Well the prairies are consistently flat.. In Moosomin we stayed in a lovely wooded campground called Fieldstone,  apparently the campground was built be the government in 1967 to celebrate the centennial.   It is now under private ownership but still benefits from the original government investment in infrastructure.   Some now tired but in its day I am sure the grounds were well travelled and enjoyed.

We saw a beautiful rainbow, flowers and lots of very flat prairie.. Vern built a fire and was definitely in his element.

the rainbow

Vern in his element.

Siggy on prairie dog patrol…

We woke to beautiful sunny skies.  Day began for me with a 6 km run along the lakeside trail with fellow airstreamer Lynn. Vern still frustrated by the lack of consistent wifi which interferes with online euchre but he persists.   The hammock was set up and tested.. Too nice a day to head in doors to a waterpark so bicycles were readied and Vern and I headed off to explore the town…Stopped at the local hardware store “Ians Hardward”  for a replacement hose connector so we would no longer leak at our fresh water connection.  It was a community dinner night, spaghetti, Caesar salad, homemade meat balls and the grand finale were ice cream sandwiches.

Lesson for the stop.   Don’t leave your portable 12 volt cooler plugged in for two days because your truck battery will be dead next time you try to start it.   Thankfully Vern brought his trusty trickle charger and all will be well.

Look what we found on the grounds.  Who would have thought there would be an Oakville Community Centre in Manitoba…

This Canada goose couple had 21 babies. They hissed at us when we rode our bikes by

The source of our new hose connector. Note bicycles on the left side.

Local cuisine.

Crescent Lake considered by folks here to be the Jewel of Portage la Prairie, was once a bend in the Assiniboine River . It is what is called an “oxbow”. Two theories exist as to when it was formed either 2,000 years ago when the Assiboine resumed flowing, or was it the result of the high water of 1826 that caused the disastrous flood that inundated the Red River Settlement at the Forks?

Our picnic spot, Yes those are beers in the holders…

Us

Testing the hammock

No not an alien..

Our caravan leader Kerry giving instructions for our drive…the short video above shows our entertainment for the night. Maddie chasing Siggy over a stick..

Thank God for battery chargers…

Across the boundary of Ontario and Manitoba the sun started to shine it was wonderful.. Dryden was dreary dismal and dark but things are looking up…  The campground honestly is the cutest ever.. We are on an island in Portage la Prairie at the exhibition grounds apparently Fairs are held here in the summer . . . for the moment just our group..  I have been foraging for firewood and the Vern wants a fire tonight..   Tomorrow well we will see there is an indoor waterpark next door ( I know sounds weird but the picks will show otherwise)   Wave pool, hot tub, and hot showers and a waterslide… If you ask me sounds right up Vern’s alley.  Now if only he can reach his inner child.. Also bike/walk/running path around the island 5.2 km perfect…  So I brought my running belt but no water bottles.   I think i can spread out my mat and practice yoga here too…

set up in camp

Over the bridge to the island

the bridge

It is the Prairies you know…

and agan..

Well it has taken 6 days to get out of Ontario….the weather has gone from a heat wave to about + 2 C  .  Today we head to Portage, about 100 km west of  Winnipeg.  It is our longest drive since we met up with the group almost 450 km. Once again we are the caboose of the caravan…  It is a grey dreary morning in Dryden Ontario.  We had a visit from a deer last night and what with a steady stream of rain last night watched I think, a total of about 6 episodes of “24”… We are getting much faster and efficient at setting up and taking down camp.   Last night we had our drivers meeting crammed under an awning…

On the road from Kakabeka falls to Dryden

This is what it looks like when we stop for lunch

Drydens way of preventing cars from entering. Those bolders where at least 3 feet tall

Parked for the evening

The people in this trailer are over 80 years old

Getting driving instructions for the drive

Evidence of the deer

Stuff on the campgrounds

View from the top of the hill by our campsite

all parked in a row at Northwestern RV and trailer campground

The smallest in our group 16 foot Bambi being driven solo by 77 year old Lois

Good morning

The man man in the fuzzy hat “Terry”  is the gentleman who reminds me of my dad

So the first 2 night stay was a welcome reprieve.   It was great to set up house and not have to pack up every little thing the next day.  We did our first load of laundry, flushed our tanks and will be lighter in every was on the next leg of the journey!!  The campsite “Happy Land” was great enough distance between folks, not buggy yet – the high temp was about 10 degrees,  everyone was in multiple layers.  Their is a gentleman on this trip who reminds me so much of my dad I keep forgetting he is not actually my dad.  Uses his “stick” as he calls it to point and give directions, even has the same stature and “amazing sense of style”.  A twinkle in his eye and a quick wit hint at more below the surface.  It is kinda comforting.  When I told him he reminded me very much of my dad he said “that’s good because people like their dad”  .

Yesterday we hiked at Kakebeka falls, and being our house sitters Jon and Naomi are from Thunder Bay at this point in their lives, felt it honourable to see the city they live in.  I can say that the Sleeping Giant is a nice back drop to the city.   We toured theoretical  scenic routes but in the end decided it was just like most small cities.   Headed to Canadian Tire to buy a few needed items and headed back to Happy Land…

Pics in the next post

Wow