Dell and the Red Deer River

Our group that canoed from Red Deer to Drumheller in 2004.  

I had wanted to paddle down the Red Deer River for some time.  It wasn't until the summer of 2004 that things came together.  It took us 5 days to travel the 120 km, paddling 24 km or so a day.  On nice days, we put up a sail and lashed the canoes together and just flowed with the current.  We camped at a provincial park one night and along the banks of the badlands on other nights.

I don't recall a lot about Dell on the trip, but I know we enjoyed ourselves and played cards when the opportunity arose.  I remember catching a young gopher snake and seeing a few beavers swimming in the river.  My son, Joshua, had recently turned 11.  He wasn't very interested in listening to dad, which made paddling difficult, so Ken and I swapped paddling partners and that took care of the problem.

Dell and I did a second trip down the Red Deer River from Drumheller to Dinosaur Provincial Park in 2010, a few months before his death.  It was another 5 day adventure and it was the last time I saw him alive.  My main experiences with Dell were always Camping, Cards, and Concrete - organized both alphabetically and by preference.  He was always good to me, with the exception of the odd charlie-horse he would inflict on me with expert marksmanship.  

As always, whenever I think of Dell, I lament his passing and mourn the great hole he left in the lives of so many.

Missing you, buddy.  Rest in peace.

Eric Svendsen.     www.ericspix.com 



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