The view from my window tonight.

May 8

I have an invitation for all of you. If you have any questions or just want to chat, please feel free to contact me.  I love sharing my adventures and what I have learned or am learning.  

Text 250-882-6588. Email: H2HZoo@shaw.ca or find me on FaceBook.  I will get back to you ASAP.

Today we left Swift Current earlier than expected.  I just happened to wake up early so

The one pullout I managed to find.

 decided to get an earlier start.  As it happened, it was a good idea.  The wind started to pick up in the afternoon.

I am not much of a complainer - at least I don’t think so.  Others may disagree.  My complaint today is the lack of signage and pull outs or rest stops on the roads in Saskatchewan.  Furthermore, the highway speeds are 110 on the Trans Canada 1 and appear to be 100 on the secondary roads.  When you are travelling such a speed it is difficult, while pulling a trailer, to make a last minute decision because of the lack of signage.  Now having said that, I have been travelling between 80 and 100.  With the cross winds and head winds, my little truck has been guzzling the gas.  

A modern grain elevator.

I have tried using manual shifting, I have tried doing a constant 80, I have tried drafting behind the big rigs to conserve fuel.  Nothing has worked so I just drive a reasonable speed and enjoy the scenery.  

Today is my first time ever at a Harvest Host.  I briefly wrote about them in the last post.  I had no trouble finding my host, Kevin, at Sunset View.  He gave great directions and was very friendly and chatty upon arrival.  He showed me where to park in the grassy field behind the family house.  

I noticed that he had a combined Canadian/American flag and had it flying upside down.  The curious me had to ask.  He said that he was learning about flags and that flying a flag upside down signals distress.  He felt that the two countries are in distress for numerous reasons.  We didn’t get into it.  

Also, today being Sunday, his Church was having their first spring gathering outside 

Sunset View Harvest Host looking west.

and it happened to be here.  He was kind enough to invite me to join in.  I politely thanked him and explained that I really wanted to unhook the trailer and go do some exploring for photograph opportunities.  I respect people and their religion, it’s just not my thing when it comes to God.  I will listen to the Universe, I will respect the Creator and I will continue to work on being a better person tomorrow than I am today.  

The sky was different every direction you looked.  Fluffy white clouds decorating blue sky in one direction.  Purplish gray swaths of clouds obviously dropping rain in another direction. There is so much sky I can understand how excited storm chasers can get.  I myself wanted to find the underneath of the big gray clouds.  However, I thought twice for fear of ending up lost or in the United States by accident.  Hahahaha

Sunset View with Harvest Host home in background.

I managed to find some abandoned buildings and was happy about that.  

Kevin also gave me Wind Lesson 101.  When you park your vehicle, make sure the wind does not come along and bend the door backwards.  I am now cognizant of what the wind is doing when I open the door.  I do not let go of it for fear of a gust that reshapes my truck.  

Morgan, oh my goodness, she is having a good time here.  Lots of grass and lots of room to play fetch - well our version of fetch.  Morgan runs after the toy, picks it up but does not return it.  She runs circles around me with a look in her eye that says, catch me if you can.  I refuse to chase her so eventually we work it out but it does take a while.  She is happy.  I am happy she has a place to get some exercise.  

We are finding our rhythm.  I know that after two or three hours off driving I need a break in order to keep going.  The next couple days are short days but I do have a big 500km day coming up when I go from Kenora, ON to Thunder Bay.  I will pace myself and believe that the Universe will bring me great weather.  

Since I left home in April, I have only had two nights alone.  Tonight will be the third.  

Abandoned farm buildings, Weyburn, SK

That means for all the other nights someone has cooked for me - Bill with different proteins each night including elk and duck.  Julie and Brian with their delicious burger, and Wendy with her delicious Alberta beef steak straight from their farm, and a delicious chicken dinner.  I’ve been spoiled.  So much so that I keep forgetting to take something out of my freezer to eat for dinner.  There is lots to choose from but when you are not plugged into electricity it is difficult to thaw something fast without a microwave so I just say, “I’ll remember tomorrow.”

I’ve been told that there are no old grain elevators anymore.  I am hoping to spot one even if it has been turned into a coffee shop or gift shop or ???  They are all huge cement structures without the quaintness of yesteryear.  

I’ve been travelling the Trans Canada and tomorrow I will take the Red Coat Trail which is Highway 13 in Saskatchewan and Highway 2 in Manitoba.  I am sure it will be more scenic and interesting than the Trans Canada.  We will see.  

Tomorrow I head to a new Harvest Host is Souris, Manitoba.  I plan to leave about 0800 to beat the wind and the rain.  The weather is supposed to be unstable for a couple days so that is where I will stay and perhaps watch thunderstorms from my comfy little trailer.  

Oh, and I did a little video of the wind and funny enough while I was standing in the wind talking to you, you cannot understand a darn thing I say until I turned away from the wind.  Videography 101.  LOL.

Until next post, I wish you all love, peace and health.