ALBERTA’S OLD WEST
We’ve been driving through a land that’s so foreign to us, it feels as if we’re extras in a Hollywood Western. Today we explored Lethbridge, Alberta, the home of Fort Whoop-Up, where the Yankee whiskey traders made money off their Canadian neighbors on a well-used trail between Montana and the Canadian West.
Here too is where the last great Indian battle occurred in the late 1800s. But as for today, it was quiet–three goats, a couple of cowboys, and some pale-faced Yanks named Brown were in the middle of the fort. We did get a personal roping lesson from Phil, the fort’s teamster and carpenter, who said he’s been “cowboying” for years. He’s the real deal. OK, I’m not about to put in a picture of my roping lessons, but I will put in Perry’s–he was much better than I at this hand-eye coordination thing anyway. Onward to Edmonton and points beyond this afternoon. Stay posted.
