Grande Cache Express Tour Days 2-3 & 4
Saturday morning dawned, the air still smoky, though not as bad as the day before, but a lingering presence remained.
After our continental breakfast and coffee, we expressed our gratitude to our hosts, Charmaine Larsen and her partner, Gil Gilbert, for the wonderful time. Then, we set off for High Prairie to refuel.
During our tours, you have the choice to explore various museums in the region. For instance, there are approximately 13 museums in our region, and we have partnerships with at least 7 of them. It's impossible to visit all of them on a 3-day trip. On this particular journey, we decided to skip the award-winning High Prairie Museum and instead headed to DeBolt and the DeBolt & District Pioneer Museum Society. Along the way, we made a stop in Valleyview for a beverage and a leg-stretch break while we waited for our drone film crew, Travis and Jenn Bonner, to catch up.
The ride was truly enjoyable, the temperature was becoming more agreeable, and the smoke had considerably cleared. Upon arriving in DeBolt, we were greeted by Connie, a gracious host. Sean and Dave explored the various buildings while Carmen from Video Incognito interviewed Connie in the large barn.
The history showcased in this museum reflects the survival skills required to live in the north before electricity and natural gas were readily available. This museum is truly amazing and well worth spending an hour or two at!
Our next stop was Grande Prairie for lunch and fuel, with Grande Cache in our line of vision. The Frontier Eatery & Seafood did not disappoint!
The ride to Grande Cache was beautiful. The sun was shining, traffic was light, and thankfully, the smoke had cleared.
We checked into the Grande Cache Inn and sorted out our rooms. The view from every room was quite spectacular!
After changing and ensuring our bikes were secure, we walked down to the Ridge for dinner. This was another fantastic dining spot with friendly staff, decent portions, and flavorful food.
After a brief thunderstorm, we returned to the hotel and settled in for a good night's sleep.
The next morning, after a nice breakfast at the hotel, we headed to Grande Cache's tourism gem, Wild Blue Yonder Rafting. We were equipped with wetsuits, footwear, helmets, and paddles, loaded onto a bus, and set off on a driving adventure.
Once we arrived at the spot where the rafts could be launched down to the river by a guy wire, we followed a narrow pathway to the river. Down at the river, we assisted in launching the rafts.
We received a safety orientation, and to our surprise, Clarissa Stoffelsen, Canada's Top Cadet of 2017, acted as our raft captain. She was incredibly funny, and we had a fantastic time. Those who had been initially apprehensive ended up thrilled and became champions of white-water rafting. The captains kept us entertained, we had water fights with water cannons, and we witnessed some breathtaking scenery. It's a memory that I believe everyone can cherish.
This isn't the kind of rafting trip where you're likely to be thrown out of the raft, as long as you follow the simple rules. However, it's the kind of trip that will have you laughing and thoroughly captivated.
Upon completion, we floated to the roadway and were met by owner Gina Goldie with homemade chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate, which helped us warm up. After a short bus ride, our 4.5 hours with the good people at Wild Blue Yonder came to an end. We changed into our street clothes and went to find soup and sandwiches to warm up before heading out on the bikes.
We stopped at Subway, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I found white fuzz-like hair in my meal, and they refused to refund me; they only offered me something else. I couldn't stomach the thought of what might be in the other foods. The bathroom was unpleasant, the tables were unclean, the window ledges were filthy, and the staff were on their cell phones when we arrived, with no customers present.
Nevertheless, after everyone was warmed up and fueled up, we continued on. Our next stop was Hinton to collect some gifts from the Northern Rockies Museum and then to eat at the Canadian Steak Out and Grill. However, as is common on trips to the north, we encountered snow, followed by rain that just didn't let up.
We made a quick stop for gas in Hinton and ended up staying in Edson for the night.
When we awoke the next morning, the skies were much friendlier. After a hearty breakfast at Smitty's and a top-up for the bikes, we visited the Galloway Station Museum, Travel Centre & Archives.
This place is truly amazing and well done. Sherry, the ED, is an exceptional woman who represents her region and town with grace.
We then headed back to the city, where we parted ways at Blackjacks Roadhouse.
The film crews were heading to Two Hills and the Run to the Hills Memorial Rally.
In summary, the Grande Cache Express is a ton of fun! You can start from Nisku and head for Entwistle, Edson, Hinton, Grande Cache, Grande Prairie, Valleyview, High Prairie, Sucker Creek, Kinuso, Swan Hills, Whitecourt, Mayerthorpe, and then into Ivangies Outdoor Photo Studio. Alternatively, you can start there and do the trip in reverse, as we did. Either way, there's plenty to choose from and an incredible amount of scenery and experiences to take in. Visit CMTA Travel Services to learn more, or email us at
DeBolt Pioneer Museum’s winter hours are:
Address: 404 Virginia Ave, DeBolt, AB T0H 1B0
Opens 10 a.m. Sat
Frontier Eatery & Seafood
9816 107 St, Grande Prairie, AB T8V 7W3
(780) 532-4201
Grande Cache Inn
9901 100 Street, Grande Cache, Alberta, T0E 0Y0
https://www.grandecacheinn.com/
Wild Blue Yonder
1-877-945-3786
- Northern Rockies Museum
- 225 Gregg Avenue, Hinton, AB, Canada, Alberta
- (780) 801-2643
- https://www.northernrockiesmuseum.com/
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Galloway Station Museum, Travel Centre & Archives
- 223 55 St, Edson, AB T7E 1L5
- (780) 723-5696
- https://www.gallowaystationmuseum.com/
Renee Charbonneau
