Category: Other Fun

It’s was a brief architectural design trend starting in the latter half of the 1950s, peaking the next decade then quickly falling out of favour. Often applied to larger institutional or commercial buildings, wave or zigzag roofs could be structural (even if not always so applied) and allowed a large...

We’ve passed by many of the buildings seen here time and again but never really gave them much thought. Then one day while stuck in traffic and within view of a couple, a seed was planted. What’s the story with those crazy dated rooflines and how many buildings like them...

As the title proclaims, we’ve returned to Calgary’s Lynnview Ridge. Truth is we’ve been back numerous times since we first wrote about it some seven years ago, but this is the first since it was officially turned into a city green space. So what’s the deal? Well…we’re speaking of a...

A glance at the clock tells us it’s time to gather up our gear up and head on out. Tonight’s an extra special one (even by our standards) and we’re on assignment doing something a little bit different than usual for us. Our job this evening is a culture and...

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...

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....

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...

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...

When overnighting it on some extended adventure, we like to get to know our temporary hometown. Come evening we’ll often wander about randomly and play the curious visitor. It’s a great way to unwind and any chance to soak up a local vibe is something we love. Maybe it’s things...

We like to cover subjects that some might see as odd or usual. They always ask..”you’re into…that?”…and the answer is almost always yes. It sure keeps life interesting. Today’s photo-essay demonstrates it perfectly, a look at an old disused railway line deep inside the big city. It’s true, we find...

We came to photograph the Big Four Building on the Stampede Grounds for an article we’re doing on unique mid-century architecture in Calgary. Can you say zig-zag roof? That’s the focus of the planned piece, which will look at buildings done up in that style or similar in form (wavy...

On the one year anniversary of our hike taking in the legendary El Camino de Santiago Trail in Spain, we relived the experience. Sure, we did it here in Calgary this time and just for a day, but it felt as thought we were back. We donned the boots, dusted...

We’re in the Red Deer River Valley in and around Drumheller Alberta. We’re restless, have an empty SD card, charged batteries and an itchy shutter finger. What to do…what to do? I know, it’s time to explore! Let’s capture that small town vibe we so love. Take to the road,...

There’s nothing better for the body and soul than an evening stroll. What a great way to relax and unwind. We do it at home and when on the road. Seriously, it’s how we roll. Naturally, we often bring a camera to try and capture the peace and tranquility that...

Here’s a time wasting post about a silly little diversion we do while out on roadtrips. If we’re in an area with a railway line and spot a train, well, there’s a good chance we’ll stop to photograph it. It’s what we do. This is done this mostly for ourselves,...

The party’s in full swing, the fun and adventure seemingly limitless, then comes a sudden realization it’s all going to end soon. What…it’s almost over? Here’s the very last day of our (as we’re heard to say) “epic” Spanish adventure. For the last couple weeks, we toured historic sites, taken...

They demolished the building but for some reason left these odd remains behind, little hints of what was. Why in the world, when clearing away something so huge, would they fail to complete the job? No matter I guess. Do folks walking by headed to the trains ask, “what stood...

Occasionally when an adventure ends we have no choice but to rush home. But if we can, and it’s something we work hard towards, we’ll take it easy and doddle. Do the backroads, the byways, the side streets and take in places (wait for it)…”Off the Beaten Path”. The journey...

Not all that long ago Greyhound Bus Lines owned the Western Canadian market when it came to intercity ground transportation for us humans. Their buses went nearly everywhere and business seemed to be doing fine. If there was a town of any reasonable size, it was probably served. Passenger volumes...

Here it’s a short diversion from what we usually document, a fun little piece touching on something we’re rather passionate about. Even if the subject is not the favourite with some of our readers (oh yeah, we hear about it), for Team BIGDoer it’s something big. We’re speaking of pinball...

At every opportunity we take the back roads. That’s where the good stuff is. Even if in familiar territory, there always seems to be a surprise waiting for us around some corner when using this approach. It could be something new we missed before or a place known to us...

Sometimes we just like to do it for the fun and nothing else. For us. Case in point, this post where we pay a visit to an ordinary motel room that’ll be the focus of our attention today. What the heck? No, it’s not one we’ve booked for the night,...

In our fast paced world, sometimes we drop a couple gears and slow it down. In posts like this it’s not so much about what we see and photograph, nor the story behind them, but rather the simple and pure joy of getting out and roaming aimlessly. And if we...