Drumheller (Alberta), “The Dinosaur Capital of the World”

    The first time I went to Drumheller (Google map) , I was accompanied by some  friends of friends from Australia.

We visited the Hoo Doos (which, by the way, are  very close to the road – we somehow drove by them and out into the wilderness  for about a ½ hour before we gave up and turned around…well, actually, the  road completely ran out…when we got back to the main road, we realized the Hoo  Doos were right there AND there’s a parking lot… )

The funniest thing about that trip,  though, was that the Australians had never seen gophers before and were much  more intrigued by them! And chased them around, calling “Come hee-ah little  goofah”.

I actually wondered about this “goofah” issue, so I Googled, and it turns out that they are, indeed, actually endemic to North America! Who knew! (For those of you who don’t like them, I said “endemic” not “pandemic”.)

Stop for a little walk across the 117 meter (384 feet) long Rosedale  Suspension Bridge, on the way to the Hoo Doos (or on the way back..)

It was originally built in 1931 to give miners access to the mines on the otherside (before 1931, they were going across the river in slings!) The bridge was apparently rebuilt it 1958 and the side fences were added on, for tourists….

Plan to spend some time in Drumheller  town – you can make a scavenger hunt out of dinosaur  sightings and cute little boutiques and galleries, restaurants and sidewalk cafes are scattered here and there.

Visiting the Royal  Tyrrell Museum is a must – good for kids and adults! And, depending on the time of year  and the age of your child, they can go on dinosaur hikes and look for bones, like a real excavation! 

Many would claim I’ve saved the best for last by now bring up the apparently amazing (and  crazy) golf course – The Dinosaur Trail Golf & Country Club. It’s one of  Peter’s favorites, for scenery and difficulty. You golf up and down the plateaus – and if your ball goes over the edge, it’s lost. (I haven’t golfed it because,  well, I’m terrible. Actually, that’s not true – I’m good for a beginner, who has  a short attention span…)

It’s totally worth the trip. I’ve never had  anyone ever say, “I wish we hadn’t spent a day in Drumheller”. See you Wednesday – on to  Saskatchewan! (By the way – I’ve heard this name butchered on TV a bzillion  times – it isn’t “Saska-CHEW-an” – it’s “Sas-KATCH-ewan”.)

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