Active by Nature

 May Photoblogging Challenge:  Telling A Story

This is a transition year for me: a transition year into retirement.  I just happened to notice that Alberta Parks was recruiting for Park Ambassadors.  When I investigated what the requirements were, it was to post semi-regularly to social media about Alberta Parks experiences.  This raised my interest, as I already enjoyed posting to social media about this very thing.  What were the perks of this volunteer assignment?  Free camping!  I was sold and completed my application.  A few weeks later, I was thrilled to learn I had been accepted and as I guessed, after the program had been running for 8 years, I was the first senior citizen to be chosen as an ambassador.

Here are five photos depicting the start of my exciting new assignment:

(1) Alberta Parks visit #1:  Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park

I decided to make Glenbow Ranch, between Cochrane and Calgary, my first park visited in my new role as an Alberta Parks Ambassador.  I had been excited, a few days before my visit, to see stunning photographs of Mountain Bluebirds posted by the Friends of Glenbow Ranch.   After living in the mountains for a decade, I had never seen a Mountain Bluebird.  Turns out, they are more a bird of the foothills than the mountains.   So I spent several hours hiking around Glenbow Ranch, looking for bluebirds.  I did not see any.  On the way back to my car, I called into the visitor centre and asked them where the best place to see the mountain bluebirds might be.  The staff person escorted me back outside and said immediately.... "oh, there is one!" Sure enough, there it was.  She also indicated the nest boxes near the lookout by where my car was parked.  Sure enough, there were two more.  Mission accomplished!  What a beautiful bird!  

(2) Alberta Parks visit #2:  Bow Valley Provincial Park

Bow Valley Provincial Park is a favourite place to go to see displays of wildflowers.  Although the wildflower display will not peak until the end of June or beginning of May, it starts in mid-May with the early bloomers, the Prairie Crocuses.  They were on full and vivid display on May 11th, when I took an Active by Nature guest there.

(3) Alberta Crown Land Visit to See Wild Horses

Although not technically an Alberta Parks visit, I did take a drive through crown land to the Red Deer River Alberta Parks campground on May 13th, with the express purpose of seeing and photographing Alberta's wild horses.  We did see a number of "wildies" and a couple of newborn foals.  Once again, mission accomplished.  Did you know that DNA studies conducted by both the University of Calgary and University of Texas show that our Alberta wild horses are indeed genetically unique?  They have DNA related to the draft horse, Indigenous ponies and the original Spanish horse. There are multiple genetics found, but these studies show that this blend of genetics is only found in our Alberta wild horses. Leading scientific researchers have stated that if we were to lose these horses it would be a very large loss to Alberta.

I will be back later this summer to visit one of the lovely and quiet campgrounds up the Forestry Trunk Rd. (Hwy #40) along which the wildies can be viewed.  I was happy to get some lovely photos on this trip.  Here is my favourite photo of a stallion:

(4) Alberta Parks Visit #3:  Evan Thomas Provincial Recreation Area

The Troll Falls Trail is one of my favourite spots in Evan Thomas Provincial Recreation Area.  It is completely different on every different visit.  On this particular visit, the various waterfalls and cascades were as full as I had ever seen them.  It is such a picturesque hike, with so many photo stops along the way.  Ah.... the challenge of picking out JUST ONE.  Here is my choice - Upper Troll Falls long exposure: 

(5) Alberta Parks visit #4: Sibbald Lake Provincial Recreation Area

I choose to camp at Sibbald Lake Provincial Recreation Area to take advantage of the nearly endless number of hiking trails in close proximity to the campground.  One of the hikes I did with a friend was Jumpingpound Ridge & Summit, which I must say is one of my all time favourite hikes.  I will be back!   

And so concludes my photo blogging challenge for May.  But I am sure future blogs will also contain photos from the many Alberta Parks I plan on visiting.  June's theme of "Where will I go" seems especially suited to that.   Happy summer everyone!