BIG LOVE for Connie & anyone fighting Breast Cancer. Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie - BIGDoer.com: Hundreds and hundreds of articles! Over one point three million words! Over 25k photos! Tens of thousands of hours invested! Tens of thousands of visitors per month! News: 4th Quarter 2024 - Many older posts are outdated or have little value in 2024 and have been archived (due to a system crash). Some will return with a reworking, and others deleted. Missing posts will be handled with a redirect to the home page.- New software has been installed to keep out troublesome types while allowing regular users free access without disruption. It functions in the background and as such you no longer need to log-in to view all content. The site should now be faster too.- If you appreciate what we do, please Help the Society .- Comments are currently offline and we're uncertain if they'll be turned on again. Bad users spoiled it for all.- Chris joined Jim Bowers and Jay Towers for the Superman Caped Wonder Podcast (Facebook new tab).- The Beer Parlour Project website, a collaborative effort between Team BIGDoer and art photographer Robert Pohl, is now online! The Beer Parlour Project (new tab).- After all that effort, we've mercifully pulled the plug on the book "Lost Alberta: Forgotten and Abandoned History" announced in 2020. Read about it on Facebook (new tab): Cancelled! EMBRACE THIS MESS!

BIGDoer.com is unpolished in every way and simply casual fun. Tips and pointers for new users...-We do this for the pure joy of it.-This site does not make money.-We failed English class.-Some posts and/or photos, older ones especially, are pure cringe.-Commenting is encouraged, especially if you add to the story and really helps to motive the team.-Speaking of comments: refer to them for reader updates.-Older section of this website are slower to load - sorry.-When we chat about history: things were different then and may challenge contemporary views.-If a location is not mentioned, it's by design and done to protect sensitive sites.-If you read something that requires correction, bring it to our attention and we'll fix it and send you a gift (plus we'll give you a shout out).-Posts reflect what we knew at the time and some are horribly outdated.-The site is a little repetitive but also know this: the site is a little repetitive.-If you don't like the subject of a post, move on and find something else of interest - there's a lot here! But pace yourself.-Odd, obscure. offbeat and a different take - that's us.

Off The Beaten Path – with Chris & ConnieHiking-Adventure-History-Exploration Journal of the BIGDoer.com Society, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Presented by Chris “BIGDoer” Doering & Connie Biggart. Your hosts... Come with us and discover! Team BIGDoer.com's mandate: to document historic sites and things before they're gone; to experience life in a crazy way, to play in the great outdoors, to observe, learn and share the experience with others. We are the curious. We hope you are too. BIGDoer.com operates as a non-profit. This site makes no money. Our stuff's seen far and wide, all over the internet, in print and on TV... BIGDoer? Pronounced big-door; a compound (or portmanteau) word arrived from the names Connie BIGgart and Chris DOERing. Now you know! This website is an ongoing work in progress. There are regular updates in the form of new articles, and revisions and corrections to old ones (yes, we mess-up). Of course, we always welcome input from our readers. Images and content are copyright Chris Doering & Connie Biggart and BIGDoer.com, unless otherwise noted. Sharing our work is encouraged, as long as credit is given. Unsure where to begin? Try this page... BIGDoer.com sitemap . Reach Us! -suggest a place to visit, invite us to your historic site, show us something old, hire us or host us, suggest a website to visit, inform us, tell us it’s your birthday, tell us you like what we’re doing… BIGDoer.com on Facebook (new window) – for the latest news!

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Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie/BIGDoer.com Stats: A ton of articles! Over one point three million words! Over 25k photos! Tens of thousands of hours invested! Tens of thousands of visitors per month! And it's all growing. On the menu every day: -Abandoned Places-Hiking Adventures-Vintage Machinery-Historic Sites-Then & Now Comparisons-Train Stuff-And Random Silly Things (Boler!) Why so many differing subjects? Why have one obsession when you can have many? There's lots here for everyone to enjoy. Why do this? The big question is why not? We love to discover and share adventures with others of a similar passion. Enjoy the ride! How is this all paid for? We get a few donations (much appreciated) and the occasional grant for historic themed work. Mostly, it's self funded, however. We don't want ads even if it'd go a long way in covering costs. Why are some locations kept secret? This is to protect sensitive sites.

by Chris Doering · Published November 1, 2024 · Updated January 18, 2024

Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie/BIGDoer.com

Hundreds and hundreds of articles! Over one point three million words! Over 25k photos! Tens of thousands of hours invested! Tens of thousands of visitors per month!

On the menu every day:

Abandoned Places
Hiking Adventures
Vintage Machinery
Historic Sites
Then & Now Comparisons
Train Stuff
And Random Fun Things

Quick FAQ:

Why so many differing subjects? Why have one obsession when you can have many? There’s lots here for everyone to enjoy.

Why do this? The big question is why not? We love to discover and share adventures with others of a similar passion. Enjoy the ride!

How is this all paid for? We get a few donations (much appreciated) and the occasional grant for historic themed work. Mostly, it’s self funded, however. We don’t want ads even if it’d go a long way in covering costs.

Why are some locations kept secret? This is to protect sensitive sites.

We’re always working on new subjects, so be sure and stop by often!

Random posts to keep you entertained…

Retro Motels Medicine Hat

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St James Priddis

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New Horizon Mall is Strange!

To reach out or to say hi, go here: contact us!

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© 2012-2024 Chris Doering, Johanna (Connie) Biggart & the BIGDoer.com Society. 🍁🎀

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Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie - BIGDoer.com2 days ago

(A long read) After twelve years it's time to put a face to the name and come clean on something. That's rarely-seen Chris in the photo, one half of Team BIGDoer, my best friend for almost thirty years and orchestrator of everything you see here. For his entire adult life, he's battled a deep depression.

Mostly it's manageable, but there are extended bouts where it's crippling and his life comes to a grinding halt. Sometimes there are days or weeks where he's lost. Sleep does not come easy at this time and further aggravates the issue. As he ages, it's worsening and seems intent on destroying him from the inside.

If you see a lack of posts here, or ones poorly worded, confusing or simply off, it's from one of these periods.

Through all this, he remains as kind, thoughtful and loving as ever, but is somewhere else. To the family, it's just Chris and accepted as it should be. The kids and grandkids adore him no less. Until today, however, this has been hidden from the outside world, although closer friends and some readers were probably already suspect of his condition. I hope admitting this does not break the site.

He finds clarity when we're out and doing things, hiking or documenting something historic and it's only THE reason this page and our website exists. It's therapy. Then he's a new and passionate person, but the monster as he calls it always returns. The Beer Parlour Project has brought out a side I've never seen and when out in the field he's never been so on point and confident.

This post is not for sympathy but to inform. Just so you know where he is and here's what you can do to help (a last ditch request)...

If you see a missed comma or oddly worded sentence in a post, please be kind. You'll probably see his uncertainty when he's off and be nice there too. But if you like what you see, even if the write up could be presented better, post your encouragement. Say something and say it loud...it's important and will keep him sharing. Help Chris get better by cheering him on.

Other than some photos that are mine, everything else comes from him. All the tiring research and the writing (he admits he's NOT a writer), are his.

Chris puts every dollar he makes into this "project of a lifetime", and it's supplemented by donations from readers who enjoy the content. If you want to help...

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=L88EKX9JAEW72
https://buymeacoffee.com/offthebeatenpathbigdoer
Thanks to everyone who will and who has done so already. We'll give you a shout-out.

Admittedly he was not thrilled with the idea of posting this but agrees it probably should be said, even if it makes him uneasy. He doesn't like appearing in photos either. He's so shy, thinks he looks goofy and hates his husky eyes. I love them and they're windows into a wonderful, complex and quiet, but tortured soul. It breaks my heart when he's in a bad space.

This image comes thanks to photographer Arturo Pianzola and was captured while exploring the historic Riverview Mental Hospital in Coquitlam BC. Chris thought since he was in the area last year, he'd stop by to visit with a grandfather he never really knew, who spent his last years at the facility and is buried on the grounds.

Thanks for listening and your understanding. Hopefully we'll see you next week.
Johanna (Connie).

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Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie - BIGDoer.com2 days ago

Journey of Natty Gann (Disney 1985) and the same location in the Crowsnest Pass 2014. We're visiting the Pass over the new year, as we often do, and this time we'll be staying at a house that appears (briefly) in the film. How cool, eh? Chris has decided it's time on this visit to reshoot this and other Natty Gann comparison shots we did from ten years ago. Stay tuned!

This scene was shot in historic downtown Coleman and shows the former Holyk's Grocery. It was built in the early 1900s and the store closed in the '60s.
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Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path.
Thanks, Johanna (Connie).

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Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie - BIGDoer.com3 days ago

From 2015. Rob Pohl and his strange old-style view camera joined us in documenting the Laing House (with permission). Head down to the comments to see an amazing coincidence with something I found inside.

The Laing House dates to the 1910s and at the time of this photo had been empty for about half a century. More: https://www.bigdoer.com/60689/exploring-history/the-lonely-laing-house-1910s/
Thanks to Dale for sponsoring that website article.
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Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path.
Thanks, Johanna (Connie).

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Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie - BIGDoer.com3 days ago

From the Crossley slides, it's an undated view of Towers School, out near Cluny Alberta. It was originally called Swastika School but that's before the word and symbol were ruined by negative connotations. Built 1922. Gone?
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Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path.
Thanks, Chris.

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Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie - BIGDoer.com3 days ago

The same alley in downtown Calgary's west end, in the 1970s & today. You have to look hard to see the connection! The area was quite run down back then and is in stark contrast to all the shiny condo towers seen present day. Calgary Place West, an apartment block, appears in both images although it's barely a sliver in ours. Check the comments for more info.

Photo credit: James Tworow collection.
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Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path.
Thanks, Chris.

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Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie - BIGDoer.com4 days ago

Lost highways (2022): a section of old #93 in Southeastern BC. That BIGDoer-mobile is gone now but quite famous and had a following of its own. Old mine roads, cow paths, 4x4ing across fields - no problem and people would recognize us out in remote areas just by this car.
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Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path.
Thanks, Chris.