Room in the Bucket

Time is flying by here at Dogpound North. We have kept pretty busy, doing what I am not sure, but busy just the same. That might be a good reason to get my blog up to date and keep it that way. I would be able to go back and check just what it was I have been doing from time to time.

Of course July always starts with a bang around these parts. The first day of July the whole country gets put on hold so that they can celebrate Miss Ella's birthday. It is a national holiday and across the country there are parades and fireworks to mark the day.

Ella, her cousin, and Grandma's Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Face Painting

Oh yah, and a little thing called Canada Day happens on that date also. As a nation we are 146 years old now. Just a little trivia, before that date 146 years ago Western Canada was in the hands of the Hudson's Bay Company and was bought for $10,000,000, not a bad deal I am thinking.

Once we got over celebrating Ella's day we were busy getting packed up to head out with our ponies. We had made plans to meet Ken and Verna Pohl out near the South Ram River along Hummingbird Creek. Ken and Verna were bringing along some friends of theirs Bev Schrader and Vic Lamond. We got setup in a pretty spot along the banks of Hummingbird Creek

The view from our campsite

There are a lot of trails in this part of the country and between the Pohl's and Vic we had pretty good guides for our first trip out here. Our first day we headed out along the South Ram River for a look see. Although the river had dropped down to more normal levels after last month's rain there was evidence that it had been up, in some places, 15 feet higher than normal. Must have been some heavy rains out there in the West Country.

The lower cascade of what I am calling Upper South Ram Falls

And here is a picture of Brenda and I at the Upper Cascade

 Long time readers may recall our visit to the Lower South Ram Falls a couple of years ago.

Here is a shot from a couple of years ago of the lower Ram Falls

Once we got the required photo's we headed up river to see the country. We crossed back and forth across the river multiple times to stay on the good trails.

An overlook high above the Ram looking to the West

Making our way upstream R to L; Ken, Verna, Brenda and Vic

For this ride we went out of camp on the South Ram trail and returned across country on the aptly named Muddy Trail. No photos of that as it was all in the trees and pretty wet and boggy.

Saturday we just did a short ride up Hummingbird Creek to a new Trappers cabin and back, Brenda sat that ride out to rest her knee so I ponied Wink along behind Blue, most of the time anyway.

Then Sunday we headed into the high country. Ken led us on a beautiful ride that just got better and better the higher it went. We were destined for a place called Monument or College Heights. The monument part I figured out as there were numerous monuments and even a couple of memorials to riders who have gone on ahead to scout the trails in the sky, but why it is also called College Heights escaped me. Maybe just because when you are up there you can see forever and it could be a place of "higher" learning. Sure was a great place to get the lay of the land from.

Here the group is taking a break as we broke out at treeline, typically ~6500 feet in Alberta.

From there we kept climbing through the alpine, enjoying ever expanding vista's as well as the wild flowers along the trail.

Shrubby cinquefoil, thanks Sandy

Wild Thyme

Forgetmenot

Once we got to the top we could see forever and certainly felt closer to heaven.

A Panorama from the top

Brenda and Verna at the top

Brenda on top of the world.

It was a great day to be up there, nice and warm, only a slight breeze and just some big puffy clouds floating by.

Bev and Vic at the top

Ken and Beauty along with Penny playing in the snow

Verna and Ben

Heading down the hill

Here we are crossing the Hummingbird coming back into camp. Our rigs are visible in the background.

Although generally we had good weather we did get a few opportunities to try out our slickers from time to time. In this country, unlike Arizona, you sure don't leave them in the trailer.

Getting the fire going with my F&BS

As well as being another place checked off our bucket list, hence the title of this entry, it was also our new pups first camping trip and they had a good time and didn't drive anybody to crazy.

Brenda and her "posse"

This week we are hanging around home while some of the renovations are going on, but we'll be back on the trails soon. Maybe another new place.

A Google map below for those who are really curious about where we have been riding, but keep it a secret we don't want the hills full of people.

Hummingbird Rides and some Points of interest.