Traveling Thru Canada

We did spend the weekend at the KOA Campground just outside of Winnipeg. On Sunday, Mother's Day, we went to a local restaurant that advertised a "Mother's Day Brunch."  It was very good.  Sunday was a beautiful day - sun was out, temp was in the 60's and little wind.

However, on Monday, the day we were leaving, it was cloudy and the wind was again blowing out of the NW, which is the way we were headed!!  Every day has been very windy causing our gas mileage to be around 8 MPG!

And, to make matters worse, diesel in Canada is a lot more expensive than in the US. On average we have been paying $1.42 per liter which equates to about $5.37 per gallon.  In the US the price was around $3.79 - $3.85.  You do the math!  We were talking to another camper last night and he said that diesel in BC is even higher.  Can't wait!!

Anyway, we have made overnight stops in Yorkton and Saskatoon, SK. and Edmonton, AB.  We are now in a small town of Valleyview, AB. which is about 150 miles from the British Columbia border and the town of Dawson Creek. Interestingly enough, we will be there on May 17th and spend the weekend there.  Three years ago, in 2011, we were in the same CG on May 18th!!

Here are some pictures along the way.

Notice the snow still on the ground (Saskatchewan):

This lake still has some ice on it:

This is a huge glider: 

These provinces - Manitoba and Saskatchewan, grow alot of grain, primarily wheat so we saw car after car on rail sidings awaiting the harvest in the fall.

This lake is still completely iced over.

More scenery:

The temps we have been experiencing attest to the snow and ice - they are usually in the 40's during the day and 30's at night.

In Saskatchewan we also saw several of these:

POTASH!!  They actually mine this stuff some 3,000 feet underground.  We watched a video that shows how they do it.  Very interesting. And it is eventually used as a fertilizer. By helping plants develop strong root systems and retain water, it enhances yields and promotes greater resistance to disease and insects. Because it improves the taste and nutritional value of food, potash is often called the “quality nutrient.”

When we got near the SK/AB border, we saw more and more oil wells, and a couple of refineries.  And in Edmonton, we saw many drilling outfits.   

After Edmonton, we left one of the major East/West Highways (#16) and headed northerly on a good four-lane highway (#43).  The landscape changed considerably and when we got to a town called Whiteford, it labelled itself as the Forest Capital of Canada. Shortly after that, we had woods all around us along the highway.  And then the signs started - first some deer signs and then this one - moose.  And then it seemed like the signs went from deer to moose and back again several times.  But we didn't see any!

We did see one moose in Saskatchewan in a forest getting a drink at a small pond but were past it before Judy could get a picture.  We should have more opportunity to see animal wildlife as we get further north.

I found this map and thought you might like to see where we have been traveling - from Winnipeg to Saskatoon to Edmonton, and then northwest to Dawson Creek.




I'll do another update in a few days.