Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park

Today my new friend Michelle took me for a hike in Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park.  Oho, a new friend you ask?  Yes! 

A new friend that I met through this blog!  Michelle lives in Calgary + we decided to meet up for the first time!  Yes!  You can meet new friends through the magical world of blogging!  We likened it to modern day pen pals, sort of.  Kind of.  Pretty cool, eh?!

Glenbow Ranch has a pretty informative + small visitor’s center with park staff at the ready to answer any questions or suggest a hiking route!

Glenbow was a former town that was established as a station by the Canadian Pacific Railway at the turn of the century.  Here is the remnants of the old town general store/post office.

The store was faced in local clay brick manufactured by the Glenbow Brick + Supplies Ltd.

Sadly to say, the clay brick crumbled easily, which led to the early demise of the Glenbow brick plant!

The different color variations + textures of green grasses in the park were so beautiful!!!

Aha!  Our little mischievous friend, the Richardson’s Ground Squirrel!

Total cutie face!  The trail is well paved + maintained – good for bike riding, we noted!

Wildflowers aplenty!  It was interesting to come across flowers that I’m generally not used to seeing in Southern California.

Aaaaah, the Bow River.

Michelle + I had so much fun getting to know each other + we chatted away! Our discussion topics ranged from world history, Lord of the Rings + local comic book stores! We had a general nerd fest!  I was loving it!!!

After the hike, Michelle took me to the town of Cochrane to wow me with the delights of the famous Mackay’s Ice Cream!!!

Established in 1948, Mackay’s Ice Cream is made out of 100% high butterfat cream, y’all!!!!  Wooooooo!!!!

We stared at the menu for a gooooood whiiiiiile.  It all looked so delectable after a hike!  One item caught my attention + I asked, “What’s a Nanaimo Bar????”. 

“What’s a Nanaimo Bar!!!!!!!!” Michelle + the ice cream gal gasped.  Nanaimo Bars are a Canadian specific dessert, don’tchaknow!!!!  Originating in British Columbia the bars typically consists of a chocolate crumb-based layer, topped by a layer of light vanilla of custard flavoured butter icing, which is covered in chocolate made from melted chocolate squares.  So, of course I had to get it because I thought if I ate it, I’d become more of a Canuck!

It kind of just tasted like Cookies + Cream.  Nonetheless, ladies + gentleman, this is really darn tootin’ tasty ice cream.  Seal of approval.  I’m not even a huge sweets person + I vouch for it whole heartedly.  There was a map that read, “How Far Have You Come for Mackay’s?”.  Michelle handed me a pin + stuck it in the crowded Southern California region (technically I came from the neighborhood of Crescent Heights, Calgary – but who’s gonna know?).

Thanks for today, Michelle!  I love meeting new friends!!!  A hike + post hike ice cream, what could be better????