping blocks. The
mountain backdrop which frames the park's western
vista added a dramatic flavor to the outdoor
scenes. This unique slice of Canadiana overlooks
Glenmore Lake (reservoir), and is easy to access
via the C-Train from downtown, plus a 5-minute
shuttle bus ride. Like in most Canadian prairie
towns of an earlier era, the railway is the focal
point. An historic train circles the entire area,
and the replica of a vintage paddle wheeler plies
the lake.
Continued.
Holy
Cow. Dig those crazy colors!
Talk about remembering your pastoral roots -
the latest craze in downtown Calgary is a painting
contest with the object of raising money for a
worthy cause (more to come). Everywhere you go,
along Stephen Avenue mall, from Mewata Armories to
City Hall, you'll encounter a herd of crazy cattle
painted in all variety of themes. Continued.
Enjoy
a Rocky Mountain High
 From
Calgary it's a short hop to Banff and Kananaskis
Country -- and from there on to either Jasper,
Golden or the Windermere route to the Kootenays.
Landmarks on the Banff- Windermere Parkway include
Sinclair and Marble Canyons, Vermilion Pass and the
Fireweed Trail. Heard about The Paint Pots? Would
you believe they're ponds of red, yellow and
orange, just like a kiddies' coloring set? The pots
are fed by oxide-bearing streams, and there's an
endless supply. For ages untold, Indians mixed
ochre from this site with fish oil or animal fat to
decorate rocks, teepees -- and each other. Near
Vermilion Pass, the Alberta- BC. boundary marks the
summit of the Continental Divide; rivers east of
here drain to the Arctic Ocean or to far off
Hudson's Bay; waters to the west flow to the
Pacific.
Banff
Park's Castles and Caves
Imagine spending twelve festive days of
Christmas in a fairyland castle! Truly
unforgettable, when it's the Banff Springs Hotel.
During many memorable stays, l learned of the
hotel's hey day from band leader Louis Trono, who
was on a first name basis with the Hollywood
greats. As a return to elegance, the hotel offers a
new $12 million health spa, with cascading
waterfalls, mineral whirlpools and Turkish baths.
The Banff Springs is an Epicurean's delight and a
golfer's challenge. The first tee-off, from high
above the Bow River to its far shore, still gives
me goose pimples.
Upper
Hot Springs
After skiing Mount Norquay, hiking Sundance
Canyon, or fishing Lake Minnewanka, Sulphur
Mountain's Upper Hot Springs is a Banff ritual --
hot plunge, icy shower, steam bath, blanket-wrap
and massage. Loose as a noodle and ready to devour
an ox -- is how one usually feels after that
routine. A gondola nearby will whisk you to the
summit for a sweeping view of the valley. Sundance
Canyon Trail leads to The Cave and Basin National
Historic Site, where like honeymooners for
generations past, we gazed through a telescope at
surrounding peaks. Clad in Rundle-stone, like most
Banff buildings, this site contains displays, a
theater, and tours into the misty grotto, with its
emerald pools, and warm sulfur water dripping down
the cavern walls. Priceless Indian relics at nearby
Luxton Museum are well worth seeing.
The
Teahouse of Lake Louise
If you really want to seize the moment, rent a
canoe, or pedal your way to Bow Falls, Tunnel
Mountain, or 101 equally delightful places. Heading
north west from Banff, one can cruise the Trans
Canada via Sunshine Village to Lake Louise in a
breeze. For a change of pace, however, take the old
road (Hwy 1A) along the north bank of the Bow River
via Johnston Canyon, with its ink pots and nature
walks. Chateau Lake Louise is a jewel in an
exquisite crown. Talk of beauty and serenity! --
when one's creative spark needs rekindling, the
Chateau is my choice. You can paddle a canoe in a
scene right out of Hiawatha, or take the alpine
trail to a Tea House for granola cakes and wild
berry tea. The azure lake far below gets even
smaller, as you climb the corkscrew path. Breathe
deeply folks -- it gets to be a challenge near the
top. Guess who was left standing still by a German
couple in their mid 80s?
 Mr.
Wonderfuel: Our Award Winning Superstar is Cooking
With Gas!
by
Jerry W. Bird
Mr.
Wonderfuel, our cartoon mascot, proclaimed the joys
of gas cooking, and during a promotional video for
the Propane
Gas Association
of Canada, one of my Calgary crew got into the act
as the all knowing chef de cuisine. He was a
natural for the part, and we staged many a barbecue
and cookout in backyards and backwoods during
numerous film productions over 10 years, including
a feast of Rocky Mountain Rainbow trout. Since
propane is popular for cooking in the "Great
Outdoors," far from the nearest town, it has a
prominent role in our various Travel & Aviation
magazines - for many good reasons.
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