For the first time in seven days, today we drove in rain...lots of it. We left Medicine Hat shortly after 10:00 AM because we were driving to Calgary (300 kms. away) where we are staying for the next 2 nights. The temperature overnight hovered around 12C, warmer than when we arrived, and it rained lightly on and off all night. But shortly after getting on the road the skies opened up and the rain poured for the entire 3 hour drive and the temperature plummeted to 7C.

Calgary is a city Rick and I have visited and enjoyed before and we were hoping to take Christine and Fred around to some of the places we liked best. This holiday isn't about the weather and we've had a great time so far, but rain does affect our sight seeing abilities. We were surprised to discover that the city has been subjected to enormous amounts of rain this summer season, with June being the wettest month causing the Bow River to overflow its banks several times. Fortunately the campground we are staying at, the Pine Creek RV Campground, is on higher ground and even though there are dozens of large puddles, we are drier than many others.

After we settled in, we drove into the city to the famous Saddledome, home of the Calgary Flames hockey team. Even with pouring rain, the unique shape of this sports complex is easy to see and I was able to get some photographs from the shelter of the car. We then drove to the Ranchman's Restaurant, Calgary's claim to the country music fame. Saturday afternoon offers a jam session with a parade of up and coming and a few hopeful-but-it's-never-going-to happen stars, which was good entertainment just the same. We then went for dinner at Earl's, a once western-provinces-only restaurant franchise that we frequent occasionally once we get into this part of Canada. We headed back to the park, appetites sated, some sight seeing accomplished and ready to fall asleep to the sound of the rain beating on the roof. If we are lucky tomorrow will afford us a drier day to explore some more.