Calgary Stampede

The highlight of Calgary's cultural calendar is the Stampede, actually it's the only event on the cultural calendar, unless you count monster truck racing. The Stampede is famous for two main things, the rodeo and weird food. The rodeo was great and certainly very entertaining. The weird food available included; deep fried Jelly Beans, deep fried Oreos, deep fried ..... (insert any food here) and pizza on a stick to name just a few. But by far the greatest was Chocolate covered cheesecake on a stick, science is indeed capable of achieving amazing things....

Just in case you were all getting worried I still managed to fit in another hike last week. I was essentially a tour guide for a conference excursion up to Sentinel Pass, its so tough to get paid to go hiking.

Another day, another amazing hike

Everyone here keeps on telling us that summer in Calgary is very short, so we have been trying to make the most of it. Last weekends excursion was the extended version of Black Prince Cirque. The usual route is a brisk stroll around a scenic lake, while the extended version takes a less traveled route up into a hanging valley (cirque).

Scenic lake

The remnants of a couple avalanches spiced up the hike, certainly never got those hiking in Oz, heck we were lucky if we could find water in Oz.

The cirque

Another scenic lake, although much nicer than the first.

Life is tough

Last week our research group was dragged kicking and screaming out of the lab for our monthly group hike. Life is indeed pretty tough when you get paid to go hiking, I don't know how I cope. The hike was the East End of Rundle, a ~900 m slog to the 2950 m summit. While the hike wasn't amazing the views were well worth the effort. Unfortunately we stuffed up the correct approach the the summit and had to turn back just short, I guess I will need to go back...

Up and up and up

The Shimizu Group

I don't think the rest of the group realized how perilous their location was

Over looking the town of Canmore with Ha Ling peak to the right

Hiking with the Whānau

The week before my bro's wedding was taken up with numerous hiking trips in the Rockies. Trip 1 was the first part of my brothers stag, a hike up Forgetmenot Ridge. It was a nice gentle 700 vertical meter slog with stunning views. Hike 2 was a more leisurely stroll around Moraine Lake and hike 3 was a return trip to Chester Lake, although this time there was less snow about.

Canada isn't as flat as Darfield

Karl strutting his stuff

Rivers from snow melt are surprisingly cold

Family portrait at Moraine Lake

I think after all the hiking my folks were ready to return to the flat lands of D'field.

My Bro's Wedding

The last couple of weeks have been crazy busy so it may take us a little while to catch up with the Blog entries. Firstly, and most importantly, my brother got married last Friday. The wedding was perfect and everyone had a brilliant time.

Pa and Ma

I don't wear a suit very often so I though the occasion should be documented

The wedding was in a meadow overlooking the township of Banff, not a bad spot.

The Bride and Groom