Twelve vans met at Writing On Stone Provincial Park for our first Alberta Rally in several years. We were able to get a group campground with a wonderfully equipped camp kitchen that had a large wood burning stove, fridge and upright freezer. The group campground accommodated 8 of our units but it was dry camping. The remaining 4 units found electrical hook up sites near the group campground area.
Everyone arrived on Wednesday and that evening we had a pot luck supper in the camp kitchen which easily accommodated our group of 24 LTV owners. After some visiting and a campfire which gave us all a chance to meet some of the people new to LTV rallying, we all retired to our units for a good night’s sleep.
Thursday morning Bruce and Colleen Shippelt started a fire and cooked everyone a wonderful Camp Iron Breakfast. For many of us this was something new but everybody was very impressed and many went back for seconds. As a matter of fact it was so popular Bruce and Colleen served it again the next morning.
Thursday some of us used the morning to enjoy the hiking trails that wound through the hoodoos and rock formations bordering the valley. Others hiked up to the information centre that provided exhibits and a wealth of information on the area. One the highlights of the rally was the guided tour into a restricted area of the park. We were 24 people in a park van with an excellent guide who had degrees in anthropology and archeology. The guide took us on a walking tour along the rock faces of the valley where we saw many rock carvings dating back as far as 1000 years. Our guide also spoke informatively about the early Indians to this area, the North West Mounted Police (RCMP) and the early settlers. There were many questions, but our guide was able to answer them all. A young deer seemed to take an interest in our group and followed us along for quite some time keeping back about 75 yards from us. Maybe the young deer was also interested in learning about the history of this enchanted valley along the Milk River which it now called home.
Thursday night we gathered again for supper and an evening bonfire with more storytelling and visiting.
Friday was departure day. After another wonderful Camp Iron Breakfast we cleaned up the camp kitchen and our sites and headed our separate ways just before noon. Some to home, others to more adventures and still others to the Western Sunsetter Saskatchewan Rally scheduled for the coming week
As always one of the best things about LTV rallies is the opportunity to get reacquainted with old friends and make new friends. This certainly was the case at this rally too.
Special thanks go out to Bruce and Colleen Shippelt for organizing this rally. We look forward to future rallies in the beautiful province of Alberta and we hope some of you reading this will be able to join us.
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