Some times getting rides together for all of us to go just doesn't work. Life has a way of making ride time hard to come by somedays and Oct 26th, 2013 was a day just like that. After an attempt to get everyone together then work pulling us in different directions I jumped on the bike and went for a late day ride.
Fall in Alberta is an odd time. You know that winter is coming and that fall is a prelude to the harshness of cold and snow and the reality that you may not be on a bike again for 5 months. At the same time there is something so nice about fall riding. The bugs are gone, the sun hangs in the southern sky the leaves turn sun yellow and fire red and the air is crisp and clean. You aren't sweating under your gear and uncomfortable. You cherish those last days on the bike knowing you have to soak it all in because it has to last.
Fall in Alberta is an odd time. You know that winter is coming and that fall is a prelude to the harshness of cold and snow and the reality that you may not be on a bike again for 5 months. At the same time there is something so nice about fall riding. The bugs are gone, the sun hangs in the southern sky the leaves turn sun yellow and fire red and the air is crisp and clean. You aren't sweating under your gear and uncomfortable. You cherish those last days on the bike knowing you have to soak it all in because it has to last.
This day all of those thoughts were floating in my head as I kicked over the GS750, loaded up my camera and headed out. I decided that I would ride east today but on the southern side of my normal riding area. This area is full of prairie lakes and far more rugged areas as opposed to the east and north portion which is farm land and homesteads. I knew that finding any tumbledowns or homesteads today would be a slim chance but I was hopeful to find some sort of cabin or homestead. I road for an hour or so on township roads and south on range roads. I skirted the National Park and spent some time exploring the lakes and taking some pictures. I had a very peaceful ride alone with my thoughts and really took the time to enjoy the character of the big 70's Superbike. The smells the sounds, the vibes and the wind blew away the weeks stresses.
Riding down the road having not seen one homestead, one barn or one building to photograph I decided to head home a different way which is kind of a Ghost Ride norm...(leave one way come home a completely different) Out of the corner of my eye I see this lovely little barn sitting in the middle of a field. Normally we don't stop for to many barns but I hadn't photographed any structures today so I thought I would explore. I parked the bike behind some bushes and walked up to the barn where I took a handfull of pictures. A large windrow of huge junipers was behind me.
Riding down the road having not seen one homestead, one barn or one building to photograph I decided to head home a different way which is kind of a Ghost Ride norm...(leave one way come home a completely different) Out of the corner of my eye I see this lovely little barn sitting in the middle of a field. Normally we don't stop for to many barns but I hadn't photographed any structures today so I thought I would explore. I parked the bike behind some bushes and walked up to the barn where I took a handfull of pictures. A large windrow of huge junipers was behind me.
Turning around to walk out I noticed a green house, a ghost house, hiding behind the junipers. This was an amazing find with garages, sheds, vehicles and farm implements. I spent the next hour exploring this house. Like the rest of the ones we find it was left like the people were coming home but at some point they decided not to. What amazed me about this house was the slat board color. None of the homesteads we have found had this kind of color. One of them had red slats but this had green. The orange moss on the roof with the green slats made this house, the Jade house. Here are some pictures of the inside:
Wandering around the yard there was so much. Sheds falling in on themselves and history returning itself back into the ground. A mid 40's panel wagon was sitting at the very back. It was a green laundry truck with wonderful orange moss growing on the morning sun side. The moss made the one side of the van completely illegable where the other side was clean. Farm implementation from pre WWI slowly returning back to the ground it once farmed layed scattered amongst the trees and long grass.
This ride turned out to be my last full ride of the season as the snow started down in full force a week later. These rides are pure adventures. Each homestead we find is like a finding burried treasure and keeps us going to find the next one. James and Marv will come with me next season to visit this home and we will spend another season sharing finds all over this great province.
Michael
Michael