Day 17 – Sunday June 4/17
A wonderful Sunday on our cross-Canada adventure – both in terms of weather and events.
We left Regina at 9:30 under full sun and 25C. We needed to be underway early because today, for the first time we were deviating from our carefully planned 122 day tour itinerary. Instead of taking a third day in Saskatchewan’s capital, we were heading to the tiny village of Birsay. (photo) Why, you might ask, would we give up a day at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum for more travelling and a place so small there isn’t a gas station? Well, it was for the best reason of all – to visit family. In this case it was Nancy’s grandson Lee Kucera who is doing a co-op term from Dalhousie University there.
As we left Regina we were caught up in the W-I-D-E open vistas of fields that are pretty much empty right now as crops are just being planted. But we have learned that Saskatchewan is more than just flat. There are gullies scarred by runoff and areas of gently sloping hills. Our perceptions of The Prairies is constantly changing.
To reach Birsay we had to leave the well groomed highway and traverse what we consider to be the roughest road yet – Highway #44 west of Davidson. This road is narrow, no shoulders, many potholes, graveled areas and just plain bum-um-umps. We are not sure how it got the title ‘Highway’. Fortunately we were only on this stretch of road for 45 of our 225 km of travel.
We arrived at Danielson Provincial Park about 1 p.m. and got a secluded campsite with a tiny lookout onto Lake Diefenbaker. After lunch and a nap, we made the 45 minute drive to Birsay to see Lee. Lee is a third year student in Marine Biology and is working this term at the Wild West Steelhead Trout production facility.
This aquaculture company has been in business for 25 years. It is situated on Lake Diefenbaker. The company oversees the production of steelhead trout products from egg to processing. Lee proudly took us on a tour of the facility showing us the various machines, boats and barges he gets to operate. He showed us the processing plant which was not operating on a Sunday, but was unable to take us into the incubation area as careful health standards are maintained to protect the eggs and young fish.
Following the tour we brought Lee back to our campsite for a Sunday dinner of barbequed hamburgers, hotdogs, corn on the cob, salad and (non-homemade) buttertarts. Lee ate heartily and then Grandma Nancy sent him home with extra food, including a hamburger, some stew and two more buttertarts. That is what grandmothers do, isn’t it?
We took Lee back to his accommodations via a lengthier route that involved taking a ferry across Lake Diefenbaker. This was a sunset ‘cruise’ and most enjoyable for the three of us. (photo)
Lake Diefenbaker is named for the former prime minister who inaugurated work on the massive dam project that created the lake back on the 1960’s. The lake is 140 km long and feeds a hydro-electric generating station. (We stopped and read the plaques as is our custom. Lee got inaugurated into our style of travel.)
While travelling with Lee we added to our daily wildlife report. Today we saw an oriel, many yellow-headed blackbirds, an antelope, a jack rabbit, several deer and a red tail hawk.
Today we travelled 225 km as part of our trip and 276 km touring the in Lake Diefenbaker/Birsay area. This is the first time we did more touring than travel. It was interesting and rewarding in many ways, but especially because of our time with Lee. Thanks Lee for making time for us.
Day 18 - Monday June 05/17
Our day started with coffee at 7am (pre-brewed last night and decanted into the thermos - our standard practice each night/then morning, so that we have coffee upon awakening!!), followed by showers at the Danielson Provincial Park. Breakfast was granola and yoghurt with rasperries, banana and apple, and more coffee. Mmmmmm!!
After doing the dishes (we wash up dishes usually once each day in the morning after breakfast, including lunch and supper dishes from the day before), we tidied up inside the trailer, hitched up, and hit the road by about 9:30am. Temperature was 21degrC, under cloudy skies.
We travelled through variable cloud cover throughout the day - putting some proof to the Saskatchewan licence plate slogan ‘land of the living skies’
Our route today took us from Northwest of Regina (directly south of Saskatoon), south-east (a bit of back-tracking, after going to visit with Lee), to the Jean Louis Legaré Municipal Park south-east of Assiniboia. Some 350km.
We arrived at the Park at about 4:30, and after set-up, took a nap until 6 pm. Then we had supper of pan-fried potatoes, onions, red peppers and mushrooms, ham, and corn-on-the-cob.
As we travelled, we came across an installation of 10 wind turbines - the most we have seen here in Saskatchewan (photos) (see prior blog post)
A highlight of our travels today was a stop in Gravelbourg - a francophone community [even the local radio station broadcasts in French!) - where we discovered there is an historic RC “Co-Cathedral” of Our Lady of the Assumption, as well as a lovely park - both commemorating French colonization and settlement in Saskatchewan. We stopped for a picnic lunch in the park, and then a walk about the Cathedral and park grounds.(photos)
There is also a plaque in the park commemorating an event during the establishment and westward movement of the Northwest Mounted Police (photo)
We did a bit of grocery shopping in Assinoboia at the Co-Op supermarket (Co-Op is quite strong here in the prairies; if you are a member, you get cash-back dividends each year). One highlight of the shopping was that Nancy found Co-Op brand frozen Steelhead Trout farmed on Lake Diefenbaker - which we are sure [although the packaging doesn’t say so] was produced by Wild West Steelhead where Lee is doing his co-op placement.
Interesting notes about this municipal campground - it is in one of the ‘valley’ areas, several of which we have travelled through, which are marked by what we have come to call ‘crenellated hills’ on each side - many small hilly areas marked by small rivulet valleys; so lots of hill climbing with the truck (in 4-wheel drive) and trailer to get into a campsite; as well, the water here is not potable - with no explanation from the staff as to why - but we do have an electricity hookup; and, as we sat relaxing outside after setting up, Michael discovered a tick clambering up his leg, so we beat a hasty retreat into the trailer for a complete strip-down and mutual tick inspection before napping!!)
After posting these blogs we’ll relax for a while and have an early night. Lots of exploring to do in this area tomorrow and Wednesday!!!
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