Minnedosa, MB -Happy Canada Day!

Yesterday's mileage 490k

First some belated thank you's...

Thank you Mel for the cord for to secure my sunglasses. The prairie winds have been relentless. and they want my glasses. Nothing like the Welcome To Alberta winds south of Calgary, but nice to know my glasses are secure. One less thing to worry about.

Thank you Elsie for the yummy home-made rhubarb/strawberry pie. I'm drooling on the keyboard at the memory. Thank you also for the girlie "first aid" kit. Travelling like this with my cropped hair, can't do mascara 'cause it'll end up all over my face, often grimey, it's been nice to have a little bottle of cologne, some perfumed soap & nail scissors etc. It was a touching and thoughtful gift.

I remember the young man we spoke to in the parking lot of the Nanaimo Ferry terminal at our departure. He'd ridden his bicycle across Canada. We asked him what struck him most about his trip and he said, "The prairies. They're beautiful!". I agree.

Have to confess to some snotty prejudice about living on the coast, surely the most beautiful part of Canada. I've lived in the prairies... Calgary, Edmonton and a year in Winnipeg. But seeing them like this on secondary highways has been a revalation. In late June, they have been green and lush and the views after descending into a river valley green with groves of elm trees and poplar growing along a meandering river are beautiful.

Saskachewan boasts some of the really old elm trees. I grew up in Southern Ontario and most of the elms are long dead, just bleached skeletons.

The Saskachewan highway is dotted with signs that say "STOP (gets your attention) the spread of Dutch Elm disease. Do not bring in firewood from other provinces".

An unexpected detour outside of Regina took us through some lush countryside with prosperous looking farms with large red brick farmhouses surrounded by a grove of old elms. The pastures are secured with all wood fences securing well bred horses. Also some lovely small towns. We stopped in one and it was eerily silent. No sign of people or cars and just the sound of the wind.

Ah, the wind. It's been our companion for several days now. I've fought it and I'm tired. It's a good tired. My arms, legs and core feel stronger.

Yesterday we did put on some decent mileage fighting the wind all the way. It was pretty countryside, green with groves of poplar and dotted with blue, blue ponds? coulees? slews/slus?. Note to self... Find out what they're called.

Almost all the ponds which average about the size of the fooprint of a small house, serve families of waterfown. Someone had gone to the trouble and expense of installing posts set in the water topped with a horizontal tube for nesting. Must learn about that program.

We arrived here in Minnedosa, MB last night and have decided to treat ourselves to an extra night here. It's Canada Day! A special kind of Canada day for Grant & I.

Messedosa is alot like being on the set of a Disney movie, but it's very real. Almost surreal. We're in the municipal campsite which invites a certain pride and care. Our hosts are a lovely late sixties smiley couple.

I kid you not, the women's bathroom has crocheted doilies under 2 choices of perfumed hand soap dispensers and each lavatory cubicle has a cross-stitched sampler that says things like.. "Remember, life is not a dress rehersal" or"Life isn't about about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain". Things to ponder whilst you're sitting there.

There's crocheted wreaths and butterflies on the walls. It's clean, spacious and bright. The showers cost a dollar, but the hot water goes on forever.

Come to think of it, the time will come when we might want to paraphrase "Life isn't about about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to RIDE in the rain.".

The campground is on the edge of a lake surrounded by low hills. At dusk, there will be fireworks set off from the shore at our end.

Riding here through the town itself was a delight. The main street is a row of old substantial brick buildings of several stories. The pioneers must have meant to stay.

The streets are all lined with very old elm trees and the houses are either small and quaint or large and impressive historical looking, built of brick. Everything is immaculately cared for. This has the feel of somewhere that could easily feel like home.

We walked abit around the lake last night and saw the beach freshly groomed in the twilight. The local teens were hanging out & generally flirting out in inner tubes while a crowd played beach volleyball. Almost too good to be true.

Gib:

A day of relaxation will feel good and this is a nice place to spend Canada Day. Really looking forward to the fireworks display off the dam tonight. There is going to be live music in the pavilion.

Truly the prairies are a lot flatter than BC but they are beautiful in their own right. Have seen a number of old 50/60's cars about in good shape. Also a lot of rusted old farm tractors sitting in fields along the highway as a form of decoration. One such field had at least a dozen. A gold mine for someone looking for a display piece outside a business.

The sun is warming up already this morning and it should be a great day to sit by the water and read. I'll see about getting the bugs and dust off the bikes today. Really the bugs haven't been bad at all but they mount up over the miles. At this point we have no idea of where to head tomorrow. The decision is to hit or miss Winnipeg.