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Dinosaurs in Drumheller

When I was 3 or 4 years old my mom asked me what I wanted to be.  I replied, “A Paleontologist.”.  English being her second language she asked, “A wha???”.  And thus, I became a costumer.  Don’t ask.  That’s a subject for another blog.

I’ve always been obsessed with dinosaurs.  Ever since I’ve known Jeff he’s told me to go to Drumheller – the dinosaur capital of North America.  It’s a 2 1/2 – 3 hour drive from Canmore.  My rental car has Sirius XM radio, so that made it fun.  I was peeling down the highway, windows down, blasting music!!!  It was like Thelma + Louise….without Louise???  It’s mostly farmland on the way, so I stopped to say hello to these fellows: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I took this crazy route to avoid going through downtown Calgary.  Thank god I picked up a driving map from the tourism center in Canmore, otherwise I would have been royally screeeeeewed.  There’s weird turnoffs, + “secondary” highways that aren’t that clearly marked on the map.  I kept thinking to myself, “I hope i’m supposed to make a left at this junction.”.  Because I would end up at 4 way junctions that looked like this:

that’s my little rental vehicle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My point is, it all looks the same in each direction, right???  And what the heck is with this sign?  It means nothing to me!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But, ah yes!!!  This means something to me!!!  Dinosaurs, ho!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I was really entering the Canadian Badlands.  I stopped at Horse Thief Canyon for lunch.  I went down into the canyons a little bit, but not too far down because I started to think about 127 hours + I got nervous thinking about breaking both of my femurs + not being able to crawl out of the canyon + no one knowing I was there.  Then I thought I was like Sissy Spacek in the Terence Malick movie, “Badlands” but just hopefully more smart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s proof that I’m actually in Canada:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was definitely not going to be me.

 

 

 

 

FINALLY I made it to the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology.  It’s a leading center of paleaontological research noted for its collection of more than 130,000 fossils.  It was extremely impressive + their displays were really well done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This one’s called “The Black Beauty” due to the color of it’s bones which occurred during fossilisation by the presence of minerals in the surrounding rock.  She’s gorgeous, ain’t she?

 

 

 

 

Here’s some more Alberta fashion for you:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The actual town of Drumheller was a little bit depressing + ghost town like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I HAD to take a picture of this because apparently it’s “the biggest dinosaur in the world”.  IN THE WORLD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This sign cracked me up from the Badlands Barber Shop.  Isn’t that guy from Gossip Girl or something???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, I discovered the local Salvation Army.  Don’t  worry family + friends, my hoarding tendencies are under control!!!  I found these awesome mugs from the early 80’s for Jeff + I.  Aren’t they just too cute!?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AND they’re made in JAPAN!!!!!  BOOYAH!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, the drive home was a little rough.  Thank god for Sirius XM.  Blondie came on + I got a second wind + was rapping, “She eats Cadillacs, Lincolns too, Mercuries + Subarus!!!!!!!!”.  Things were good for a while.  Then Steely Dan came on + it was straight up zone out time.  Mood busted.  The green of the endless miles of prairie were bleaching out my brain.