August 20, 2026 Calgary Bound: Cheese Curds, Speed Traps and a Banff Detour
Our road trip to Lethbridge for our niece’s wedding began with a slight twist. Our son Scott decided he wanted to drive his own BMW, so we packed ourselves in, loaded up the car, and hit the road. Quality family time, German engineering, and the promise of a wedding. What could possibly go wrong?
First stop: Armstrong for cheese curds. Purely for old times’ sake, of course. And to pick up a bag for nephew Kevin. We’re nothing if not thoughtful relatives. The fact that we also enjoy cheese curds had absolutely nothing to do with it.
Then it was north to Sicamous to join Highway 1, with Scott driving at a pretty enthusiastic pace. Dad issued a timely warning about radar, and sure enough, flashing lights appeared behind us. I helpfully pointed out that having two old people in the car might earn him some sympathy.
The officer, however, was not distracted by our senior status. He claimed there was no front licence plate, despite the fact that there was one, just off to the right. He apologized for that little mix-up, then pointed out that Scott was also exceeding the speed limit. Scott apologized, and the officer let him off with a warning.
Whew! Turns out having two old people in the car does have its advantages. Scott got off with a warning, and we were back on our way. Parental presence: one, speeding ticket: zero
Back on the road, we stopped at Three Valley Gap for the first time ever. We’ve driven past it a gazillion times over the years, always managing to find a reason not to stop. This time, we finally did. We enjoyed our packed lunch and then carried on toward Banff.
Apart from a fuel stop, Banff was our next real break. It was absolutely packed, but we decided it was worth a stop. We don’t often take the time to explore Banff, and it had been a long time since Scott had visited.
We took in the magnificent Banff Springs Hotel and the spectacular Bow Falls just behind it. Some places are worth stopping for, even when the parking situation tests your patience and the crowds remind you that everyone else has had the same brilliant idea.
Eventually, we arrived in Calgary and checked into our Airbnb near brother-in-law Reg’s place.
Supper was at nephew Kevin, Dorlisa and Evie’s home, where we were also delighted to see niece Heather, visiting from Ireland. We’d last seen her in February when we were over in Ireland, so there was plenty to catch up on.
All in all, a good day on the road. A few cheese curds, one near-miss with the law, a couple of long-overdue sightseeing stops, and some quality time with our son.
And we made it to Calgary without Scott collecting a speeding ticket. We’ll call that a successful start to the adventure!
August 21, 2026 A Day Off in Calgary: Shopping, Family and Mussels
After yesterday’s drive, today was a much more relaxed affair. Scott, however, had other plans. He decided to head to Lethbridge early to connect with his cousin Yasmine, her soon-to-be husband Ryan, and their friends before the wedding.
That left us temporarily stranded without a vehicle. But no big whoop. We’re resourceful people. And there’s always Uber.
First, we had Scott drop us at an audio shop to ask a few questions, then he delivered us to Market Mall for some retail wandering. A little poking around the shops, followed by an Uber ride back to our Airbnb. We managed just fine without our own set of wheels.
Later, we walked over to the cemetery and mausoleum to visit my sister. A quieter, more personal part of the day, and always important when we’re in Calgary.
That evening, Heather and Reg picked us up, and we met Kevin, Dor and Evie for supper.
There was one important bit of unfinished business from our last visit. Evie had missed out on the mussels last time and had been very upset about it. Fortunately, she managed to snag the last serving this time around. Crisis averted! Some family grievances take longer to settle than others.
A good supper, good company, and another chance to catch up with everyone. A pretty fine way to spend a day in Calgary, even without a car.
August 22, 2026 A Barn Wedding, a Time Mix-Up and Dancing into the Wee Hours
Reg and Heather picked us up for the morning trek to Lethbridge, and we arrived at our hotel in time for lunch. There we met up with Kevin, Dor, Evie and Scott. Scott had apparently enjoyed himself a little too much with his cousin the night before. Or should I say, into the early hours of the morning? Youth. Or at least the enthusiasm of youth!
Next came the big question: what time did the wedding actually start? Was it 2:30 or 3:30? You’d think someone in the family might know. My brother, the father of the bride, was absolutely no help. Sigh.
We begged the hotel for an early check-in, changed into our wedding finery, and headed out to the venue, a converted barn about 20 minutes outside town.
The place was beautifully decorated, but when we arrived at 2:30, it quickly became apparent that we were a full hour early. Oops! On the bright side, it gave us plenty of time for group photos and catching up with family we hadn’t seen in a while. Sometimes confusion has its advantages.
The wedding itself was unique, casual and beautiful. Yasmine and Ryan looked genuinely happy, and it was lovely to see them begin this next chapter together.
After the ceremony, we settled in for the reception and dinner, seated with Pam’s siblings. We hadn’t seen them since Bill and Pam’s wedding back in 1986. That’s 40 years of catching up to do! Fortunately, a wedding is a pretty good place to start.
Then came the dancing. The music started with a little more country than some of us would have ordered, but we persevered. And before long, there was a conga line. Hard to resist a conga line, no matter what your musical preferences might be.
The dancing continued well into the wee hours of the morning. Apparently, Scott wasn’t the only one capable of a late night!
A beautiful wedding, happy newlyweds, a chance to reconnect with family, and a whole lot of dancing. Despite the confusion over the start time, it was a wonderful day celebrating Yasmine and Ryan.
August 23, 2026 Homeward Bound: One Last Stop in Armstrong
The morning after the wedding was checkout time and the drive back to Kelowna. Neil took the wheel this time, and we settled in for a straightforward trip home. No sightseeing detours, no tourist stops, just steady driving and a gas stop.
Well, almost no stops.
We pulled into Armstrong one more time, but this visit wasn’t about cheese curds. We stopped at the cemetery to visit my parents. It was nice to have Scott along so he knows where they are and can find them when we’re no longer around to point the way. A little family history for the next generation, even if it’s not the most cheerful road-trip activity.
Then it was back on the road and home to Kelowna, in time for a relaxing evening on the couch.
A lovely wedding, plenty of family time, a few adventures along the way, and a safe trip home. Sometimes the best ending to a road trip is simply being home, putting your feet up, and not having to go anywhere for a while.
A Little Post-Wedding Visit
One little side note from the following Tuesday: Yasmine and Ryan came over to our place for lunch. I’m not sure what they were expecting, but hopefully we didn’t disappoint! We had a lovely visit and a great lunch.
It was nice to get to know Ryan a bit better, and he’s a really nice guy. We also enjoyed the chance to get to know Yasmine a little better. Sometimes family weddings are so busy that you barely get a chance to have a proper conversation with the people at the centre of it all.
Scott even dropped by from work to say hello, which made it that much nicer.
All in all, a lovely visit and a great opportunity to spend some time together without a wedding schedule, a dance floor, or a debate over what time things were supposed to start!
