Category Archives: Good Sam RV Parks

Cochrane, AB Canada

Posted on by
11

Up the Cowboy Trail

We headed north on Highway 22 known as “The Cowboy Trail”.  We are now out of the mountains and into the rolling hills.  There are many cattle ranches all along the way.  Our destination was Cochrane, AB just west of Calvary.

On the way to Cochrane we stopped at the Bar U Ranch Historic Site.  They had a very impressive statue on the lawn.  The Bar U works in cooperation with Parks Canada to preserve and present ranching history.

DSC_0088

They had several horses that both Chica and Sadie were very interested.  The breed was a Percheron, which are draft horses almost like a Clydesdale.  They were very friendly and almost wanted to play with the dogs.

Here is Chica barking away at them.  She thinks she is just as big as them. HA!

DSC_0090

Sadie is trying to figure them out as well.  Our should I say they are trying to figure out Sadie.

DSC_0092

Lots of kids

Just after we got there a school bus drove up with a bus load of kids. They were Mennonites children of all ages.  They all jumped out at once and were very well mannered and polite.  That was a pleasant surprise with so many kids.

DSC_0094

The ranch had a small horse drawn wagon which Chica really enjoyed.  Do you think she may have been brought up on a ranch rather then the back alleys of Mesa, AZ?  She was right at home.

DSC_0097

Bow Riversedge RV Park

We had made reservations for one night only at the Bow Riversedge RV Park.  We had full hook-ups for about $35.  It is right next to the Bow River on the edge of town in Cochrane, AB.  I would highly recommend it.

DSC_0100

Just after arriving the clouds opened up and we had a good rainfall.  Then it cleared up in time for our happy hour.  Then it rained again for a short time right around dinner time.  Thus far we have had great weather throughout the trip.  It is nice and warm in the sun and then it cools down at night making for great sleeping.  This pic was taken a couple hours before sunset.

DSC_0102

Off to Banff in the morning

Tomorrow we will have a short trip to Banff where we will spend a couple of nights.  It should be a very easy day driving.

Villanueva State Park to Hyde Memorial State Park

Posted on by
8

Finally picked up my mail

I said good bye to my friends Dave and Karma and took off for the post office in Las Vegas, NM.  My package from my insurance broker was waiting for me there.  Then I head toward Ribalde, NM where I was told that my package that my son sent to Sena, NM would be waiting for me.  The post offices around  that area are very small or in the case of Sena, nonexistent.  There it was!!!  The package I was expecting from my son.  It included my Texas driver’s license.  My temporary license had expired the day before and I was getting nervous that there might be a mix-up with the mail.  However, everything worked out great and I am now caught up on all my mail.

Villanueva State Park

My next adventure took me to Villanueva State Park.  It is about 11 miles off Interstate 25 down a narrow Highway 3.  You go thru several small towns on the way but if you blink you wouldn’t even notice them.  Then you enter Villanueva State Park.  This an an unique old building I spotted on the way to the park.

Here is my campsite at Villanueava State Park.  I hiked up to the top of the cliff behind it.

Haircut time

 I have not had a haircut for 5 months and my hair was getting fairly long.  I needed a haircut badly.  In fact that was one of the items on my to-do list before I went to the Balloon Fiesta.  I noticed the girl camped next to me was giving her husband a haircut so the lightbulbs went off in my head.  I went over and introduced myself to Robin and Miet.  They are a young couple from Belgium and shipped their rig over to the US and have been here for about one month.  They are headed over to Utah and then down to Mexico and eventually South America.  Here is a pic of Robin and Miet.

First I asked her if she would cut my hair if I paid her.  She said yes but then the subject got off on distilled water for their battery.  They needed some badly.  I gave them what I had left in my rig, which wasn’t a lot but enough for their battery.  She then offered to pay me, but I suggested that she cut my hair instead and we would call it even.  So here I am getting my hair cut by a beautiful Belgium girl dressed very skimpy.  WHAT A LIFESTYLE!!!!!

 View Loop Trail

After my haircut, I decided to get some exercise.  A couple had told me about the View Loop Trail and suggested taking it to the top.  It was about 2 miles for the complete loop and the worst part is getting to the top.  This is the bridge you cross to begin the hike.

Near the top of the hike it gets very steep.

There were some spanish ruins close to the top.

Here is a couple of pics that I took while hiking atop the canyon wall.  The first is of me at the top.  It was a spectacular view of the countryside.

Looking down at my campsite.

I also took a few pics of the flowers along the way.

Once down I chatted with a guy from Granada Hills, CA who was tent camping.  It is funny how many people I have run into from CA.  He was very interested in the fact I am a full-timer and would love to do it once he retires.

On my way to Santa Fe

I packed up and headed out to Santa Fe and Hyde Memorial State Park.  I got a late start and didn’t leave until almost 3:00pm but I only have 55+ miles to get to my next campground.

Hyde Memorial State Park

It is about 100 miles to the Balloon Fiesta field where I will be staying for about 10 days.  I made a list of all the things I need to do before arriving there.  Things like doing my wash (haven’t done wash for over 3 weeks), buy plenty of groceries (and brewskis), fill up with water, propane, gasoline, and also pay all my bills.  When I arrived at the park I did not have any internet/cell phone service so I could not go online to pay bills.  BUMMER!!!

The park is very beautiful and has many campsites all nestled into the hills.  I was late getting there and finally just took an electric site for $4.  This is a pic of my site.  The leaves are all turning to their fall colors.

I wanted to stay 2 nights and then head on to the Balloon Fiesta but decided it would be better to just stay one night and then move closer to Albuquerque, NM.  I decided to stay at the Santa Fe Skies RV Park which would put me within 60+ miles of Albuquerque.  I found a Trader Joe’s in Santa Fe before heading to the campground and went wild buying all the great things they have to offer.  When I got to the campground they only had one site left.

$45 per night – You have got to be kidding!

They were charging “Balloon Fiesta prices” even though they are 54 miles from Albuquerque.  That is almost what I paid to camp the entire month oF Sep.  WHAT A RIP-OFF!!!  But I did make good use of their laundry facilities and they also sell propane there as well.  Tomorrow I just need to get a few things and then head to the Balloon Fiesta and start to PARTY!!!!!