Moose Jaw, Aug 15-18, 2023

We’re going for mini get-away to Moose Jaw.  We were there during the pandemic, September 2020,  of course everything was closed.  Now’s our chance to visit Al Capone’s tunnels. The drive is 5-3/4h which will do wonders for Bailey’s batteries.  Trip starts off @Vanee Truck Wash for a Bailey

We did a pretty good job!

Sadly it didn’t last for long.  This is likely the most bugs we stopped from bugging others.  Windshield is covered, looks better in the photo than what it is. Moose Jaw, are you ready for us?? 

  Peanut Hills is 😊😊😊

Allan doing a good job!   

Peanut Hills Campground Site 32; notice what’s behind the park?  This plant was not operational when we were here last.  We were surprised to see the train arrive.

Allan built us a delicious Korean BBQ taco dinner 😋There he goes wrapping

Fire time with our after dinner wine.  Love that Allan delivers!!  Good night west sunset! 
Aug 16th:  Good morning east sunrise!     

Tour the tunnels day, we set off tickets in hand.  We selected the “Chicago Connection” tour… “You’re bootleggers in 1929. You come to Moose Jaw to buy booze from the Capone organization. You’ve got to learn the ropes and stay out of the way of the local police chief. You start out at Miss Fanny’s club and end up in a tunnel, somewhere underground. And the only one who knows the way out is Gus, one of Capone’s goons”

We met at the Tunnels location but the tour begins at the Hive Café across the street. They walked us over.  It was very entertaining!  Educational?  Not sure but certain fun.  The tunnels take you from the Hive side of Main St to the Tunnel building.  It was much fun with the tour guides being in character.  Downside!  We were not offered a bootlegged shot!

Are the tunnels fact or fiction? Google search supports both theories.  I like this one “The Moose Jaw tunnels are known to have been used by one of the most notorious criminals of the time, Al Capone. These tunnels in Moose Jaw are an important part of Canadian past.”  If they are an important part…  must be true!

More proof…  “With the Soo line railway going directly from Moose Jaw to Chicago, there was quite the trade in bootlegged liquor to be managed by the gangsters. The breadth of bootlegging activity happening in Moose Jaw earned the city the moniker of “Little Chicago,” which was not a label that all the citizens were proud of”  

I’m certain Al, AKA Scarface did not stay here 🙂

We had recommendations to eat at Nits Thai Restaurant, we were anxious to try but it smelt so bad I just couldn’t eat there. 

We ended up at CJ’s Cornerstone Bar & Grill.  Bonus they had RR on tap

MJ fuel price $1.636;   Lethbridge $1.429It was fairly windy today. gusts up to 70km, fortunately the wind died down enough to have a fire. A great end to the day   🙂

Aug 17th:  Visit Mac the Moose Day…

It’s a 19 minute walk, off we go.  Kyle introduced  us to these tasty adult freezies.  Sure are refreshing while we walk it’s already 32c or 89f Spot them??         

“Mac the Moose is a steel and concrete sculpture of a moose in Moose Jaw. It is claimed to be the world’s largest moose at 10.36 metres (34.0 ft) tall and a weight of approximately 10 long tons (10,000 kg)”

Busted!!

The Snowbirds, officially known as 431 Air Demonstration Squadron are the military aerobatics flight demonstration team of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The team is based at 15 Wing Moose Jaw near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

So cute   

    He’s so bullish!

Back at camp my fire god jumps into action!

Aug 18th:  Heading back home today.  It been an interesting few days; Bailey is still my happy place.  Love tthe travel and sites.

It is a good day to leave as there is both a heat warning and poor air quality in effect.  May have the same in Lethbridge.

This is pretty much what the entire SK drive looks like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back in AB, air quality isn’t any better.  The BC & NWT fires are far reaching.

Bailey is sad to be back in storage, hopefully our next outing is coming soon!