Sunday, July 25, 2010

More From The Landvaters!!!











Stop # 6 July 21-23
Left campground around 8:30, stopped for lunch at the highest point on Yellowhead Highway, you really could see for a long distance. Arrived at Whistler's Campground in Jasper National Park around 3 pm, later in the evening, we drove down to Athabasca Falls, this falls is to be among the most powerful and breathtaking falls in the Rocky Mountains. One the way back to camp, it was drizzling a little and we saw a very beautiful double rainbow. When we got back to camp, saw our first elk in the campground, a small female. It stays light here til after 10pm. and gets daylight around 4 am.
Drizzling when we got up to caravan to Maligne Lake, 2nd largest glacier lake in the world, took a boat tour to Spirit Island, a well known spot, which is seen alot for the advertisement for Jasper Park, tour was about 1 1/2 hour long and saw 2 glaciers. Jasper had a snowstorm last week, high enough to cancel Maligne Lake boat tours, for 1 1/2 days. On the way back to camp, we stopped at Maligne Canyon, which shows the power of water to scrupt rock, the canyon is 165 feet deep. At the canyon, there are 6 bridges, we had seen 5 out of the six bridges, the other one was too far away. We drove to Moberly Flats and saw 6 big horn sheep and then decided to take the Jasper Tramway, saw the vistas of six mountain ranges, glacial fed lakes, meandering rivers and the scenic mountain town-site of Jasper. Tramway is Canada's highest and longest aerial tramway as well as the only aerial ropeway in the Canadian Rockies, also had another rainbow on top of mountain before descending.
Next morning we had left and headed south toward Columbia Icefields, halfway to Lake Louise. Stopped at Goats & Glaciers lookout, but didn't see any goats, we had traveled not far down the road and saw a bear, road congestion, stopped and watched for about half hour before a ranger came and shot flares into the air to get the bear moving, he was busy eating berries. Continued on down and stopped at Sumwapta Falls, walked down and looked at falls as it rushed through a limestone gorge. Made a few more stops before reaching the icefields. We had decided to walk to the fields, longer walk than it looked, up a steep grade before arriving at the ice. On our walk, there were different markers showing how far the icefield was years ago, since 2000 it really melted quite a bit. When we got back to Jasper, we had time for a wood fired pizza, before our drivers meeting.
 



Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Ride at Edmonton Mall Complex
What a View of the Wilds!!

The Alberta Legislature Building



World's Largest Pysanka (Easter Egg)
More from the Landvaters!!!

Stop #5 July 18-20
While driving on Sunday, we saw a den of coyotes, along the roadway, in all we saw about 8. We had
stopped in Vegreville, Alberta, to see the World's Largest Pysanka, (Easter Egg), it measures 25.7 feet
long, 18 feet wide, and stands 31 feet high, and turns in the wind like a weathervane. While there, we
had visited the visitor center and the girl behind the counter told us about the Train Station, which was
converted into a restaurant. There was 5 trailers that had gone there for lunch, they had served,
Ukrainain food, which had 5 perogies, 3 crapes filled with cottage cheese and a cabbage roll, which all
had a sauce of dill poured over them, wasn't bad. Our waitress gave us a tour of the station, while our
food was being prepared, they had a banquet room, and an upstairs apartment which was very nicely
done by the owner, which was an interior decorator. While driving to our next campground, we saw quite
a few fields again filled with canola flowers. On Monday, we had a tour planned for different places, but only did some of them because of rain.
We took a bus tour through Edmonton, Alberta, stopped at Alberta Legislature, Royal Alberta Museum,
which was a self tour, got to eat lunch at the cafe, and then off to the West Edmonton Mall. The Mall has
800 shops, 100 eating establishments, on 2 floors with them streets, amusement park, waterpark, putt 'n'
glow, 18 hole mini golf, ice palace, casino and much more. Mall covering 45 city blocks- that's equivalent
to 115 football fields. In the evening alot of us sat along the Saskatchwan River and watched huge
beavers and the deer across the road from our campground. On Tuesday, was a free day, we had got the oil changed in the truck and then back to the Mall, had a
drivers meeting in evening.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Bill inspects the All American Cycle.
Joan would look good in her Pink Leathers on this White Cycle

Joan...John Deere is GREEN not PINK!!!!


More of Bill's tractor collection!



Joan Loves the 57'Chev Motorcycle at the Motorcycle Museum
This is a John Deere Diesel Engine..Bill wonders how to get it in the Suburan??

Bill Loves Antique tractors


Joan is in "Barbie" Heaven!!!



Look out Joan..you maybe off your Rocker??




Saturday, July 17, 2010

Survey Markers .....
Giant Sun Dial


Travels Of Ken & Audrey Landvater......
Stop #4 July 16-17
Travel day from Prince Albert to Lloydminister. Left this morning, driving on Highway 3 west, large area burnt out by fire, looks like a couple years old, pine trees are reappearing, still pretty small, we are traveling with Don and Kathy McKelvey. We then turned south onto Highway 40, passing by, the largest Lily in town of Parkside, driving through farmland with canola fields abundent. Canola plants grown in western Canada reach 1-2 metres tail and produce bunches of yellow, four-petal flowers. A canola field in full bloom looks like a huge, yellow carpet. Insects and wind fertilize canola by moving pollen from flower to flower. As plants ripen, the yellow petals drop off and green pods about 5 centimetres long take their place. The pods are about one-fifth the size of pea pods and contain canola seeds. When canola plants ripen further, the pods turn brown and the seeds inside turn from green to a range of yellows and dark browns. Canola growers harvest the ripened plants for those tiny seeds, which contain about 40% canola oil. Each pod contains about 20 seeds. The seeds are crushed to extract the oil. Canola oil is used in a range of food products from salad oil and cookies and cake mixes. Canola meal, the part that's left after removing the oil, is high in protein and used in animal feed. We had stopped at Information Center in North Battleford, took picture of Royal Canadian Mounted Police and a Buffalo made from barbed wire. We continued on Highway 40 to Cut Knife, in 1885 the town was the site of several First Nations uprisings that were inspired by the Metis rebellion. The Battle of Cut Knife Hill, between the Cree tribe led by Chief Poundmaker and the North West Mounted Police under Col. W.D. Otter, ended in the retreat of the Mounties to Battleford. Poundmaker, who stopped his warriors from pursuing and ambushing Otter's troops, later surrendered to the authorities to help restore peace between the First Nations and settlers. In Cut Knife's horizon is the massive tomahawk in Tomahawk Park. The handle is a pipe 57ft. long and weighs 8,660 lbs. Arrived at Lloydminister shortly after 2 pm., no sooner got unhooked and a storm with pea size hail came through the area, the rest of the evening was damp and drizzly. This morning, we went downtown and saw the North America's largest working sundial, as far as I could tell it was accurate. Proceeded to Highway 17, which is the line between Saskatchewan and Alberta, they have the world's largest survey stakes as border markers, so you can stand in both provinces at one time. Went to Barr Colony Heritage Cultural Center, the center features a museum with regularly changing exhibits, the Imhoff Art Gallery, a science center, a wildlife exhibit, as well as studio space where you can take art classes. Berthold Von Imhoff, had lived in Reading for a while and is known for his painting in churches. This evening, we had our first cook-out and drivings meeting.


Friday, July 16, 2010

Shops in Waskesiu, SK
Berry Farm outside Skaskatoon,SK

Inside Boomtown ......Landvaters' Blog #5

Stop #2, July 11-12
I did laundry in the morning and then we drove downtown, across the Saskatchewan River, parked the truck and got our bikes out. There was a festival going on downtown along the river, we rode bike back across the river, where there was a walking and biking path, they also had a water area for the kids to play in and a skateboard park farther down the river. The weather was really nice this day and alot of people out enjoying the day. The next day, we went to Saskatchewan Western Developement Museum, 1910 Boomtown, it was like a street in 1914 to the turn of the century. It had a main street with different stores, like butcher shop, drug store, general store, dentist office, doctor office, livery stable, harness shop, blacksmith shop, church, school, railway station, and much more. They did have one room with tractors and farm machinery from way back when. Along the street where old cars, fire truck, horse and buggy, this was all under one roof, great find. For lunch we went to The Berry Barn, when we got there it was very busy, there were 4 other airstreamers there waiting for tables and one asked us if we wanted to sit with them, so we did, got to know them a little more. Lunch was very good, there specialty was berry pie for dessert, I had got a prairie berry pie, a little more tart than blueberries, the other woman go just a berry pie, and her's looked more like a blueberry pie, she also said it was very good. Went to an airstream dealer, didn't have much, then to Flying J for fuel and Costcos, before getting back to trailer.

Stop #3, July 13-15 Traveling day, July 13, we were parkers, so we left early and headed north to Princess Albert, Saskatchewan, arrived about noon, quickly made lunch and the other trailers started to pull in. Had another GAM, get acquainted meeting, from 4-5pm. Next day, July 14, we packed a lunch and drove north about 50 miles to Prince Albert National Park. We had stopped at the information center, got a few tips for the day. Drove to the other side of the info center, and parked our truck, got our bikes out and rode around town, nice paths along the lake. We then got back into the truck and drove to the marina, this area is not much more to see than being at home in a local park. There are no hill or mountains, mostly flat, pine trees and aspen trees, saw a couple beaver huts. We then proceeded south toward the trailer, on a different road than that we drove up on, the only thing we saw was a deer and a sharp-tailed grouse with its babies, and a few wildflowers, nothing out of the ordinary. A few in the group saw bear, elk, golden eagle, pelicans and deer. A few people in the group seemed to enjoy the area, but they were mostly from Texas area. July 15, we really didn't do much today, went to library to get on internet, went to grocery store. picked up a few items for the move tomorrow, fueled up the truck and back to trailer. We sat around awhile and talked to a group of people, Ken then washed the trailer, like everyone else did today, not too many places will let you wash you rig, so when you have a chance to do it, you just do. We then had a drivers meeting a 7:30, changed the roads we are traveling tomorrow. We've really had beautiful weather so far, 50's at night and 70's during the day, with a breeze blowing most of the time.



Wednesday, July 14, 2010

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!!!

Jim Moser and Shelley Randall
#7832

home phone: 570-275-1484
Jim's cell: 570-594-8585
Shelley's cell: 570-594-3944
E-Mail: shelleycrandall@gmail.com

PA home address:
151 Moser Road
Danville, PA 17821-7713

Winter home address:
7832 East Meseto Ave.
Mesa, AZ 85209-5091
phone in AZ: 480-984-5876

Note: I have talked to them, Jim & Shelley and they are ready to have fun in their Airstream. They were both Professors at Bloomsburg University, That is why they kept their Professional names and have been married for 14 years. Let's give them a "Big WELCOME" when we see them!! They will try to make the Penn All-State Rally in September.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Lea Boyer's Celebration Service was Sat, July 10 in Catawissa,Pa. Here are some shots that the Boyer family sent me.
Memebers from Central Penn attending were Carol & Bill Abbot, John & Dot Lesh, Clint & Gladys Taylor and the Dennis & Carol Ober.

The Flag ceremony is always a tear maker. It was very impressive with the Flag, then volley of 3 veterans firing off 3 shots each and then Taps. Lea was a quiet man who loved his Family, Country & God. God Bless you Lea, Rest in Peace.


Sunday, July 11, 2010

Ken & Audrey Landvater are heading for Alaska this summer on the Yellowhead "N" More Caravan. Here are some pictures and their weekly Blog..
Ken with his favorite Mounty Moose!!!!

Thurs. July 8 The International is now over and we are in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. We had traveled north out of Gillette, Wyoming, through Montana and into Canada. We didn't have any problem entering Canada, although a few in our caravan were pulled over and their trailer was gone through. Before going into Regina we went west and stayed one night in the town of Moose Jaw, in a Wal-Mart parking lot, there was about 10 other trailers also parked there for the night. The next morning we got up, pulled the trailer next to another, unhooked and went down the road to the visitor center, where we found Mac the Moose, a 30 foot statue said to be the world's largest moose. We then drove downtown saw the McDonald's that was built like a barn and then took a tour of the Tunnels in town. There are two tours offered and we took the Chicago Connection, which explores gangster Al Capone's bootlegging operation, which was known as Little Chicago in the early 20's, and the tunnels he is said to have used to escape American authorities. Today we went to Saskatchewan Science Center where they were showing Our Body, The Universe Within, I believe this was at Harrisburg at the Whitacher Center, actual human bodies, is a scientific educational exhibit comprised of over seventy anatomical displays including nine whole body specimens that have been preserved using a method known as polymer impregnation, great exhibit and really interesting. We then ate lunch and then to the Imax theatre to watch The Human Body, also a great show. Two other couples and us went out for pizza, went to one place had a 45 min. wait, decided to try another, very expensive $50 for a large pizza, Ken got hamburger and I got french onion soup.
Fri., July 9 Had a tour to RCMP Heritage Centre (Royal Canadian Mounted Police), today, the centre was like a museum, with artifacts, from the beginning of mounted police to today. We then had a tour outside, walked to the Drill Hall, where we saw cadets practicing marching drills, then into the Chapel, which was a mess hall, early on, til the kitchen burnt out, then they made it into the chapel. Next we walked across the street saw a square where they put a show on three times a week. We also saw dorms, which house 16 people in one room, gym, and then a shed where they clean their guns. Later this evening we had a drivers meeting.
Sat., July 10 We had moved today to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, which was 167 miles. The landscape was flat and farmland and no place really to stop along the way. We pulled into camp at 1:15, setup and by 4pm, we hosted our first GAM (get aquainted meeting), where 5 couples get together and tell everyone about themselves. At 5:30 we all carpooled to Saskatoon Princess River Cruise with dinner included. We returned back about 8 pm, you can't really stay outside too long at dusk, or the mosquites will carry you away, it was still quite light outside at 10 pm.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

The Buchers are in Pipestone,MN. for a week..nice sights
Not their Airstream,but looks good along the building.

Beautiful Falls along rock formations


What a view, can we go swimming?? It's Hot here in Penna.



PipeStone, MN. Keep on traveling..Bill and Joan..Be Safe!!!




Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Bill's new co-pilots?
Oh-No.... Joan found a another rock to paint!!!!

Bill was only in for a few minutes...Now on probation.


Bill found a new co-pilot...Look out Joan!!!



1880 Old West Town!!!




Bill used to drive a tractor like this when he was a teenager.
Bill said he was looking for a new tow car??? It is longer than the Airstream.

Here is Bill & Joans' Rig ....
Joan Bucher at Gillette Hobby Show..She won a Blue Ribbon...She loves to paint rocks!!!

Bill, the salesman for "ENVY" Waterless Car Wash... Cleanest Rig in Gillette,WY.


Monday, July 5, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY>>LOU JACOBS!!! 80 Today July 5,2010

Lou Jacobs is the only member to serve as President of our Unit 2 times. He is an avid Scout Supporter, Airstreamer, Husband, and GrandPop....Loved by All!!! May you have the BEST Birthday today..Lou... From all your Airstream Friends in Central Penn Unit.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Alright ..here a few new posts from our members from Gillette,WY. If I made any mistakes...Please "Push Button"!!!! Your Blog Editor
Here is the back drop that I believe Theresa and Joan help paint.
Here are 2 of many vintage Airstreams on Display.

Here is Charlie Sanders doing his part in the WBCCI Band. Charlie loves to play music. Thanks Charlie for all your past volunteering in the WBCCI..You are the true Airstreamer!!!