Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions’ tour trains make a regular stop in Big Valley, a charming little community rich in history. Front and centre, it’s the railway station, over a century old, that welcomes those visiting no matter how they arrive. Come by car, or more awesomely by rail, the building...
We’re enamoured with small towns. They’re always full of charm and character, always nicely wrapped up in a tiny little package, so every chance afforded us we’ll get to know one. We’ll simply stroll about, taking in what they have to offer while always being respectful of anyone who lives...
The Prairie Creek – Powderface Creek Loop is a time-honoured hike in Kananaskis that can be done pretty much any time of the year. Taking in two roughly-parallel valleys, there’s a hop up and over a low wooded bump that separates the two (via Prairie Link) just beyond the half...
When we get busy Then & Nows are sadly the first to be put on the back burner. Of all things we do they’re often the most joy (sometimes frustration too), but eat up a lot of precious time and resources. Still, we’ve continued to shoot them with the hope...
A hole in the wall eatery serving “Chinese & Western Cuisine” (as the old signs often advertised) is a small town staple. Usually housed in some heritage building they offer unpretentious fare, nothing remotely gourmet, but yummy all the same. Think kitschy decor, budget prices and generous portions. Think bottomless...
The Parkdale neighbourhood of west-central Calgary was founded in the 1910s. Most growth, however, happened in the 1950s and in support of this a modest-sized business district sprang up in the vicinity of Parkdale Crescent NW along 3rd Avenue. Today, a few commercial buildings from the old days can be...
We’re got a thing for retro motels and seek them out at every opportunity. It’s a nostalgia rush and for the full immersive experience we often make them our home on road trips. For those on a tight budget (so us) they’re usually the best choice too and if this...
Peeking through the fence @ Calgary International we’re here to see some very specialized aircraft. Able to handle a number of demanding roles, it’s aerial firefighting which they excelled and where most were kept busy. Presenting the legendary Canadair CL-215, a unique design for a unique job. Whereas most “water...
Sometimes a wrong turn becomes a right turn. Zigging when we should have zagged leads us down a dead-end road in little Exshaw Alberta to a most pleasant surprise. We’re in search of a spot with a clear view of the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks nearby with the hopes of...
by Chris Doering · Published January 20, 2021 · Last modified April 16, 2021
Winding down this three-part series, here’s a final look at Historic Wolseley Saskatchewan. Over a wonderful summer weekend, we randomly walked about taking in what ever old buildings caught our eye and there’s certainly no shortage here. This installment has us taking in the area in and around downtown, a...
Making a broad loop around the little foothills community of Bragg Creek, this trail will have you pounding the pavement in town and at other times you’ll be deep in the woods. It’s a real nice mix and is super easy in terms of effort. It’s still a good number...
Here’s something not uncommon out in rural areas back in the day, a hand pump from which you got water. That’s how it was done for many folks and short of dipping a pail in a nearby river or pond, was about as simple as it got. Need some good...
Here’s a tour of two massive machines, along with all that remains of a third, that once worked at a Central Alberta coal mine. Look up, look waaaay up, they’re freaking huge! Wide angle lens are mandatory should you visit and if you’re not thoroughly impressed by their sheer size,...
Here’s a retail complex that is no more and since we photographed it last spring has been demolished to make way for new development. We’re exploring Stadium Shopping Centre, in the community of University Heights in Calgary, weeks before it was to be leveled. Dating from the early 1960s, everything...
When bored to tears on evenings during the worst of the pandemic (first wave in particular), we’d take time to social-distance explore if the chance presented itself. It was simple: find a suitably interesting location we knew we would be free of people, one with character and simply wander about....
The Ogilvie Flour Mills firm once had a good sized network of rural grain elevators scattered across the Canadian Prairies. At the peak, latter half of the 1920s, there was a couple hundred such places (and change) in three provinces, with roughly a quarter of the total in Alberta. Had...
This in-town hike has two personalities. For a time you’ll take in the far-reaching green space that is Calgary’s much loved Nose Hill Park. Go deep inside and you’d never know you were in the city – how pleasant. Another section has you in a 1960s/1970s era neighbourhood, full of...
by Chris Doering · Published January 9, 2021 · Last modified April 2, 2021
After what seems like an eternity, finally here’s part two of the “Walking about Wolseley Saskatchewan in search of historic buildings” series photographed back in 2019. It’s complicated and unfortunately sharing our adventures (and there’s a TON in queue some going back years) had to be shelved for a time,...
One of the Team (unnamed) seems to have been blessed with a photographic memory when it comes to locations, but for the life of them, there was no recalling where this Boler was spotted. That was until late one night months later and completely out of the blue…CLICK! Funny how...
King Edward VII reigned over the British Empire for only a brief period, from 1902, on the passing of his mother Queen Victoria, till his own untimely death in 1910. Brief as his tenure was he left his mark on Canada, a fledging country still finding its own way at...
Here’s a fabulous Calgary Urban Trek with lots of variety, taking in Bridgeland, Crescent Heights and Renfrew, plus a bit of Tuxedo Park. Ahead it’s much history and character. A fair sized loop with a short steep push early on, it’s otherwise pretty easy going. There’s busy commercial strips, quiet...
To keep the lights on and fresh content coming here at BIGDoer.com, we take on outside jobs. There’s many hats worn here and we’ll even grab a broom if it’ll advance the cause. Running a website of this scope would drive most into bankruptcy, or minimally inspire friends and family...
We use the Red Deer River Valley as a base of operations for many adventures. The area has all the things we love, historic stuff (going back eons!), much fabulous scenery, interesting people to hang with and great everything. Then there’s the free crash pad we get to use when...
More than a summer ago, in world so much different from today, the Team was out exploring in the Wolseley Saskatchewan area. There it’s wide open spaces, charming little towns, much history and a pace more relaxed. It’s big skies above, limitless fields of grain and then there’s us, a...
Deep inside an industrial park, in Calgary’s Bonnybrook neighbourhood, it’s something strange and unexpected. Here among all the trucking firms, metal working shops and compounds full of cannibalized vehicles; here between busy Ogden Road and the sewer plant, it’s a couple small houses side by side. Tucked away behind a...
It’s that giant silver lollipop thing west of the QEII you see when driving through Airdrie. You can’t miss it. And up there in big proud letters on that shiny metal sphere, for all to see…spell it out with me…A.I.R.D.R.I.E! Dating back many years this water tower hasn’t seen use...
Here’s a fun town-hike to consider. We’re in the community of Okotoks Alberta, taking in a big loop through parks and green spaces, quiet wooded areas and busy streets. For those into history, there’s a number of heritage buildings along the way to see and overall it was for us...
There by the trees at a bend in the creek, in a scenic valley very un-prairie like, there’s remains of a charming old farm house. It’s been a while since it was called a home but within surely a few memories remain. Picture fresh bread in the oven, washing on...
We’re looking at a legendary Gottlieb Wedgehead! These single player machines are highly regarded among the pinball fraternity and are known for their awesome game play and interesting themes and design. Made in the ’60s to ’70s and named for their unique tapering backbox, they are sought after and quickly...
Always on Boler patrol, no matter the place or time, here’s a chance find in a small Alberta town. And with that bold colour, it’d be a hard one to miss. We’re out hanging with friends, we’ve getting to know some new to us back roads and here’s a vintage...
Kenopsia: "the eerie atmosphere of a place that's usually bustling with people but now vacant or abandoned."
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