No Elk in Elkwater

No Moose in Moose Jaw

And we would be hard-pressed to have heard an echo in Echo Valley, our second and final stop in Saskatchewan before crossing into Manitoba. 

We did see a grazing moose at the side of the road as we headed to Regina (the capital of Saskatchewan) and an ex-moose on the other carriageway, awaiting the arrival of a digger (which we also passed on route) to cart it off.  

The animal count improves.  We have seen our second Black Bear (on the final part of the drive to Riding Mountain), a badger (we could not slow down quick enough to get a picture), Franklin's Ground Squirrels and Pelicans (both Echo Lake), a Ruffed Grouse (first spotted by Jack - he knows his game birds) and Tree Swallows.  The km count climbs and as of Riding Mtn we are just over 4,000.  

The drive on Sat June 21st from Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park in Alberta (Elkwater campsite) to Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan (Peanut Hills campsite) had us driving through some of the worst rain we have seen.  I have never driven in anything so torrential.  Visibility was down to about 25m on the highway, less if a huge truck overtook us!  While we were 'enjoying' the Summer Solstice rain, Banff and parts of East Kootenay were deep in snow.  Hard to believe.  On the other side of Canada, Ontario and eastwards to the Maritimes have been enjoying a heat dome with temperatures in the high 30's.  

We feared that Saskatchewan would be dry and smoked filled, but it was wet and cold. We didn't bring winter clothing but have been well wrapped.  I have had to revert to long pants (trousers to our UK readers); though at Echo Valley it was back to shorts.  So far no wildfire smoke.

Saskatchewan, like Alberta, has long straight roads, though as we got closer to the eastern side of the province the landscape changed from large flat open fields to smaller fields with low hills and more trees.  

Moose Jaw, so named it is believed, from the local Cree term for warm place by the river.  It is where the Cree used to camp during the Saskatchewan winters.  There is also a Plains Cree word for warm breeze 'Moose Gaw',  So nothing it appears to do with Moose.    The arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the 1880's saw the town developed as a rail junction and workshops.  This formed the early development of the town that exists today.

We had a day to explore Moose Jaw, staying two nights in Peanut Hills, a commercial campsite sandwiched between the highway and rail yards.  It was lacking in character, unlike the provincial parks, but was new with good, modern facilities, newly planted trees and the grounds were well looked after but did not waste space on secluded pitches.  We didn't hear the highway or the goods trains.

We had a walk along the Moose Jaw River and spotted Otters and various varieties of ducks, which interested Jack much more than the otters.

The drive to Echo Valley PP on Mon June 23rd, was one of our shorter trips and only took an hour and a half from Peanut Hills. After the Regina ring road we turned off hwy 1 onto the 10 and later the 210 to head up to the provincial park.  The scenery got more interesting the closer we got to the park.  Trees, that had been a rarity on the majority of the trip across AB and SK, started to fill the landscape and rolling hills replaced flat fields.

Echo Valley - across Paqua and Echo Lakes to north shore First Nations Standing Buffalo 78 reserve

The campsite actually had half a dozen sites within a site, many set amongst the trees, and a number on verdant green fields.  It was well organised, clean and overlooked the two lakes that fill Echo Valley.  We spent a number of hours lakeside, checked out the local town of Fort Qu'Appelle and also hiked a number of trails.  The town had wide streets, OK shops but no breweries, so a local sampling was out.

If there was any downside to the beauty of the area, it was the number of ticks that Fred attracted.  Back from a long hike she removed a dozen or so ticks from socks, shoes and trousers.  She had gone well wrapped to avoid the problem and had the worst of it.  I wore shorts and found one when we got back and I think that came off Jack in the trailer.  At the forefront of her mind was some friends who have also recently been travelling ended up in ER after the husband contracted Lyme's disease.

I am not sure why Fred attracts mosquitoes (and reacts to them) and ticks, and of course me (to whom she also occasionally reacts)! 😀 I get the odd bite (from mosquitoes), but they don't seem to bother me apart from the odd small, slightly itchy bump.   

Thursday June 26th was time to pack up and drive on to Manitoba, 316 km to Riding Mountain National Park at Wasagaming near lake Manitoba.  The roads were not the 4-lane dual carriageways we have enjoyed for some parts of the journey, but two-way roads (one in each direction) with very little traffic and built, it felt, with sheets of corrugated iron laid across the road.   

They were optimistically signed as 100 kph.  It was uncomfortable above 80 kph.  We drove cross country to avoid the two long sides of a triangle so went down the (Hwys) 10, 16, 15, 10 and 45. The 16 and 15 got the top 'bloody awful road conditions' prize.  

What the roads lost in construction and maintenance points was offset by the beauty of the landscape as we neared Wasagaming.  Lakes everywhere, small fields, woodland and roads with curves and corners!

The campsite was well laid out and serviced, but it was busy.  A clear sign that schools had broken up for the summer.

 The camp was a short walk to Clear Lake, so called because, well, it was clear, and it was so beautiful.  We had a good hike around ending up at the 1929 Bar and restaurant. Deep joy, dogs are allowed on the patio!

Fred only had a single Negroni, and couldn't sit still!

Wasagaming itself, a small hamlet on the edge of the lake, was really pleasant and set in lush parkland with some lovely houses, food shops and restaurants.

Jack, who our son Nick has decided is planning to "swim his way across Canada", enjoyed a crystal clear swim in the lake.

Clear pleasure in Clear Lake

At this point we were some 4,000km into our adventure, with one further stop in Manitoba, before crossing into Ontario, which looks as though it is going to take a disproportionate amount of time to cross!

Crossing in the other direction, was Dianne Whelan, who has released a documentary of her non-motorised trip across Canada which was featured in the Daily Telegraph. The scenery is stunning though the human story that goes with it slightly overshadowed the journey.  There is a trailer on YouTube and the full version on Paramount +.   We discovered after watching the programme that Whelan lives on the Sunshine Coast.  The Coast attracts lots of interesting people.

While on the Coast, the Grizzly that was relocated inland after visiting Gibsons and a second time after checking out Schelt has now swum out to Texada Island, further up the Coast. A debate is now underway between residents, First Nations and the conservation officer.  The first two wanting to relocate the bear again and the conservation officer who is advocating killing it.  As the Guardian article indicates 'Tex'  has not attacked livestock, pets or people, though it is probably a matter of time.  My vote is relocation - further away.

Friday June 27th and our final leg within Manitoba; to Birds Hill Provincial Park, NW of Winnipeg. Nice place, long drive and the journey was kinda flat compared to the western parts of Manitoba.    We completed 4391 Km by the time we arrived at Birds Hill.  

Saturday 28th we head into Ontario, and Caliper Lake to visit Nestor Falls.  We then start to cross one of 

longest sections of our journey; Ontario.

Tree Swallow - atop Tree Swallow condo

Clear Lake

Old grain barn/silo

Country roads (Manitoba)

All this way and back to where we started!

Bird box tower block - Clear Lake

A not so safe driver having departed Saskatchewan

Echo Valley