One of our dreams was to visit Alberta Canada and attend
the Calgary Stampede. For us, that dream came true.
A Group of 57 HMC Club Members were holding a rally
to attend the Calgary Stampede
This Journal is the story of that trip.
NOTE: For clarification, the HMC Club members all own a
Hawkins Motor Coach
This wasn't going to stop us....
During our long trip home, we decided to take Samantha to the kennels, and continue by car.
Why spoil a good vacation just because we lost our engine in the coach, the car worked just fine.
So very early the next morning, we packed everything up, and off we went....
Arriving in Calgary only 1-day late.
YA HOOOO...........
Stampede Park, pancake breakfasts, and the world famous chuckwagon races
are highlights of the Calgary Stampede festivities.
The entire city of Calgary celebrates its western heritage during 10 days
at the start of July each year. Calgary comes alive with Wild West Stampede
fever. In 1998, approximately 4,000 people and 800 animals
joined together to make up lively floats, bands, dancing troops,
and livestock displays for a cheering crowd of 300,000.
A good mood grips the city as everyone joins in the party.
Residents and tourists alike catch Stampede fever.
Square dancing, hat stomping contests, gun fight demonstrations
and country music are daily attractions on the downtown
Stephen Avenue Mall. The smell of bacon and flapjacks
fills the air as volunteers man chuckwagons and cook up
free breakfasts for all. Not a lot of work gets done during
Stampede week and for many its a week-long paid opportunity
to greet visitors from around the world. In Calgary,
people still smile and greet strangers on the street.
Following the rodeo each day are chuckwagon races in the
Rangeland Derby. Drivers perched precariously on the spring-loaded
wooden benches of their chuckwagons urge teams of four horses
at breakneck speeds around the dirt track. After the outriders
have loaded their chucks with a stove and tent poles, the drivers
cut their rigs in a sharp figure-eight around the barrels, which must remain
standing to avoid penalties. From then on its a mad dash to reach
the coveted inside rail position as they head towards the finish line
with 25,000 screaming spectators urging on their favorites.
At the end of it all, when Stampede winds down,
Calgarians regretfully trade in their duds for suits and return to their daily affairs.
But they never forget to say "Hello!" to strangers.
