When Rain Reveals the Land: Dinosaur Provincial Park to Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

The rain is not letting up. Mother Nature has her own plans. I appreciate the rain, and even though it makes my travels more difficult, I know how blessed the land is to receive this abundant water.

With this much rainfall, I am not sure how much I will be able to explore Dinosaur Provincial Park. However, I do not want to miss visiting this park.

As my windshield wipers clean my window every few seconds, I appreciate my landscape movie for the day: solid gray skies stretching to an endless horizon, with flat land beneath them.

At one point, the rain stops. A few clearings in the sky bring soft clouds to dance above me, as even a hint of light comes through the gaps. That slight change brings life to the land. The green grass looks happy and bright, creating softness in my eyes and heart.

After two hours of driving, I arrive at Dinosaur Provincial Park. Luckily, there is a break in the rain.

Most of the hikes are closed, so I take the muddy scenic loop road to hike the few trails that are still open. I follow the ranger’s recommendation and hike her favorite trail, the Badlands Trail.

Oh yeah! I am so glad I did not let the weather stop me from visiting this park.

The trail is slippery and muddy, and I am cautious with my steps. A few times, I almost lose my grip, but I keep going. As I observe the landscape and the rain’s effect on this ancient land, I realize how blessed I am to be here at this moment.

The skies are still muting the colors around me, which highlights the wrinkles in the rock formations. The heavy rain washes over the minerals, bringing a shimmering beauty to this art form. I am so fascinated by the silky effect that I have a deep desire to feel it.

Oh wow, it is slimy, cool, and so soft. I can tell that if I were more forceful, I could get a chunk of clay in my hand. Of course, I do not want to disturb nature.

The loop has two fossil displays of dinosaur skeletons. What is incredible is that they are in the exact spots where the dinosaurs were found. Standing there, taking in the details, brings a simple, raw, and powerful understanding of the universe.

I am able to hike one more short trail before the rain starts again. I am tempted to stay overnight at the campground and spend more time in the park. However, I know I would be better off being on concrete than on a soaked dirt road.

Therefore, I continue to my next destination, the town of Medicine Hat.

I arrive at Medicine Hat in the evening. With the rain still not letting up, finding a park to cook dinner is not an option. I find a restaurant where I can enjoy a healthy meal and wash up for the night.

A quick search on iOverlander brings me to park at Walmart for the night. I do feel safer when there are other vans and RVs parked there as well.

Good morning. The sun is still nowhere to be found. The skies are still solid gray, but at least the rain has stopped.

The nearest coffee shop is Starbucks, which is perfect. They always have a clean bathroom. :) Well, also good coffee.

It is still damp, cold, and early in the morning, so I hold off on exploring downtown and find myself walking in the nearby mall. I cannot even remember the last time I was in a mall. At least ten years ago, if not more. It is a perfect solution to add more steps to my day.

Based on what I have read about Medicine Hat, I am excited to explore the downtown area. The brochure I pick up shows a map of the many bakeries and murals around town.

Okay, maybe my standards are high. One of my favorite places when I am back in New Jersey is L’Arte della Pasticceria, a French bakery in Ramsey. I have also had the privilege of experiencing many wonderful bakeries throughout my travels. I am not sure how to say this gently, but unfortunately, I am a little disappointed.

I do enjoy finding the many murals around downtown. From my own large-scale mural creations in the past, I can appreciate the challenge of creating them.

I make a quick visit to the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Center, where I learn more about the region’s history and why Medicine Hat is nicknamed the Gas City, as this area is rich in natural gas.

That brings me to another place that catches my attention: Medalta in the Historic Clay District.

Medalta feels like a place where clay, fire, history, and human hands still whisper through the walls. The century-old factory, the brick buildings, and the beehive kilns carry the memory of Medicine Hat’s clay industry, while today the space has been transformed into a museum, art gallery, and ceramic arts center.

I am so glad I decide to take the guided tour. to take the guided tour. I love seeing how something once built for industry has become a home for creativity and restoration.

I spot a local community center on Google Maps. Perfect. That means there is a good chance for a hot shower. Perfect. A $3 shower!

I am back to my spot at Walmart for another quiet night.

New day (Thursday, May 4), I am back at Starbucks to catch up on my writing and wait for Janet to arrive.

We finally find a location to meet.

Janet and I met two years ago after a friendship developed from a beautiful email she sent me. She had been following my journey and sent an appreciative message. Of course, I responded, and we exchanged a few emails. We learned that we read the same books and that our philosophies of life are quite similar.

When Janet read in one of my posts two years ago that I was heading to Bruce Peninsula National Park, she asked if she could join me. Of course, I said yes!

Since then, we have kept in touch.

When I created my travel map through Canada, I realized I would be passing her area. Excited for the opportunity to meet Janet again, I reached out to let her know I would be traveling through Canada.

Well, Janet has her own exciting plan this summer as she travels in her electric car to Vancouver to spend time with her daughter.

So while she is traveling from east to west and I am traveling from west to east, we decide to make sure we meet when our timelines align.

That time arrives.