O Canada in Saskatchewan

Kerry entering Saskatchewan

John entering Saskatchewan

If I have one overwhelming impression of the prairies this trip, it is how good it smells from the top of a motorcycle.  Yesterday it was the smell of canola blossoms.  Today it is the delicate scent of the blossoms of the alfalfa alfaqlfa that grows wild on the edge of the highway and in some of the fields that haven't been planted.  Mile after mile passes by and every breath brings that haunting smell.  I think most people in  cars would miss that.

At least 30 kilometres to the horizon

This land goes on forever

Much of Alberta and Saskatchewan are this green

Close to the Alberta side of the Alberta-Saskatchewan border the land changes subtly.  Rather than being mostly flat it begins to undulate with gently rolling low hills.  When the highway crests these hills you can see for at least 25 kilometres in every direction.  That's a circle 50 kilometres across!  and the colours are incredible with the green of some fields to the yellow of canola, to the dun brown of other areas.  And the roads are straight.  I measured one section that was 17 kilometres straight ahead without even a curve.

We left Medicine Hat at 8:30 and were in Swift Current by 11:00.  I tried to find a coffee shop so I could have a good coffee.  I stopped to ask a guy who was walking across the government building parking lot.  His lower lip was filled with snoose so that should have been my first clue.  The words, "Could you tell me where I could find a good coffee shop?" were no more than out of my mouth when I knew what was coming next.  After all, this IS Saskatchewan.  "Yeah there's a Tim Horton's two blocks down the one-way (street)".  Tim Horton's I suppose is the epitome of 'good coffee' in this part of the world, and truth be told we did not see another coffee shop in the whole downtown area of Swift Current.  The land is beautiful, but that alone would make it difficult to live here.

On the way to Moose Jaw we came across the remains of a summer snow storm with the snow piled high in the river bed.  The photo below will give you an idea of what it was like.

Snow in July? No. It's potash by the road.

Saskatchewan potash mine

Actually, it wasn't snow but potash which Saskatchewan exports to China as fertilizer by the trainload.

Kerry with the 'bull' moose

We had to stop to see Moose Jaw's giant bull moose. How do I know it is a 'bull' moose? The picture below should make that clear.

And now you know!

Since today was a put on the kilometres kind of day, we didn't stop for long in many places except to buy gas and lunch.  We did see quite a few prairie dogs, one of whom stood on the centre line while Kerry and another biker passed on either side of him before he made a run for if right in front of me.  He made it but from the numbers of bloody little meatballs on the highway, quite a few of his brothers did not.

We have seen quite a bit of wildlife today.  Along with prairie dogs, two coyotes, hawks, a baby skunk, and numerous flat foxes and raccoons, we saw two pelicans flying overhead.  I didn't know what they were until Kerry told me at our next stop. Pelicans?  In Saskatchewan? Uh-huh. There's even place called Pelican Lake and Pelican Narrows in northern Saskatchewan.  I have no idea why they're here or where they come from.

There are all kinds of great names here as well, but the two best ones today are: Carry-the-Kettle First Nation, and Dyer Straights Campground. 

Many of the places here are celebrating their 100th anniversay this year.  Since the railway came through in 1882 and some places here date from then, I have no idea why so many places were started in 1911.  One of the things that has changed in the past 20 years is the removal of the iconic prairie grain elevator that each small town on the railway lines used to have.  With the abandonment of many of these lines the elevators had no further use and were demolished only to be replaced with industrial scale feed mills that now dot the prairies.  It is a real change from the first time I rode this way.

Feed mill near Whitewood, SK

Heading east from Regina we experienced very little traffic but the sidewinds were vicious at times.  I was thrown around the highway for the last 150 kilometres today.  The wind was great for the wind generators though, and the whole wind farm outside of Whitewood was benefitting from it.  Our last stop for gas before going on to Virden was to be Moosomin but when we looked to the east the clouds were threatening so we decided not to risk riding another 30 minutes if it meant getting wet so we stopped here and wrapped up our day's ride after 720 kilometres.

Wind generator near Whitewood, SK

Part of the 'wind farm' near Whitewood, SK

Kerry at the Moosomin grain elevator

Today is Kerry's birthday so we celebrated with Hawkins' Cheezies from Belleville, ON, Kerry's home town, and some Polish beer.  He also received a gift from his wife Theresa and a birthday card from me as well.  Today was a glorious day of riding.  The weather is perfect (except for the wind, but it is the prairies after all) and the road is good for the most part.  Tomorrow it is on through Manitoba into Northern Ontario.  I was wildly optimistic about making it to Winnipeg today, an optimism born of ignorance of the distances involved here, so I will make no predictions about where we will stop tomorrow.

While I have always been proud, in a quiet way, to be Canadian, this ride reinforces that pride.  We are blessed to live in a country with such an abundance of resources, people, and beauty.  Our strength is not derived from a strong military or a large economy, but from the land itself.  I wish that many other Canadians could have the chance to see our country as I am seeing it for the first time in more than 38 years.  I believe it would do them, and the country, a great deal of good.