Day 11 Medicine Hat

Man, couldn’t have a boring day if we tried! Nice to have a non-travel day to rest up for what’s bound to be high times in Calgary. The badlands are so cool we thought we would head through the scenic countryside to Cypress Hills for our daily hiking. Cypress Hills is an inter-provincial park that sits almost 2000 feet above the surrounding Great Plains. It is the highest point of land between Labrador and the Rocky Mountains. It is a dark-sky preserve and one of our only regrets is that we won’t have more time on this trip to explore all Cypress Hills has to offer. We’ll be back here again!

The road to Cypress Hills

Rolling Badlands

Fields of canola, in every direction, as far as the eye can see.

Prairie Dogs - they let us get quite close.

Are we watching him or is he watching us? Hard to tell. They squawk like a dog toy - open their mouths wide, flatten their bodies and squeak loudly!

A brick carving on the side of the visitor centre in Cypress Hills.

The view from the top of the Horseshoe Canyon Trail, Cypress Hills.

... and again. Too spectacular to view just once!

Cattle everywhere, even right beside you as you drive through the park!

Beautiful prairie grass. One of countless different kinds. I'm working on trying to identify them.

On our way back to Medicine Hat at the end of the day, we stopped for a few groceries at the Great Canadian Super Store. It shares a parking lot with the Great Canadian Liquor Store – not kidding, that’s what it’s called! As we walked across the parking lot we could see/hear a souped-up ride carrying some kids our way. You know the kind. They’re at the intersections back home too. You can feel the thrum-thrum-thrum of the bass of some rap tune before you can even see the car? Well, as they pulled up alongside us with the windows down, we realized we weren’t at home, as country music poured out of the car!

Jeffrey called tonight and hinted at a list of must-dos they have been concocting in Calgary – a lot of his mother in that boy! I can hardly wait to get there tomorrow to experience Calgary during the Stampede!

Giant tipi at the visitor centre in Medicine Hat. You may remember it from the Calgary Olympics. When they were over they dismantled it and brought it here.