DAY 3 - Thursday, September 19, 2024

Today was a really nice day for weather and for our trip north to Lac La Biche. The start of the day is usually a good omen and did not let us down today.

This is the way we love to travel and the process makes a road trip so enjoyable. On the advice of Steve yesterday we took the roads less travelled once we were out of Edmonton. During the entire drive (once out of the city) I doubt we saw a hundred cars for the whole trip. There are lots of little towns and villages, none of them having any resemblance to what our classic view of Alberta is.

First stop was Mundare, commemorating a century of sausage-making. Over 100 years ago immigrants from Eastern Europe (with a heavy percentage from Ukraine) arrived in Canada and chose to settle the Canadian West. Who could resist this tacky photo-op?!

In this neck of the woods it is not unusual at all to see numerous Ukrainian Orthodox Churches.

A short distance up the road the village of Andrew lays claim to the World's Largest Mallard Duck. Right about now I was laughing recalling a fabulous episode of Corner Gas.

Nearby village of Willingdon was a real eye-opener. It's not really a ghost town, people still live there but there's certainly not much left. I can't even imagine how it ever supported a hotel, four grocery stores and two liquor stores all within a hundred yards of one another. A pretty little town, sadly not even Jonny Harris and his Still Standing show could save Willingdon.

We arrived in Lac La Biche mid-afternoon and were relieved that we had pre-booked. This sort of thing happens to us with alarming frequency, especially when we do not book ahead. Our hotel is full. Why...a World Archery Field Championships of course.

Stay with us - we're not sure what tomorrow may bring in Lac La Biche. Biche, by the way, means doe.

😎