Day 25: Lloydminster, SK to Edmonton, AB
Day 25: Thursday, August 21, 2008
Lloydminster, SK to Edmonton, AB
(I found out that we were staying on the Saskatchewan side of Lloydminster.)
Wow! Are we ever glad that we decided to find a motel last night. There was a HUGE thunder and lightning storm and it just POURED all night. There were huge puddles everywhere and we could just imagine what our night would have been like if we'd camped. Instead, we both had amazing sleeps and woke up nice and refreshed. We packed up and were on the road by 9:30ish and got some gas before we left town. We should have gotten some breakfast too but we weren't too hungry and thought we'd find a Tim Horton's on our way out of town. No such luck. There wasn't a whole lot of anything on our drive and the weather was so junky. It was only 12 degrees when we left and supposedly the high was only supposed to be 15. I'm sorry - is this August or October?? We found a random Walmart and got some grapes there and Daryl refused to buy any Pepsi cause he's trying to be healthy. The funny thing is that he complained about how thirsty he was for the next bit. Butthead. We got to Edmonton's outskirts and got expensive Wendy's for lunch. We've really noticed that food is expensive in Saskatchewan and Alberta - guess they have to offset their high wages somewhere. We couldn't check into our hotel until after 2 so we went to the West Edmonton Mall. We went there a few years ago when we visited Chris in Edmonton and it was still the same. It was HUGE and easy to get lost in. I have been banned from buying anymore so Daryl got two pairs of jeans and we freaked ourselves out by standing under the rollercoaster when it went around a loop. Daryl had wanted to go on a ride but a pass was like 35 bucks so there was no way. We decided that since it was so cold outside that we'd better buy some long-sleeved turtlenecks to go underneath our t-shirts for the game tonight. I'd orginally thought that I was going to be ok cause I had my new coat but then we went to Mark's Work Wearhouse and then had them on for $10 so I figured it couldn't hurt. (By the way, best purchase of the entire trip!). We left the mall just after 2 and headed downtown to where our hotel was. It was actually probably the nicest one we've stayed in all trip and it was very reasonable. We unpacked and then headed down to the pool, hot tub and “workout area”. Hahaha! I've never laughed so hard. The pool had a maximum of 10 people and it was maybe 5 feet by 10 feet. The hot tub could comfortably sit 3 but it said the max was 6 people and the 'workout area' consisted of ONE treadmill. I kid you not. Daryl wanted to go in the hot tub but when we were going up the elevator back to our room, we came across 6 kids all decked out in lifejackets and stuff so we figured it wasn't worth it. We got all dressed up for the game and then headed out. We got to the LRT station but the wind was so danged cold and we saw other people with blankets that we figured we should go back to our room and get our camping blanket. We had plenty of time and the hotel was not far away so we went back. As we were leaving for the second time, this time with the blanket, we met an older couple who were going to the game too. We walked with them to the station, bought our tickets (including the return fare) and then went down to the platform. It was perfect timing because the train came just then. We totally forgot that the trains come only every 15 minutes (not every 5 like the SkyTrain) so we were glad that we hadn't gotten there any earlier (or later). We only had a 5 minute ride and then got off (with EVERYONE else) at Commonwealth Stadium. Wow! It was pretty cool. They were making everyone shake out their blankets so it wasn't weird to bring one and we got inside. Man, was it COLD! The wind was whipping through there and it was not warm. We wandered around the concourse and it was pretty awesome experience. There were tons of vocal Riders fans there so I totally fit in. It was so weird to be at a football game outside. I could see how awesome it would be on a sunny day. We found our seats and snuggled under the blanket (one of the best decisions of the day was to go back and get that blanket - I do not think I could have made it through the game without it!). The Riders got off to a good start (10 points) but that was all they scored the entire game. We got heckled (though not badly) and when we left just before the end of the game, some guy said that it would be a “rough ride home!” We laughed pretty hard and then rushed out of there in the freezing wind back to the LRT. Again, perfect timing cause as we climbed onto the platform, the train came! Yay!!! We got back to the hotel (and warmth) and then Daryl ordered pizza (to tell you the truth, I was shocked that this was the first time on our trip). We went to pick it up but I didn't go inside because I still had my tattoos on my face and I'm not that confident. When we got back to the hotel, there were no parking spots left (there's a bar in the bottom of the hotel so a lot of people from there were parking back where the guests park) so we just parked next to the meter. Daryl went out later and moved it when a spot became available. We went to bed after midnight but we still have to get up early tomorrow since we have a long drive home.
Daryl all ready to go in his shirt and my hat (which I so kindly lent to him.)
Me with my hat, my coat and my beads!!
The shirt with the long sleeved tee underneath (totally saved me from freezing to death!).
My tattoos!
All ready to go with my scarf too! (It was only $6 and it was so worth it!)
Inside the stadium.
Outside on the open concourse.
In our seats.
The full stands.
Yeah, we (the white guys) were not doing well. Eskimos ended up winning by quite a bit. :(
Lloydminster, SK to Edmonton, AB
(I found out that we were staying on the Saskatchewan side of Lloydminster.)
Wow! Are we ever glad that we decided to find a motel last night. There was a HUGE thunder and lightning storm and it just POURED all night. There were huge puddles everywhere and we could just imagine what our night would have been like if we'd camped. Instead, we both had amazing sleeps and woke up nice and refreshed. We packed up and were on the road by 9:30ish and got some gas before we left town. We should have gotten some breakfast too but we weren't too hungry and thought we'd find a Tim Horton's on our way out of town. No such luck. There wasn't a whole lot of anything on our drive and the weather was so junky. It was only 12 degrees when we left and supposedly the high was only supposed to be 15. I'm sorry - is this August or October?? We found a random Walmart and got some grapes there and Daryl refused to buy any Pepsi cause he's trying to be healthy. The funny thing is that he complained about how thirsty he was for the next bit. Butthead. We got to Edmonton's outskirts and got expensive Wendy's for lunch. We've really noticed that food is expensive in Saskatchewan and Alberta - guess they have to offset their high wages somewhere. We couldn't check into our hotel until after 2 so we went to the West Edmonton Mall. We went there a few years ago when we visited Chris in Edmonton and it was still the same. It was HUGE and easy to get lost in. I have been banned from buying anymore so Daryl got two pairs of jeans and we freaked ourselves out by standing under the rollercoaster when it went around a loop. Daryl had wanted to go on a ride but a pass was like 35 bucks so there was no way. We decided that since it was so cold outside that we'd better buy some long-sleeved turtlenecks to go underneath our t-shirts for the game tonight. I'd orginally thought that I was going to be ok cause I had my new coat but then we went to Mark's Work Wearhouse and then had them on for $10 so I figured it couldn't hurt. (By the way, best purchase of the entire trip!). We left the mall just after 2 and headed downtown to where our hotel was. It was actually probably the nicest one we've stayed in all trip and it was very reasonable. We unpacked and then headed down to the pool, hot tub and “workout area”. Hahaha! I've never laughed so hard. The pool had a maximum of 10 people and it was maybe 5 feet by 10 feet. The hot tub could comfortably sit 3 but it said the max was 6 people and the 'workout area' consisted of ONE treadmill. I kid you not. Daryl wanted to go in the hot tub but when we were going up the elevator back to our room, we came across 6 kids all decked out in lifejackets and stuff so we figured it wasn't worth it. We got all dressed up for the game and then headed out. We got to the LRT station but the wind was so danged cold and we saw other people with blankets that we figured we should go back to our room and get our camping blanket. We had plenty of time and the hotel was not far away so we went back. As we were leaving for the second time, this time with the blanket, we met an older couple who were going to the game too. We walked with them to the station, bought our tickets (including the return fare) and then went down to the platform. It was perfect timing because the train came just then. We totally forgot that the trains come only every 15 minutes (not every 5 like the SkyTrain) so we were glad that we hadn't gotten there any earlier (or later). We only had a 5 minute ride and then got off (with EVERYONE else) at Commonwealth Stadium. Wow! It was pretty cool. They were making everyone shake out their blankets so it wasn't weird to bring one and we got inside. Man, was it COLD! The wind was whipping through there and it was not warm. We wandered around the concourse and it was pretty awesome experience. There were tons of vocal Riders fans there so I totally fit in. It was so weird to be at a football game outside. I could see how awesome it would be on a sunny day. We found our seats and snuggled under the blanket (one of the best decisions of the day was to go back and get that blanket - I do not think I could have made it through the game without it!). The Riders got off to a good start (10 points) but that was all they scored the entire game. We got heckled (though not badly) and when we left just before the end of the game, some guy said that it would be a “rough ride home!” We laughed pretty hard and then rushed out of there in the freezing wind back to the LRT. Again, perfect timing cause as we climbed onto the platform, the train came! Yay!!! We got back to the hotel (and warmth) and then Daryl ordered pizza (to tell you the truth, I was shocked that this was the first time on our trip). We went to pick it up but I didn't go inside because I still had my tattoos on my face and I'm not that confident. When we got back to the hotel, there were no parking spots left (there's a bar in the bottom of the hotel so a lot of people from there were parking back where the guests park) so we just parked next to the meter. Daryl went out later and moved it when a spot became available. We went to bed after midnight but we still have to get up early tomorrow since we have a long drive home.
Daryl all ready to go in his shirt and my hat (which I so kindly lent to him.)
Me with my hat, my coat and my beads!!
The shirt with the long sleeved tee underneath (totally saved me from freezing to death!).
My tattoos!
All ready to go with my scarf too! (It was only $6 and it was so worth it!)
Inside the stadium.
Outside on the open concourse.
In our seats.
The full stands.
Yeah, we (the white guys) were not doing well. Eskimos ended up winning by quite a bit. :(