just sayin.

So Stampede was dismal. I can't believe we drove 12 hours for that!

PSYCHE.

So good! Quick synapses for those of you who hate reading: Fried pickles, mini donuts, Martina McBride, prizes and rides, Dean Brody, a sunny river float, Sandra Bullock movie marathon, Sara's special (but not funny special) oatmeal pancakes, Rocky Mountains and the usual rounds of fist pumping madness.
We left Surrey Wednesday night and drove to the Iggulden's cabin on little shu. Breakfasted and hit the road by 930 (as per usual, half an hour later than planned). Some town we hit a rockin diner where we ate some delicious food and Sara and I consumed a beer, hence disallowing us as taking over driving duties. Money move. Hit some terrible construction and a semi truck accident that slowed the pace dramatically. NBD though. We spent the next hour ooohing and ahhing over the mountains and then did a pit stop at Lake Louise. Infested with tourists, but what a beautiful spot. Took advantage of the photo op and bathroom and drove straight through (minus a liqor run)to Calgary.
Sara's aunt (Doris) and cousin (Amanda) were amazing enough to let us crash at their place right outside of downtown- we basically highjacked the basement and our belongings threw up all over the place as per usual. Nikita and I, on a breakfast run, stopped at a super amazing farmer's market where we paid exorbitant prices for BC fruit. It's silly because we thought after Kamloops we would have numerous fruit (and possibly Dariy) stands to stop by to pick up the goods we required. Wrong. Post Kamloops is stand-less.
Amanda and her girlfriend Jewels took us out to a bar that had a couple of live bands playing and a Suicide Blonde competition ( i will let your imagination run wild on that one). It was interesting. A lot of beer was consumed trying to make it all make sense. I've never seen That many girls in one place with That many tattoos.
Shopping and lunching and napping and movies took up Saturday.
Sunday was a huge family (and friends) breakfast of oatmeal pancakes and french toast with berries and warmed syrup (Best). Followed by a visit to Jewel's house and a hunt for ice and then a hunt for the elbow river [a lengthy two hours combined]. Got the boats in the river (Sara and I in a boat) and after some precarious sitting positions we straightened our lives out and got to floating and drinking. Calling the whole event floating seems a bit misleading as there were a handful of rapids, as well as rocks, that needed manuevering. We had a bit of an episode with Sara donating her Popcorn flavoured Rice Cakes to the ducks of the river. Unfortunately, they called their duck and geese friends who stalked us down the river menancingly. All fun in games until shelly gets attacked by a duck (luckily didn't happen). Finally (as my bladder was on it's last legs) we got out of the river and made a spectacle of ourselves in teh safeway parking lot, half naked, deflating our boats. Dressed and ready to go we hit the Stampede for martina. Amazing concert. Nikita caught a free t-shirt pre-show (highest jump EVER!). Martina sang all her hits to perfection and came back for an encore where she sang Summer of 69 and... oh geez i forget, but it was another rock and roll song. Wicked ending. From here we got a great deal on ride tickets and convinced all the attendants to let us in free or 4 for 1. It was amazing. We also played a zillion games and Sara won a zillion teddy bears- whcih was awesome until Nik won a leopard print giant bouncy ball.... Hit the sack at 1:30 and were up at 5:30 to hit the road home. Boo. worst.
Stopped for timmys and powered through to Shuswap were we stopped for a quick wakeboard, seadoo ride, tan and lunch- then on to home. Overall I'd say we Stampeded the shit out of that weekend. Just sayin.

I'd like to leave you with a little something special. It's a shelly original. Please note that every line is subject to change.

It's just Franklin and Sara
No time for Shelly.
Just Franklin and Sara
It's unbearable.
Nikita, Alanna-
No, no it's sara.
Just Franklin and Sara.
No time for Shelly.