Thursday, June 17, 2010

Day 3 - Swift Current Sask.

Today was about "motoring" (getting from A to B). We had planned to stop in Regina for the night, but an Agricultural Exhibition and no room at the Inn forced us to push on through Moose Jaw to Swift Current where we finally checked in at midnight. 3 provinces and 1500K in one day. Ouucchhh!
We saw some interesting things along the way. Hwy. signs warning of animals on the road were right on. In separate sightings we saw a moose, a black bear and 6 deer. I will do an additional post for these signs. We crossed the Longitudinal Center of Canada in Manitoba at 49 degrees 48' 35" and we discovered a certain quirkiness centered around winged insects. The bugs were bad as we entered Manitoba. At one point the sound of them hitting the windshield reminded me of rain.



We have been traveling the Trans-Canada Hwy since Sudbury. This Hwy joins the 10 provinces and the main route spans over 8,000 K. The highway's western terminus is the west coast of Vancouver Island, in Tofino where the road runs down the beach and disappears into the sea.
The ot
her Hwy sign designates the Yellowhead Hwy which starts in Manitoba and ends in the Queen Charlotte Islands. Yellowhead comes from Tete-jaune, a nick name given by the local Indians to a fur trader with blond streaks in his hair.
This is the first time I have crossed the prairies by car and I have found the journey to be anything but boring. Saskatchewan's provincial slogan is "the Land of Living Skies" and it is so fitting. Another hundred shots through the window of a speeding car can't capture the panorama that is the real thing. You'll have to come see for yourself.

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