East across the Prairies

Edmonton, in Alberta,  sits on the North Saskatchewan river which originates from the Snow Dome Continental Divide , where we were last week.  ( keep up now!)  We spent a very happy weekend, staying with my brother who I see very little of, thanks to living 5000 miles apart.   For those of you who enjoy shopping whilst on holiday, the West Edmonton Mall is a MUST!  It is the BIGGEST MALL in Canada and what an eye opener!  Not only is there every shop you can think of . . . . there is also an enormous swimming area, with beach, wave machines, slides etc . . . . . . there is a huge lake area with a full sized pirate ship moored, ready for weddings and events to be held in ‘THE place in Edmonton’ . . . .  AND on top of all that, there is a full sized ice rink!  If you’re that way inclined, the whole family could happily spend a day there (good marketing ploy!)

Beginning the final part of our figure of eight around Canada, we drove east and detoured through Elk Island National Park.  This enormous area  (194 sq km) is home to a large number of bison.  There is an active and successful  breeding programme, resulting in bison being introduced to other national parks  where they will be protected and  thrive in their natural environment.  By sheer luck, we came upon a herd on the road, so were able to quietly sit and watch as they munched their way past.  Big, strong animals – you wouldn’t want to mess with them!

Our daily search for somewhere to stop for lunch often brings a nice surprise.  One day this week we found ourselves in a Ukrainian settlement area.  Like so many other Europeans, they were offered cheap land upon immigration in the early 1900’s.  Vegreville is one of the Prairie towns, central to their area and we discovered an idyllic little park (lake, fountain, picnic tables, nice flower beds).  A massive and very colourful Psyanka (Easter Egg in Ukrainian) dominates the park.  Purported to be the largest Psyanka in the world, it weighs a mere 5,512 lb and is made up of 524 star patterns and 2,208 triangular pieces.  (rather puts any patchwork quilt to shame!)  No, it’s NOT chocolate!!  It’s made of aluminium which has been permanently anodized in gold, silver and bronze.  Mounted on a 27000 lb base, it swings and moves with the wind.  A very unusual weather vane!

Lloydminister sits on the border of Alberta and Saskatchewan which runs right through the centre of town.  It’s municipal campground made a perfect overnight stop.  Continuing east we enjoyed crossing the Prairies once again. Great expanses of gold in all directions.  Combine-harvesters and swathing machines appearing like tiny dots on the horizon, recognizable only by the cloud of dust which surrounds them.  I was remembering my father who used to arrive home from a day’s harvesting, covered in dust from head to foot – looking like a baker who’d fallen into the flour pot!  The machines may have changed over the years, but the typical summer dryness, just in time for harvest is still the norm.

As I mentioned in July, the grain elevators are very much a part of the Prairie skyline.  Western Canada was once known as the World’s Bread Basket, and during the 1940’s there were well over 5500 elevators across the Prairies.  Railway lines were constructed (both branch and main lines) to connect the elevators and take the grain to ports, from where it was shipped around the world.  The tiny town of Inglis in Manitoba has set up a National Historic Site, where four wooden elevators, built in the 1920’s, are preserved and open to the public.

Times have changed – grain elevators are now built of steel or reinforced concrete, and most branch lines have been closed. Trucks now transport grain from the isolated farms to the much larger new elevators.   Oats, wheat, flax, canola, barley and lentils are all twenty first century commodities from the Prairies.

We were intrigued to see the grass on the roadsides being baled into hay.  Google tells us that Alberta suffered a drought last year which devastated hay supplies.  Saskatchewan and Manitoba farmers are busy making hay with any grass they can (once you’ve made the grass into hay, it’s yours!) and then selling it on to Alberta farmers.  Controversy is rife as the roadside grass is full of weeds, salt and pesticides!  Now you know what keeps us amused whilst on the road!!

Two days of rest and relaxation were enjoyed at Wasagaming in Rising Mountain National Park, in Manitoba.  A lovely campground, with plenty of trees, lots of privacy – but within walking distance of  Clear Lake with its sandy beaches and boating facilities.  A number of local walks and nature trails – with warnings of a bear being in the vicinity, so we had to sing (or talk loudly) on our walk through the nature reserve!  Local shops and restaurants were also within walking distance, all of this giving Lulu (and her drivers) a much- needed break from the long trek back across the country.

Passing into Northern Ontario, the Prairies quite suddenly stop, and thick mixed forest starts.  We had  forgotten just how big Ontario is – it took us three days to drive across the top from east to west.  We’ve allowed six days to make our way back to the rental company.  See you next week, when I shall be mopping up the tears . . . . . .