Whirlwind Trip and Now Back on The Coast.

That was one quick 13.5 hour drive out to Edmonton, Alberta, and a 14 hour return drive back home.  But, we're back - safe and sound!

We did not have the time - nor easily accessible internet access - to write or read blogs while we were in Alberta.  We have yet to catch up on blogs we missed during that time.  We'll work on catching up soon.

The day following our arrival in Edmonton, I washed our truck.

Following an 1100 + kilometre drive, the truck sure needed a good cleaning.  It got a good one!....although it only stayed clean for a few days.

Our reason for being there was to move the contents of this house......

.....into this 26' trailer.

The move was accomplished with the help of several of Ginette and Trevor's friends.  We, on the other hand, drove out to Jeanette's parents' home, on the farm, east of Edmonton.  We were checking in on things and also spending time with her folks who reside in a lodge in the little town of Two Hills, Alberta.

We drive through this town on the way to Two Hills.

This little town, off the Yellowhead Highway 16, is famous for its garlic sausage.  It has been our favourite sausage for well over 30 years.  

At the farm, we checked things out before going for our first visit.

Everything looked fine at the farm.  This would serve as our accommodations for two days and nights.  We had planned a family Christmas dinner (with our children, us, and my in-laws) for last Sunday.  It was held at the lodge.  Jeanette's sister Darlene, and her significant other Tom, joined us too.

The long term care facility

The gathering before our sit down dinner.

Our daughter is entertaining her grandfather and grandmother. The lodge did a fine job of organizing our special table and offering up a fantastic meal.  It was nice to have the opportunity to enjoy a pre-Christmas dinner with our family.

Great meal served!

Gifts were exchanged and opened!

Following a well appreciated meal, we moved into the sitting area to enjoy some relaxed time before driving 90 minutes west back to Edmonton in preparation for leaving early with next morning with Ginette and Trevor's household goods in tow.

A family group shot - Mary (Jeanette's mom) daughter Ginette, Jeanette, son Deni, and John (Jeanette's dad).

Arriving back in Edmonton on Sunday evening.

The trailer had been loaded earlier but there was still some cleaning to do in the house in advance of receiving  the new renters.  We got to work and made good time of getting the job done.

Looking good.  Deni is inspecting.

My nephew Justin came by to lend a hand too.

My middle brother's oldest son Justin not only lent a hand at cleaning, he dropped by Deni's home for a visit.

Early morning daylight - two hours into our drive back.

 We were up very early this past Monday morning and after some coffee and breakfast @ Deni and Courtney's home, we left at 5:00 am sharp for the long journey back to the coast.

Fueling our vehicles in Hinton, Alberta - some 45 miles east from Jasper National Park. The trailer was full to the brim.  It was a heavy load but the Super Duty Ford had little trouble pulling the load up the demanding mountain roads.  The guys managed to load the trailer well and with careful attention to placing the heavy furniture closer to the trailer axles.

Hinton, Alberta, was our last opportunity to purchase cheaper Alberta fuel before entering British Columbia.  We did just that!

Taken in Jasper National Park. 

Wildlife rule the roads in the National Park.  Speed limits are restricted to prevent accidents.  It seems to work.  

A little break to stretch out in the Rocky Mountains.

This 14 hour drive back was not without moments of cautious driving.  There were some slippery sections along the way.  We drove for the conditions and we were rewarded.  Some over enthusiastic drivers, in 4X4 trucks, were seen in the ditch.  Some drivers simply cannot adapt to the road conditions.  Ours was a very heavy load and, although we did drive on ice, we never once felt out of control. It did help to have the 4X4 option on several occasions though!

Just west of Jasper National Park is the sign that welcomes drivers to the Province of British Columbia.

There was one big snowfall in this area while we were in Edmonton.

Ice from roadside waterfalls.  Very pretty!

Taken on the famous Coquihalla high mountain freeway.

Above was the final photo taken during our return trip.  It got dark shortly after.  At this point, we were about 2 1/2 hours from home.  This highway usually presents driving challenges due to severe weather changes and high elevations but, unlike our drive out, the road was bare.  Yeah for that!

So, 14 hours after beginning this long drive, we arrived home safe and sound. That was one of the quickest 5 day turnarounds we've ever driven.....with a large and heavy load to booth!

During our drive out, while in Alberta, and on our return trip, the winter temperatures were quite favourable.  The temperatures hovered close to freezing.  We dodged the usual bone numbing cold temperatures. Bonus!

Thanks for dropping by.