Dell on the Red Deer River.

From left to right:  Dell, Charles, and Jim.

Dell had numerous passions.  Chief among them were family, his business, cards, music, and adventuring in the great outdoors.  He was a true woodsman and was capable of survival in all but the most desperate circumstances.  When challenging what Mother Nature would through at him, Dell could come up with a solution when others were giving up hope.  He was not one to tempt fate though as preparation and common sense were his guiding principles. 

I have been on two canoeing excursions with him, both on the Red Deer River.  The first venture involved traveling from Red Deer to Drumheller; it took five days and we camped on the banks of the lazy waterway.  The second expedition went from Drumheller to Dinosaur Provincial Park near Brooks, Alberta.  It was also a five day trip but heralded amazing views of the badlands.

The great thing about river tripping is the fact that there is only one way to go.  You start upstream and follow the flow.  There is also the safety of land nearby.  The Red Deer is a class 1 river (flat water, also called lake grade) along these stretches and rarely over 100 yards wide.  If you want to rest the current will gladly carry you along.  A sail can be rigged if the wind is coming from the right direction.  There were moments when we would raft the canoes together and erect a single sail.  The hot sun, camaraderie, and views were idyllic.

There are a few memories of Dell on these trips I want to share.  The first was the run of the mild rapids we experienced passing Canyon Ski Hill east of Red Deer.  Dell was so pumped by the experience he wanted to go back and do them again.  I was thankful to be through them; I can live without the excitement.  A second moment was when he and Jim tried to beach their canoe on a steep shoreline.  The bank caught the front end of the craft and the current flipped the boat.  Dry bags prevented any real carnage and the dip was actually reviving.  Then there was the storm that came out of nowhere.  I am certain I saw a funnel cloud forming off in the distance; the wind picked up and we beached as fast as we could.  One of the empty canoes got picked up and tossed but no real damage was done.  Lastly, Dell wore sandals and got bad burns on both feet.  The next day he wore them with socks.

Evenings were spent around the fire and enjoying cards.  The food, company, and conversation were all good.  Dell enjoyed himself immensely.  After the trip was done he thanked me for putting together the adventure.  It was well worth it.  I got some great photos and many fond memories of my friend.

Thanks for reading.   www.ericspix.com   Eric Svendsen