The Consiglieri-The Chauffeur

Few things are set in stone when working for my grandpa. This is another story that defines that. The last week of September I was supposed to be part of a sleep study for Washington State University.  The day before I was to step into the lab I was ruled out of the study because my veins were shrinking. Before the words had left my mouth telling my grandpa he had a plan, let’s go to Canada. As the week came to a close we planned a trip to Red Deer, Alberta. The purpose of the trip was two-fold, one reason was to check up on a company that was an investment and the other was to watch two horses that we had competing in Red Deer at a cutting.

The first plan discussed on Wednesday involved taking a truck and trailer in case we wanted to bring one or both of the horses home from the show depending on their performance. This plan lasted a day and a half before we decided to scrap it. The next plan involved taking a camper to camp at the fairgrounds where the horse show was. This plan was scrapped by Saturday night. Sunday morning when I got to the ranch we decided to take the van, which is hindsight was the best idea of all.

Monday morning we packed up the van with clothes and more importantly our golf clubs and by five AM we were on the road. We drove from Chewelah, WA east through Northport and Oldtown to Sandpoint and up into Canada. The change in temperature and season was almost instantaneous. Were there was green in the US, there was yellow and orange in Canada. It was a beautiful, which was good. For a lot of the drive it was me, the sirius radio and the scenery as my grandpa slept.

Twelve hours later we arrived in Red Deer. First we went and talked with the founder of the company that was invested in and we then proceeded to the fairgrounds and met up with the trainer who brought the two horses up.  We looked and the horses and then at the schedule for showing then went to check into our hotel and went to eat. While eating we watched Monday Night Football, it was the Packers and the Bears. It was a good game until the Packers got a case of the stupids and punted to Devin Hester who took it to the house, game, set, and match.

Tuesday morning we got up early and went to watch the horses show. After we watched the horses show we went back to the hotel changed and went to the Alberta Springs Golf Course about ten minutes out of town. It was a nice course, and to make it better all the trees surrounding the course were in full color and with the sun hitting them it was one of the most beautiful courses I have ever golfed on.

We pretty much had a replica of Tuesday, horses then golf, and after golf we went to a WHL hockey game. It was a good game, the home team whooped up on the visitors and there were a couple fights. Thursday we got up early watched the last run for one of the horses and then by eleven we were on the road home. We went another way home and stopped in Banff to golf at Banff Springs. Magnificent would be the best way to describe the course. Surrounded on all sides by the Canadian Rockies and elk wandering the fairways made for a once in a lifetime experience for us.

This is what my grandpa wrote about he experience.

“I WAS PLAYING GOLF IN BANFF ON LAST THURSDAY, THE ELK WERE IN FULL RUT, RIGHT IN THE FAIRWAY, ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE MEMORIES IN MY LIFE, I WAS UNDER PAR, THE WEATHER WAS GRAND, THE BUGLING WAS UNBELIEVABLE, MADE THE HAIR ON THE BACK OF YOUR NECK STAND UP. THE BEAUTY OF THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS, ALMOST GAVE ME A WOODY. THE INFIGHTING BETWEEN 5 DIFFERENT BIG BULLS, FOR THE HAREM, MADE ME FEEL LIKE A YOUNG STALLION, TO EXPERIENCE THIS WITH ONE OF MY GRANDSONS, WAS UNBELIEVABLE. THE FALL COLORS, MADE YOU SAY THIS IS A WOW !FACTOR, CREATED BY GOD, LIKE LOOKING UP INTO THE HEAVENS WITH THE HUBLE TELESCOPE. MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE A GRASSHOPPER, WHY IS GOD EVEN MINDFUL OF ME. WE SERVE A POWERFUL GOD. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO POPPIE ZEPHANIAH 3-17”

After golfing I drove the rest of the way home getting there about one AM. It was a memory that I will not soon forget and will be a measuring stick for all future adventures.

- The Consiglieri