Today it’s a railway theme (hooray!) and the subject but a single piece in the extensive collection belonging to Aspen Crossing, a tour train operator. All eyes on this “little” industrial locomotive that one half of your humble Team had a run in with decades ago. It’s sits on a...
Among the mighty peaks in the West Kootenays of British Columbia, there was for a time a most unusual railway operation. On account of challenging topography, the Canadian Pacific Railway (under the Nakusp and Slocan Charter) built a line isolated from the rest of its network with trains coming and...
Here’s a cute little train station marking the location of a former railway junction, a spot where three separate lines once met. Only one of these stretches of track is still in use and is the route taken by Alberta Prairie Railway’s Tour Trains operating between Stettler Alberta and Big...
Sometimes a hike short and sweet is just what the doctor ordered. If the need to take it easy is in the cards for you, as it was for us, try little Ford Knoll in the Elbow River region of Kananaskis. It’s a minor bump in an area more known...
There’s been more than a few movies and television shows filmed in and around High River Alberta. In fact, lately, it’s been pretty busy there in regards to both. Currently in production and perhaps most well known of these is the long running CBC series Heartland, with the historic downtown...
Hated the place but it was popular with some school mates. Here it’s a pizza joint going back to your author’s formative teen years, when dinosaurs ruled the earth*. And in outward appearance at least it hasn’t changed one bit…until recently that is when it went out of business. It’s...
Introducing a recent addition to the Aspen Crossing collection. These guys, operators of a popular excursion train that’s just a short drive away from Calgary, already own many pieces of vintage railway rolling stock. It’s a little slice of train heaven and they have so much they’re running out of...
by Chris Doering · Published September 21, 2019 · Last modified September 30, 2019
Hidden among the precipitous peaks of the Silvery Slocan in the rugged East Kootenays of British Columbia, way up Carpenter Creek, there’s a most amazing ghost town. Shoehorned into a narrow, confined valley, and sometimes obscured by dense undergrowth, it’s photogenic place with the name of Cody. Down a winding...
Here’s a really quick look at The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church (a mouthful) perched atop an escarpment in the neighbourhood of Renfrew. There’s great views from the property overlooking Bridgeland below and in back, there’s the spectacular skyline of Downtown Calgary. Built in the latter...
Just a couple days removed from that amazing El Camino Trek and we’re still basking in the afterglow. It was frenzied week on the trail, hiking and eating and downing more than a little wine, taking in the sights and connecting with the many friends made along the way. The...
For reasons that can’t be fully explained, the city of Nelson BC is home to a disproportionate number of Bolers and other little fibreglass trailers from varied manufactures. Case in point here, three of the former and one of the latter, and a rare one at that, found while driving...
One of our favourite ghost towns is a storied place called Sandon British Columbia. There, nestled in the craggy mountains of the West Kootenays and shoe-horned into a narrow valley, it’s many reminders of what was. Mining was the catalyst, all that silver, lead and zinc (other metals too) that...
The very first post at BIGDoer.com, the one that started it all, documented a hike up Raspberry Ridge the very same destination seen in this here write up. There’s a link further down should you wish to see how it was then. We’re not sure why it took us so...
This post has been retired for an updated version, which can be found here: RCAF/CFS Alsask Radar Dome. Still, we’ll keep some of the photos not transferred to the new piece up for your enjoyment and comments will be retained as well. They’re saying… “Love your pictures, comments, and articles....
Sorry, we’ve been away. A number of…let’s call them “problems”…conspired to keep us from posting new content for the last few weeks, and it simply killed us to do so, but we’re back kicking and screaming. And here to celebrate this return, a special post. Come tag along with the...
Canmore Alberta is home to a huge network of hiking and biking trails in and about town, more than enough to keep an active couple such as us happy and busy for a long, long time. We’ve only done a few, not all documented here, but see ourselves heading back...
The location is Nelson British Colombia, “Queen City of the Kootenays”, a community laid back and friendly in a scenic mountain setting. The time is early fall 2018 – yes we’re well behind in posting. And the reason we’re here? Glad you asked….just passing through on our way to one...
We have many obsessions here at OTBP-wC&C/BIGDoer.com. Of course you all know we’re big into abandoned stuff, old vehicles and machines, historic buildings, trains, outdoor pursuits and generally getting out there and enjoying life. And then in there’s pinball. It’s our thing, even if some readers let us know it’s...
We have some of the most awesome friends. Some do interesting things, some own interesting things, and all have a different approach to life. It’s these folks that make our short time on this little blue marble something memorabele. Case in point, a family we’ve know for many years now...
Time was you could drive down any back road in this part of the world and come to a railway level crossing. Until fairly recently the tracks went everywhere, be it main line or branch, and these rural intersections of steel and pavement or gravel commonplace. Some crossings were protected...
One weekend, two completely different towns, two separate provinces, lots of distance between and two totally different little fibreglass trailers spotted out in the wild. First, it’s a rather uncommon Beachcomber seen down some side street in East Coulee Alberta, out in the scenic Badlands of the Red Deer River...
Driving down some dead end road in the Alberta Badlands a discovery, the crushed remains of a car. But its not just any old automobile but one with quite the “reputation”. And it’s not because it was so awesome, or stylish or had some other virtuous features. No. Plain and...
It seems so long ago now. Time takes us way back to the spring of 2018 where we found ourselves up north in Alberta’s Capital documenting the Edmonton Pinball and Arcade Show. It’s was a full day of fun and frivolity hanging with fellow pinheads and recording it all for...
We’ve hiked up to the modest summit of Eagle Hill on countless occasions and enjoyed it every single time. This visit we take a new to us route via Seventy Buck Valley from the south, instead of the traditional one which comes in from the east. It’s a different approach...
Earlier we took you on a crazy tour of Sandon British Columbia (link a few paragraphs down if you missed it), a must see ghost town in the East Kootenay region of the province. Today, we mix it up and take in some old metal found scattered about the community....
We’re always looking for curious things while out on road trips, some fresh meat for our minds and camera. Be it some old building, something train related, a subject with with a weird or quirky slant, a Boler or two (yeah!) there’s any number of things that pique our interest....
Without a doubt it ranks as one of Calgary’s most unique dwellings. I know the first time we drove past it prompted a triple take from both of us. “Did you see that?”…as we spun around completely in sync. Found in the exclusive Calgary community of Upper Mount Royal there...
It’s three veterans of many miles keeping company. Over there it’s a thirty year old Lincoln Town Car, a big old land yacht if there ever was one, with this example standing out account its fantastic condition. Across the road it’s a Triumph Spitfire, a couple decades the elder, with...
With our most incredible El Camino de Santiago trek still a fresh memory (goodness, we never wanted it to end) we’re off to take in adventure anew somewhere down the road. Next stop, it’s a place called O Pindo, a charming and scenic fishing village on the rocky coast of...
It’s an honour bestowed to us, not once, but twice by artist Francis Marte. Here for your viewing pleasure, it’s the second painting by this watercolourist extraordinaire inspired by a photo from this website. And he picked a most incredible subject, a pair of old grizzled hands cupping grain, a...
Kenopsia: "the eerie atmosphere of a place that's usually bustling with people but now vacant or abandoned."
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Ioco Port Moody BC (Ghost Town)
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Historic Fort Macleod After Hours
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Ghosts of the Crowsnest Subdivision
Franco Media:
Moose Jaw SK Train Station (~90 Yrs Apart)
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Kart World or Kart Gardens? (2014)
Ross Hamilton:
Prairie Sentinels: Cadillac Sask
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Dominion Bridge Calgary (Ramsay) ca1960-2014
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World of F.E.A.R Figure-8 (Abandoned)
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Forgotten Coal Town Cemetery
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Royston Wrecks (Vancouver Island BC)
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Shandro Historic Village (Closed)
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Bridge Hunting: Highway 13 Scotsguard
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Grain Elevators of Consort Alberta
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Commander Mine 1935-1956
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Prairie Sentinels: Coderre Saskatchewan
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