Catching Up

Okay, I've been out of the loop for awhile. Travels have been mostly off the beaten path, hence no wi-fi (heck, sometimes no cell phone signal either). Well, mining history research can be like that. If done properly, it's not all archives and sunshine. I did have an opportunity to post about 10 days ago from Edmonton, but never made it to a cyber cafe in Calgary, just the Glenbow. And Drumheller? Forget about it. But pushing my research forward and furthering my exploration of the Canadian west has been gratifying. Now if only the weather would cooperate.

So, for those who think I've gone underground, you're partly correct -- we took an underground tour of part of the Belleview Mine this morning. Later, after wet-wiping the coal dust off out hands, we took a painstakingly slow drive in absolute stunned silence through the site of the 1903 Frank slide disaster (where the mountainside collapsed and buried the coal mining settlement below). I'm sorry, but words cannot adequately describe it.

Camping in the Crow's Nest Pass tonight and tomorrow. Who'd have thought it would be wired for Wi-Fi. Take that, Fort Qu'appelle, Battleford, Edmonton, Sylvan Lake, Drumheller and Okotoks. So, as I write this, I'm staring at the mountains in front of me, and a stream running directly three feet behind me. Pretty cool country we've go here.