IT’S BEEN A fine start to the ride east. In two sleeps the piglet and I put 1,300 miles behind us. We left out of the Fraser River Valley in British Columbia, crossed Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba and landed here last night in Kenora, Ontario.
Averaged 433 miles a day… not bad for half a motorcycle.
Pencil us in at 12,625 miles downrange and counting. We’ve got roughly 1,600 to go.
Froggy High Wire climbs up the outside of my tent this morning.
Today I focused laser-like on goofing off. I rode around town, engaging all comers in the art of the yakkety yak. Did a little scribbling here & there. All that’s left on my agenda now is to give my raggedy traveling duds a much-needed dunk in the laundry this evening, and me a much-needed dunk in the shower.
By this time tomorrow the piglet and I should be rolling somewhere east of Thunder Bay.
We keep putting these prairie landmarks in the mirrors. Every town of any size has a grain elevator on the rail line.
Look who’s tagging trains in Saskatchewan. Fine, we’ll just have to tackle that peace-on-Earth thing ourselves.
Day 2, hunting through the golden hour for a place to sleep.
First camp was in Mannville, Alberta; second in a place called Foam Lake, Saskatchewan.
“Mosquito Lake” must have been taken. The little bloodsuckers were legion, bigger than any swarm I ever saw in the Arctic. I temporarily suspended my ironclad rule about not eating dinner in the tent.
It was that or don’t eat, and a rider can’t run very far on empty.
Rain behind me as I left out of camp in the morning.
Saw a church built by Ukrainian immigrants and given over to ruin. Said Ukrainians must have turned to dust in the due course of things. The place is boarded up but somebody mows the lawn. There must be a story there.
Saw an old Ford Tonner on a trailer. Someone must be hauling them up out of the fields to sell to collectors.
An old Dodge truck next to the Tonner. Also needs work.
It’s daunting, but don’t be daunted. If I can do it, so can you.
Stalwart little piglet… she’s tired but she’ll make it home.
Her fork springs are softer every day. The brake dive is a wonder.
We had to brake hard only once, so that’s good. A deer went to cross the road in Manitoba. When I got stopped she turned and ran back the way she came.
Yesterday, closing in on Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. Yes, that’s just what I was doing about the prairie, too: portaging it, traversing it, slipping by it, getting past it.
My camp last night, scouted in the dark. A patch of boggy grass by a goose pond.
This $20-a-night campground charges $30 but aw I just pay it real Diamond Jim-like. I suspect the 50-percent nightly surcharge must be a hidden way to clip us for the so-called free goose shit.
Accuwildassguess Weather says the Canadian heat wave will break tonight with a grand electrical storm. I’ve moved my tent to higher ground, just in case. Have staked it down, too, which I don’t usually.
I judge hot riding weather by how much of a job it is to keep enough water going in. I can’t see where Canada has been all that bad.
Oh, it’s been warm enough—it is August, after all—but for real Shake N’ Bake riding try Kansas in August. Or Nevada. Or the Columbia Plateau, Eastern Washington.
Will let you know what Thunder Bay has in store.
Tony DePaul, August 4, 2019, Kenora, Ontario, Canada
Hope you made it home dry and safe.
It was a pleasure meeting and talking with you at the USA visitors centre.
I look forward to reading the beginnings of your trip.
In case you want to reignite the idea of a South American trip, check out Oisin Hughes
cheers, Connie riders John and Son.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFTgX6Vnk0Q
By now you are surely home, sleeping in your own bed. Great collection of memories and photos. Congrats on accomplishing what you set out to do, and for allowing us to follow along.
Now to give a little attention to Iron Piggy.
Stay upright and on the road amigo!
How says there no scenery on the prairies. Your pics prove there is. Yes there is blood sucking bugs. Ride safe and talk nice to piglet and it will get you home safe and sound.
I am off to work so all I can do to is read your blog and enjoy.
Cheers Tony
Sorry you won’t be passing through Kansas in August. It hasn’t been all that bad so far this year. Not all that many days over 110º in July. None are predicted for the rest of August. Upper 80ºs and low 90ºs is heavenly to us flatlanders.
I was with your bride yesterday. Fun. Oh, and met D2’s H1?? I forget your code. Sweet couple. Hope the piglet carries you safely back to the states as you head east and south. It’s cool here at night. Great sleeping.
Hope the geese kept their honking to a minimum for your dozing pleasure.
Safe travels.
Great seeing you at the family reunion! It would have been fun having Tony there to share some of his tales.
Regarding your picture of the church, Ukrainians were recruited to Canada in the 1890s to the early 1900s where they were given free land to farm. They were usually landless peasants who started the farms in Alberta and Saskatchewan. That church is probably from that era.