Don't Fence Me In!

May 5, 2006 (Happy 11th Birthday Cairo)
Our next destination was Saskatoon. We weren’t sure what to expect, other than we knew it was a college town – the University of Saskatchewan is there with its renowned veterinary college.
The Walmart just a mile north of the University was fabulous – and the affable manager gave us permission to park. “Certainly, park at the side of the building near the back”. It was a great spot with an expanse of green grass and a view of vast empty fields. We got a satellite signal immediately and the fridge worked like a charm. The temperature was about 25 degrees, just about perfect.

We drove downtown and were so surprised at the size of the city core – it’s much more like a small town. There are no tall buildings to speak of, so you can’t tell how close you are until you’re right in the middle of it. Saskatoon city centre is situated on the banks of the Saskatchewan River and there’s a lovely treed river walk that goes for miles. There’s no commerce or industry on the river; it’s left in its natural state. It’s so hard to believe that Saskatoon is the largest city in the province with a population just over 239,000 - Regina, the capital has only 202,000. My first impression is that it is not a multi-cultural town – I didn’t see any races other than Caucasian and First Nations. It also appears to be a Christian town. Walking along Spadina St., which follows the river, we passed a Roman Catholic cathedral and an Anglican cathedral, a United church and a Methodist church and all within three blocks.

May 6, 2006
Saskatchewan is a place that everyone leaves except for those that can’t afford to. I know so many people who, when asked where they come from, proudly state “I’m from Saskatchewan – the prairies.” If they’re so proud, why do they leave? Albertans also leave but usually end up in the Okanagan area of BC. Manitobans stay home. Ontarians feel such competition with British Columbians especially if a BC’er uses that trite expression “We live in Lotusland”. Quebecois wouldn’t be caught dead away from their province, unless it’s to winter in Florida. And Maritimers………..they don’t think they’re Canadians.

I’m rambling verbally here…..so let’s get on with the real rambling.

Just south of Saskatoon is Blackstrap Mountain, a pimple on the horizon that is a manmade ski hill – we laughed at the sign advertising the pathetic hill “Saskatchewan’s Recreational Escape.” The stretch of highway from Chamberlain to Moose Jaw was surprisingly scenic. Marshy lands, a utopia of birds and rolling green hills! The Qu’Appelle Valley was lush with the lovely long Buffalo Pound Lake running through it. Fishermen lined the causeway and boats trolled serenely. Moose Jaw – its name draws attention and demands a visit - didn’t make much of an impression other than it seemed a ‘nice little town’.

A lot of our time is spent on the highway and we tend to observe the minor details. The colour of choice for the popular 4x4 pickup trucks (hardly anyone drives cars) is white – I’m puzzled, wouldn’t that be camouflage in winter – they’d disappear in the snow. There was a noticeable absence of RV’s on the road. Is it too early? Is it the gas prices? Probably a combination of both. The farmhouses of Saskatchewan are typically humble clapboard dwellings, often quite shabby and never the palatial homes that are prevalent in BC’s Fraser Valley – I wonder if the landowners live elsewhere and hire resident managers to oversee the operations of the farm. Otherwise, it would appear that after spending their money on upgrading the farm equipment, outbuildings and granaries, there isn’t much left for their homes.

Wildlife sightings don’t really rank in the inconsequential category but a lot of our sightings were road kill – several deer in full rigor mortis, their bodies appearing perfect otherwise, a coyote and what the mangled remains of what appeared to be a dog. We did thank goodness also to see deer, coyotes and prairie dogs thrivingly alive. Somewhere on the road, we acquired a third chip in our windshield – driver’s side again. I hope none of them crack, because we’ll not get it fixed until we return from Alaska next year.

As enthusiastic fans of a CBC comedy series, Corner Gas, we made a detour south of Regina to Rouleau – “Dog River” in the series. A dusty, farm town that has seen better days, Rouleau has been reborn but not evidently so – it probably only comes awake when the TV crews start filming. The building they use for the Police Station in Dog River houses ‘The Stoop’ coffee bar and souvenir shop – I don’t think it’s a lucrative business. The ‘gas station’ in Dog River is boarded up and Ruby’s Diner is non-existent.



By the time we reached Regina it was blisteringly hot. Shorts and halters were the uniform of the day – No, No, No, not on me! Regina, the provincial capitol and home of the RCMP academy, is a small, laidback picturesque city filled with the friendliest people. The impressive Legislative Building is located on the banks of Wascana Lake near the centre of the city and a shady lakeside walking and biking path meandering for miles attracts hordes of dog owners, parents with strollers, rollerbladers and cyclists. It is a city full of trees, in the parks, along the boulevards and the peaceful residential streets.

Somewhere along the way, another chip appeared in our windshield. The heat brought out the insects, so the windshield was patterned with the varied shapes of the deceased bugs and it wasn’t until we cleaned it that we discovered the new nick.

Another town, another Walmart and free wifi. So far, so good - seven nights and no campsite fees.