Editor:
A recent trip to Calgary and Lethbridge proved to be quite a challenge, arriving at Golden in pouring rain we were told that due to high water a bridge was under threat of being washed out at Canmore.
Reports by truckers said that mud slides had also occurred further east along Highway 1, also that traffic was not being allowed past Golden.
We soon found this out, as Highway 1 virtually stopped at Golden. No one but locals could get past the light at the foot of the hill.
How important was it for us to carry on — grandparents having promised to attend graduation ceremonies for two grand children, plus the promise by great grandfather to give a great grandson a baby blessing, a ceremony somewhat like a christening.
Following consultation with truckers, we decided to head south on Highway 95.
This would add considerable distance to our proposed trip, but a promise is a promise.
Not too much traffic and the highway is much improved since our last trip down this route.
The miserable part of this, however, was the continued heavy rain coupled with growing darkness and the oncoming number of idiots with oversized wheels and extra bright lights totally blinding this driver on a more than regular basis.
The height of the headlights could be legal under the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act; however, headlight brightness is a new troubling factor for anybody with slow acting pupils. I would hate to be a marijuana smoker.
Spending the night at Fernie, with much concern for slides and flooding that was occurring ahead and behind we made our way through Crows Nest Pass on Highway 3.
Clearing a troubled area at Elkford we continued on our way toward Calgary.
Later Highway 2 passing Fort McLeod, a near river located campground now totally flooded, left camper vehicles in the middle of a river lake.
At Claresholm we received advice concerning the road ahead, flooding at Nanton and High River had at times closed Highway 2, but now appeared to be passable.
We then received advice for getting around Calgary passing High River to our left, kilometre after kilometre is totally flooded.
At Calgary we followed the route as suggested traveling at the rate of half a kilometre per hour for several kilometres, complicated with several wrong moves, three hours following our entering Calgary we arrived at our destination.
Doug Wilson
Williams Lake
