Horses and Calgary

After leaving Banff we now began to head East along Highway 1, the Trans Canada Highway, through Alberta. Our first stop was at Rafter Six Ranch, a family run ranch offering rustic rv camping sites and trail rides. The campsite was rustic with stunning scenery all around us but boy was it windy! The first night we were in the middle of an open field (mistake number one!) with the wind coming head on (mistake number 2!) and we weren’t sure if all of Delta would still be attached in the morning and we got very little sleep but with a drive around the site in the morning we found a more secluded spot and faced her side on into the wind and although she rocked it was much quieter and we were able to catch up on some much needed sleep the second night! While we were camping at Rafter Six we took advantage of the opportunity to take a trail ride in the foothills of the Rocky mountains which was an amazing experience. Neither of us had ever ridden Western style before and we are now both converts….so much more comfortable than English style! The horses at Rafter Six are extremely well taken care of, they’re treated as part of the family, and we were paired with horses that suited our riding experience and personalities. It was an amazing experience to ride out in a small group in such a beautiful landscape, an experience we’ll never forget.

After leaving Rafter Six we continued heading East along the Trans Canada Highway towards Calgary. By now we had been traveling in Delta for twelve and half weeks and had put 8,500 kilometres (5,282 miles) on the clock so Delta was due a service and a belt change. The garage would need a few days to complete the work on Delta so we dropped her off and took the opportunity to book a few nights in a hotel in downtown Calgary. Now, we love Delta, we really do, but it was heaven to sleep in a full size bed and shower in a full height shower for a few days! We spent our time in Calgary exploring the city, shopping, eating and planning the second half of our trip. We loved Calgary and all it had to offer but we were also glad to get Delta back and head out on the open road again to continue our adventures…..next stop Drumheller, a geologist’s paradise!