| The Cowboy Trail: Turner Valley, Black Diamond and Longview |
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| Written by HOLLY HOFMANN | ||
| Monday, 12 July 2010 10:54 | ||
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The three towns are tiny, as in miniscule. You might have a hard time filling a day with activities if you visited just one of the three – unless of course you stopped in to drink with the hilarious old ranch boys at the Longview Hotel and Saloon and took a cab back to Calgary. But in a day, it’s easy to visit all three towns, wander through their streets, stop in shops and even meet some locals. There`s a different pace of life in this neck of the woods, and a certain charm that goes along with it. I spent an hour or two in each town, and found some real gems.
Turner ValleyThank goodness for the lower speed limit as you enter Turner Valley, or else you might drive right on through it without knowing it was even a town. It’s hard to believe this was the first oil boomtown in Alberta and was once the largest producer of oil and gas in the British Empire. Here are a few reasons to stop: The NIMBY Store: Located on Main Street, this shop sells some nice antiques as well as thrift goods at pretty reasonable prices. It doesn`t open until 1 p.m., but you might score something special there. I spotted a pair of cowboy boots for $35.Aladdin`s Cave: On Sunset Boulevard, another antique shop with mostly granny-style items like teacups and rocking chairs. Still, it`s worth checking out for the odd pieces thrown into the mix, like a 1940s gas mask. I bought a trumpet there for $75. Chuckwagon Cafe: Not only does this restaurant inside a red barn serve breakfast all day long, they also dish up a cowboy-style Eggs Benedict with strips of beef tenderloin instead of ham. Coyote Moon Cantina and Espresso Bar: A rustic western-style café, its complete with wood-planked floors and animal skins draped over benches. You can get your caffeine fix there, or even a cup of soup or a sandwich. Cougars Sports Bar and Grill: With a name like Cougars, how could one resist stopping in for a beer. I couldn`t. I got to meet the lovely lady who owns the place and sat out on the bar`s sunny patio. Black DiamondGoing east on highway 22X, the road snakes along the Sheep River and up a hill into Black Diamond, a seemingly roaring metropolis compared to Turner Valley. Originally a coal mining town, an enormous statue of a black diamond sits perched on a tower next to a large map of the town. I didn’t even bother looking at the map. I knew my first stop would be Marv’s Classic Soda Shop, so I parked on Centre Avenue, the main street of the downtown area. Without my glasses, I squinted to find the sign for Marv’s among the 20th century-style facades along the avenue. Luckily, a huge pink ice cream cone jutting out from the shop clued me in. Marv’s Classic Soda Shop: Chrome soda fountains, checkered floors, mint green walls, a juke box and waitresses in pink uniform dresses... If you weren’t alive in the 60s, the nostalgia of this place will make you wish you were. Owner Marv Garriott, in a paper soda jerk hat and bow tie, might even strum a little ditty for you on his guitar while you eat. The diner-style food is easy on the stomach as well as the wallet. Save room and try the Marvello, carbonated ice-cream.
Waitresses at Marv’s Soda Shop take a rest from serving burgers and making sundaes
Photos: Holly Hofmann/Calgary Journal
Black Diamond Hotel: Get cozy next to the fireplace and enjoy a beer here, but make sure to look up – old paintings are embedded into the ceiling. Black Diamond Gallery: There are several galleries in town, but this one sells some amazing hand carved furniture imported from Indonesia and made from the roots of teak trees. You might not want an eight-foot tall teak arm chair in your living room, but try it out for size. And ask to see the incredibly basic set of tools used to make the intricate carvings. LongviewThree-hundred people, a whole lot of cattle, a saloon and a beef jerky shop – that pretty much sums up this town. It’s worth visiting just for the jerky. Longview Jerky Shop: Swing open the screen door and you’ll be confronted with a wall of dried meat. With every option from Ginger Beef to Szechuan to Mandarin Ginger, I had to ask for a recommendation. From behind the counter of the tiny shop, a man in a white apron and a black cowboy hat boasted, “The Roughneck is good. I know ‘cause I made the batch.” I left with a package of Roughneck and one of their award-winning honey garlic pepperoni sticks. Longview Hotel and Saloon: Nothing washes down a pepperoni stick like a cold beer in a frosty mug. Before I could take in the sights of this local haunt, two ranchers invited me over to their table. They kindly apologized for the smell – they had just finished cleaning a cattle trailer. With more than a hint of pride, they pointed out the bar’s decorations: photos of local rodeo stars, wooden boards seared with livestock brands from ranches around Longview, and caricatures of regular customers drawn onto ceiling panels by a local artist.
Navajo Mug: Mostly its just a quaint little café, but its claim to fame is that it’s owned by country music star Ian Tyson. If you’re looking for a cappuccino, a slice of homemade pie or a Tyson CD, this is the spot. |
