Trans Canada ‘23 Day 3

So I woke up Sunday face down exactly the way I must have landed in bed… methinks the overnight drive caught up 😂! Still on AST, our 5:30 AM walk to catch Lake Superior and Thunder Bay in all her glory saw us at the waterfront with iPhones ready to catch the sunrise. Yachts, walkers and, interestingly, a skunk were all on the move with us! 

Thunder Bay is incredibly scenic… loved the massive rocky outcrops that line the bay, as well as a lookout above the city that marks the end point for Terry Fox’s run. We also spotted Lakehead University in our loop (Janie has had students that attend this school). However, like most Canadian cities we also saw a substantial homeless/tent encampment in a park area in the city core. It’s a huge, complex epidemic with very little headway being made towards resolutions. We know Canada can fix epidemics… but it seems the will isn’t there to tackle this one.

After that little adventure we checked out and continued westward. Love to stop at the Hampton, they’re economical, predictable and great hot coffee ☕️ to fuel up the driver. Staring down a 7Hr drive time, we targeted Winnipeg with Janie at the wheel. Mornings seem better for travel so far… less traffic and fewer construction interruptions. We did keep Google busy on the way… we jot down questions during the day and look for answers while driving. We talked basalt, indigenous peoples, driving times, removing railway crossings from google maps, songs with the words “Portage and Main”, places to picnic… what did we ever do before the internet/iPhone? Lack of plan means more work on the ground, either before or during!

Shortly after crossing the Ontario / Manitoba border the landscape changed, not unlike the flip of a light switch. Agriculture takes hold, while forestry and mining get left behind. Suddenly you can see for miles… lakes become fields, and the highway mercifully divided once again! We made Winnipeg shortly after 1:00 with several stops in mind. While online, we identified the Canadian Museum for Human Rights as our first stop. With adjacent parking, we did admission and settled into the visit. With seven floors, the building shines a broad light on human rights, both nationally and internationally. The museum states, “We explore moments of human rights advancement and others of setback. These stories encourage us all to consider how our choices affect others, from our neighbours to people across the globe.” Janie found solid info on the legal struggles following the Rwanda Genocide trial in Canada and the Winnipeg General Strike / One Big Union. For myself, the video about Canada and anti-semitism (the plight of the St. Louis) struck a special chord. Parts we thought could/should have been included were Viola Desmond & Rocky Jones… great Canadian (maritime) examples of civil rights activists! Impressive building just the same!

I wanted a photo from the intersection of Portage and Main… and I got it. The streets figure prominently in several songs… almost like Canada’s version of the gateway to the west. In the end, we also got a “Grand Tour” leaving the city, as Highway 1 leaves the downtown core and is the main traffic corridor to Saskatchewan. I think we drove the length of it!

Saskatchewan arrived without fanfare, no ostentatious display of “You are here” as we entered the province. To the newcomer, one can’t help but be flabbergasted at the open skies, lush landscape, and sheer “flatness” of it all. I’m no farmer… I can barely grow mold on cheese! But, my lord the expansive fields of canola, corn and wheat are impressive! The prairies are an ocean… just no water in it.

We rolled into Regina just before 9:00 PM… we chose downtown accommodations this time at a Fairfield Inn & Suites Marriott and hung our hats there for the evening. After filling the tank and check in we did some planning for Monday and crashed for the night! Felt like a turnaround day where we just started to hit our travel groove!

… Trans Canada ‘23 Day 4