Day Eleven

Woke up first to the song of the White Throated Sparrow and then by the 3 Caw Crow Family. They were discussing many things around the campsite. We packed fairly quickly and had a breakfast of cereal in a box, juice and bread. We went back to the visitor centre for some t-shirt purchasing. We decided to drive around to the west side of the park and have a picnic lunch. After at least an hour we arrived at the west gate to find a dirt road and a lonely ranger station. We traveled through beatuiful woods deep into an area of the park that we are certain that few Manitobians have ever seen. Passed by the Central Trail which runs up through the west end of the park. You can backpack up all 67 km. of this trail or go along it on horseback (assuming you brought a horse with you -- we left ours at home). Our picnic site was remote (we probably were the only ones in the park for 20km) and on a nice lake (with Loons and Pelicans).

Following lunch we left the park and then drove west along its southern border. The drive took us through the prairie hills and past farmland. One of the farms had a herd of free-range Belgian horses with their foals. Margot and Kaitlin visited the horses (the old mare was fairly tame). From there we continued until we got to the Inglis Grain Elevator National Historic Site. Unfortunately, the elevators were closed to the public, but we got a good look around and found a nearby geocache. Also, stopped to take pictures here and there of the prairie landscape. On the way to Regina we passed through the Qu'Appelle Valley which is sort of rift cut into the prairie. Very cool.

Continued on to Regina and our hotel. Kids were thrilled with the hotel room because it had both a pool and a kidsuite (bunk beds). Went out for a very nice supper at La Bodega. Margot recommends it for your next trip to Regina. After supper drove around Wascana Park and then headed back to the hotel.

Next update will be in Calgary in about 5 days.


Lunch at Bob Hill Lake (Riding Mountain National Park)


Road leading from western side of Riding Mountain National Park


Prairie just west of Riding Mountain National Park


Belgians


Margot, Kaitlin and 693


Inglis Elevators


Inglis Elevators (view from tracks)


Inglis Elevators


Qu'Appelle Valley


Margot in Wascana Park (evening)


Legislative Building across Wascana Lake