Leaving Manitoba for Ontario ....

A few miles down the road from Winnipeg is Steinbach and my first stop.  On the way (within 15 miles!) my brand new, unblemished windshield took a rock and now I have a pit.  So sad. 

My stop here was for Mennonite Heritage Village, a turn-of-the-century Russian Mennonite street village circa 1880.   Spanning 40 acres, this museum features galleries and exhibits that educate you about the Mennonite people, who are a tight-knit, ultra-conservative group of Protestants. The Village Center houses the main gallery that displays artifacts including home decor, wedding accessories, and even a love letter from the late 18th century. Memorials include The Great Trek Memorial, which commemorates the lives of Mennonites in Russia and the Soviet Union who were persecuted under Joseph Stalin's rule during World War II.

I had the mistaken belief that Mennonites were a "sub-religion" of the Amish.  Not so. They are Anabaptists (meaning they believe in baptism as an adult) that were highly persecuted for their beliefs, fleeing country after country until Canada promised them a safe home. They started out in sod houses and eventually built a beautiful town.  This museum is worth a stop.  I loved these painted floors in the houses ...

I decided to go under the lake instead of over so as to stop in a couple of National Parks, so I dropped down into Minnesota and Wisconsin for a few days.   The good news is I have great internet service here so I can get caught up on all that .... the not so good news, this area is having "their one day of summer" and it is HOT AND HUMID!  I thought maybe it was just me being an old lady, but even the locals are complaining.

Minnesota is a beautiful state (except for the bugs and humidity) and Superior, Wisconsin is a nice town.  I'm staying at the Moose Lodge in Superior because they had electricity for me to run some A/C.  It was 94 in my coach; too hot to sleep!

I have learned:  Lake Superior is referred to as "the big lake"; soda is called "pop"; prices for gas/diesel are reasonable at $3.00/gal; only here can you stop at the gas station and have all the men stand around comparing fishing rods and boats while they fill their tanks (yes, actual fishing rods 😉).

As I was driving south on Hwy 53 through Cook, I was starved and thirsty and saw a billboard for McD that advertised truck/RV/bus parking.  Perfect!  Seldom does McDonald's surprise me, but this one did.  They had a drive-thru for large RVs and Semis.  Honest.  I have never seen one before, but what a great idea.  You drive up to the menu board and use the telephone to place your order.  Then, instead of driving up to a window, there is a cement stair you pull up to and the employee runs out with your order.  I didn't use it, but what a great idea.

Voyageurs National Park is named for the French Canadian canoemen who carried trade goods and furs between Montreal and the Northwest from 1673 to 1842. Its long and colorful history spans generations of explorers, including Ojibway Indians, French-Canadian voyageurs, gold miners and bootleggers. Today, its mostly fishermen and vacationers who spread out through the park's 84,000 acres of water (a third of its territory) and claim quiet sections of shoreline or the forested, scattered islands that straddle the border of Canada. The park comprises four large lakes, 26 smaller lakes, and over 500 beaver ponds. It was established to protect its outstanding lake country scenery, geology, and the historic waterways. The islands of Voyageurs National Park are characterized by pine and hardwood forests, as well as small bogs with lady's slipper and sphagnum moss. They play host to a variety of wildlife rarely seen in the lower 48 states, including bald eagles, wolf packs, ospreys, cormorants, great blue herons, black bears, loons, and beavers. Pileated woodpeckers and great gray owls are not uncommon, and occasionally mink, pine marten, and fishers are seen.  Unfortunately for me, not only was it a holiday weekend (so it was packed!), there are no roads that go through the park, so being without a boat .... I got my park stamp and moved on.


I took a drive down Bob Dylan Way (Michigan Avenue) along the harbor in Duluth to find Fitgers Brewery.  There were great old building and brick streets in this area.   Duluth's first brewery was founded in 1857 by Sidney Luce. It was then acquired in 1881 by Michael Fink, who named it Fink's Lake Superior Brewery. Ultimately, the brewery was named after August Fitger, a German brewmaster who greatly shaped the path of the company. Fitger's Brewery went on to survive Prohibition by producing candy and soft drinks. Today consists of the brewery, a hotel, a museum, and a restaurant.

The aquarium is in this area as well, and I considered stopping but it was a Saturday with everyone trying to get out of the heat, so I passed.

The stainless-steel sculpture of David von Schlegell (1920-1992) is a metaphor, “tying the horizontal lines of the land and Lake Superior, which are both very visible from this location, together at the point of intersection with the City of Duluth.” The gate then honors the historical importance of Duluth as the gateway to Minnesota’s north shore and to the world through the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway.

Built over 50 years ago, this gas station stands as one of the many buildings in architect's Frank Lloyd Wright's vision of the utopian city he referred to as Broadacre. Unfortunately, this is the only building from that vision that was ever built. The station's broad, copper roof and impressive second-floor waiting room will appeal to all who appreciate great art and design.

This seemingly misplaced arrow is found stuck in front of Gronko's Grill & Bar. It towers above the building and can be easily seen from the road.

Unfortunately, I drove about 40 miles to see this ball of twine, but it wasn't there! James Frank Kotera started his ball of twine in 1979 after reading about another twine ball in the newspaper. Since then he has been working on his, which weighs over 19,000 pounds. It is so large it has sunk and taken the form of a football. Another ball, named Junior, is nearby.  I was so disappointed I almost walked up to the door to ask what happened to it.

A couple of things I forgot to mention in my last blog ... sorry about that ... Clearlake has purple sand.  It is formed from crushed garnets; vehicles sold in Canada must have block heaters and automatic daytime headlights; Manitoba is very green, with lots of lakes, similar to Minnesota; Smokie Bear is alive and well in Canada.

I asked a Mountie what the GRC stood for on his vehicle (the RCMP was obvious). He said it was Royal Canadian Mounted Police in French, but most people think it stands for "gravel road cops."  A Mountie with a sense of humor.

Winnipeg

The drive from Thompson south on Highway 6 was long but uneventful.  I made a side trip to Portage La Prairie especially to tour Fort le Reine but couldn't get in because of a money issue; they only accepted credit cards that "tap" or Canadian money.  I didn't have enough Canadian on me and "tap" isn't an option.  Bummer.

I have had several Canadians remark at the US lack of technology regarding credit cards, etc. (we are one of the few that still have to sign for our purchase).  My response is that we have much better Internet and cell coverage!

There have been several conversations regarding the cost of living as well.  What I have determined is that "consumables" are much higher in Canada - food, gas, and oh my gosh the price of a beer! but rent and education are much cheaper here.  A year at the University of Manitoba or the University of Winnipeg is $5,000.

So, I finally got to Winnipeg and checked into my camping spot for 4 days.  I would have liked a couple more, but July 1st in Canada Day and camping spots are hard to come by.

Before I share my sightseeing pictures, I want to tell you about my trip to Costco.  We are all familiar with a trip to Costco, getting gas and Costco only accepting Visa, right?  Well, in Canada, they only accept MasterCard, not Visa (they will accept the Costco visa from the states, but I didn't have one of those either).   They don't accept a Debit card either.  Needless to say, no gas and an embarrassing "check out" adventure.  And then I drove across the street to get groceries at Walmart.  Just as I got into the car, the sky opened up with a deluge for my walk into Walmart.  When I came out it was like a sauna outside.

A note about getting groceries in Canada:  They don't stock noodles; only macaroni.  Strange.  Cottage cheese isn't in "curds"; it is solid.  Ice cream labeled "ice cream" isn't unless you look for a seal that it was actually made from cream.  A large section of any grocery store is devoted to bakery items.  And they are pretty proud of their 100% plant based beyond meat (that's exactly how it is "billed").

Another odd thing that seemed to be just this Walmart ... instead of picking a line at a cash register, everyone got in one line and they called out which register was "now available" (like Marshalls).  You can't buy this kind of fun. 😁

Manitoba is the first Canadian province I've been in that is heavy into recycling (they hand out bags for cans and bottles) and you buy a recycle bag if you don't bring your own to the store.  Yeah for them!  I am constantly frustrated as I travel at how few states and provinces recycle.

OK, my first stop was the Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site, the oldest remaining stone trading fort in the province.  It dates to 1830.  There is a costumed reenactment of daily life during that time; the period costumes are worn by University students as their summer job. Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site was the site of the first treaty between the Crown, the Ojibwa, and Swampy Cree. The Fort was also a major supply center for agricultural goods. York boats, favored by fur trappers and hailed as the "boat that won the West," were loaded with three tons of supplies for portage between posts.  It was very interesting.  I also enjoyed talking with the students about their "normal" lives as well.

I also stopped by the Riel House National Historic Site.    This National Historic Site along the Red River is where the Riel family and descendants lived until 1969. Louis Riel is famous for founding Manitoba and leading Metis. Renovated to its 1886 appearance, the home exemplifies Red River post-on-sill construction.

When I visited the cemetery at St. Boniface, I took a picture of his plot.

Another stop was the Manitoba Museum.  This proved a little pricey.  It was $7 to park for 2 hours and $30 admission.  They have three sections, the gallery, science and the planetarium, and you pay for each section you want to visit.  They also have a traveling exhibit, Animal Inside Out.

This outstanding museum focuses on the interrelationships between people and the environment. There are nine galleries included in the gallery exhibit, all with sound and interactive displays; all very well done and interesting.  I could go through them and post all my pictures (oh my) but I want to tell a couple things about the Nonsuch. 

For their 300th year anniversary, the Hudson Bay company built a full-sized replica of the Nonsuch, completely seaworthy.  The Nonsuch, which brought the first cargo of furs from Hudson Bay to England in 1669, resulting in the founding of the Hudson Bay Company, sailed for 4 years until the HBC donated the ship to Manitoba.  Manitoba put the ship in a large gravel lot in Winnipeg and built the Manitoba Museum around the ship.  I wondered how they got it in there!

The room in which the ship is located is built to resemble a dock town.


The Animal Inside Out exhibit showed the "insides" of animals without the skin.  There was an exhibit of a human arm and a heart that you could touch and exam.  I was interested in looking at the giraffe; wondering about the muscles needed to hold the head up.  The docent said the giraffe has the same number of vertebrae as the human neck, only spaced further apart.


St. Boniface Cathedral is the oldest basilica in western Canada. Originally constructed in 1818, it has been rebuilt several times after fires. The facade and part of the walls of the 1908 basilica still stand; the rest burned in 1968 and was rebuilt in 1972.

The new Cathedral is beautiful as well, but they had an event so I was not able to take any pictures from the inside.





The residence of the Archbishop of St. Boniface built in 1864.

 
Driving in Winnipeg was not fun.  After the second day I was thinking it would have been a good place to take the trolley tour.

In fact, the lady at visitors' information kind of gave me an excuse to not venture into the city a third day for the legislation building tour and the tour of the mint when she made a face at my asking if they were worth the time.

While I was driving around I saw this great building.  It turned out to be the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Tomorrow I will be heading south, across the border into Minnesota, heading for Duluth.  There are a couple of National Parks I want to see before I cross the border yet again on my way to Thunder Bay in Ontario.

More sightseeing in Manitoba

 This is Clearwater Lake, one of only three "true blue" lakes in the world.  I spent a few days in the campground.  The lake is shallow out to where the color starts to turn.  It is so clear, you can see the bottom; the clarity has been measured at 33 feet.

Formed when massive rocks split from cliffs along the shoreline, there are "caves" (actually deep crevices) to explore.

I got bitten everywhere!!  The mosquitoes swarmed me like fresh meat and ITCH, oh my goodness.   I had to speak with the pharmacist at the next town for a recommendation to relieve the itch, even after several days after the bite.  Always a new experience!  They also have the biggest flies here I have ever seen.  They call them Bulldogs and they are out and about from mid-June to the end of July.

As I was driving north, it was a little cool and somewhat sobering that there were road signs announcing the 53rd parallel, the 54th parallel, the 55th ...... how far north was I going?

I did have to stop once on Highway 10 for a family of ducks with ducklings in tow.  Definitely different than the usual stop for deer ...

Flin Flon:  The town's name is taken from the lead character in a paperback novel, The Sunless City by J. E. Preston Muddock. Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin piloted a submarine through a bottomless lake where he passed into a strange underground world through a hole lined with gold. A copy of the book was allegedly found and read by prospector Tom Creighton.

When Tom Creighton discovered a high-grade exposure of copper, he thought of the book and called it Flin Flon's mine, and the town that developed around the mine adopted the name. Flin Flon shares with Tarzana, California, the distinction of being named after a character in an adventure novel.
The character of "Flinty", as he is locally known, is of such importance to the identity of the city that the local Chamber of Commerce commissioned the minting of a $3.00 coin which was considered legal tender amongst locally participating retailers during the year following its issue. A statue representing Flinty was designed by cartoonist Al Capp and is one of the points of interest of the city.

Towns all seem to have their "thing" .... boots, bears, guitars .... Thompson has coyotes, for their "Spirit Way."  They also have a ten storey high mural of a wolf on the end of an apartment building; the largest lighted mural in the world.

There was a large number of taxis here; they sat in parking lots ready for a fare to take passengers to and from stores.

The highway to Thompson was the worst road yet and diesel was scarce.  I drove 8 1/2 miles around town until I found one pump with diesel, at a very high price.  I was told that further north they had no diesel at all.  Good thing I was turning around to head south to Winnipeg.

In general, the roads in Manitoba aren't too bad; much better than in Saskatawan.

A stop at Pisew Falls .. yes, that "white stuff" is ice.  In the winter, the entire falls freeze.  Pisew is the Cree word for lynx.  The waterfall is created by a drop in the Grass River spilling through a gorge.  After the walk down the boardwalk, there was a swinging bridge that crosses the river below the falls.

I am accustomed to poor cell service and no internet in Canada, but I have been in places in Manitoba that my phone could not even get the correct time!  I have never had that happen before.

I hoped to take a side trip to Churchill to view the Bulaga Whales, but the price was out of my budget.  From Thompson, which is as far north as you can drive to Churchill, the train trip is another 16 hours.  Once there, the train doesn't run every day, so hotel, etc before your 16-hour return, so basically the "side trip" would take a week and an inclusive trip of the viewing and the hotel was about $5,000.  Oh, well.

I have noticed a Jeep dealer in most towns, even ones that don't seem to be big enough to support one.  I don't notice an abundance of Jeeps on the road, however.

The other common businesses are Case (for large farm machinery), KFC and A&W (even more common than McD) and Walmart.

On to Manitoba ....

OK, my third border crossing from North Dakota to Manitoba was not as smooth as the others.  Again I was questioned about having a residence and to give assurances that I would be returning to the US at the end of my stay.  I'm wondering if that is becoming a concern for the Canadian government as it is getting to be a hassle at the border.  I had to answer questions regarding my financial status, ability to provide medical treatment for myself, proof that I had ties in the US to return to, etc. Wow.  I wonder if the US Border Patrol asks the same questions of the Canadians.  I'll have to ask my Canadian snowbird friends.

My first stop after the Boissevain crossing was to take this picture of Tommy Turtle.

And then onto the swinging bridge in Souris ... Completed at the end of August 2013, the new bridge allows Souris to the title of the longest swinging bridge in Canada.

I know it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, but it was pretty cool to walk across.

Now I'm spending the weekend at Riding Mountain National Park.  No rain in the forecast, but it has rained non-stop all weekend.

I drove a three-hour sightseeing tour today.  I could have done it in the coach on my way to Duck Mountain but decided to take the Jeep.  This is what I saw ...

The Inglis Grain Elevators National Historic Site of Canada: This impressive grouping of five standard-plan wooden grain elevators is a rare survivor of the long rows that once dominated prairie towns. The row was built between 1922 and 1941, Manitoba's golden age of elevators.  Because so many traditional country elevators have been demolished throughout western Canada, the Inglis elevator row preserves rare examples of a formerly common sight.

The Ukrainian Catholics of Dauphin organized their first parish in 1916.  they held their first service in an old Anglican church that they had purchased and moved into town.  By 1936 it could not meet the needs of a growing parish.  This church was built between 1936 and 1939 by volunteers from the parish.  The Dauphin church is one of the best "Prairie cathedrals."

In 1990, the parish undertook the construction of a new church but respected their architectural heritage by preserving this landmark.  The new church was built about 1/2 block away.  At noon the bells played two very pretty "songs."



In Dauphin, I also stopped at the Fort Dauphin Museum, but it was closed, unfortunately.

As I was leaving the campground for my drive around Manitoba, I noticed they had a bear trap parked by the ranger station.  I've never seen one before.

Tomorrow I pack up again and head for The Pas.  The weather report is predicting thunderstorms during the week.  Should be interesting.

Manitoba at a glance

The Hudson Bay has over 25,000 beluga whales! 

Manito Ahbee is the largest Pow Wow gathering in Canada and the second largest in North America. 

A black bear cub from Canada named Winnipeg (or Winnie for short) was one of the most popular attractions at the London Zoo after it was donated to the zoo in 1915.  It was also the inspiration for Winnie the Pooh.

The word “Manitoba” means where the spirit lives (in languages of the Aboriginal people who first lived in the region). It could also have been derived from “manitou bou” which is Cree for strait of the Great Spirit.

The province’s tagline, “Where Canada’s heart beats” is a smart play on the fact that Manitoba is located at the heart of Canada. It is bordered by Saskatchewan to the west, Ontario to the east, Nunavut Territory to the North, and the US states of North Dakota and Minnesota to the south.

It is called a keystone province because of its shape and position in the center of Canada.

Winnipeg has the sunniest winter season in Canada with 358 hours of sunshine. 

Manitoba’s highest point (Baldy Mountain at 831 meters)  is located in Duck Mountain Provincial Park.

The International Peace Garden is devoted to world peace along the world’s longest unfortified border and lies on the U.S. and Canada border as a symbol of friendship.

Université de Saint-Boniface is the very first educational institution in Western Canada (dating back to 1818) and helped to found the University of Manitoba in 1877.

The Royal Canadian Mint produces all of Canada’s circulation coins and currency for 60 governments around the globe.

A bit of north North Dakota

I followed some more of the Lewis & Clark trail to the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site.

Inside a Mandan earth lodge

Mandan and Hidatsa people visited Fort Mandan often to trade corn, beans, and squash and share information.  Toussaint Charbonneau, a French Canadian who lived and traded with the Hidatsa, came to the fort with his wife, Sakakawea, seeking work as an interpreter.

 Lake Sakakawea

Northern North Dakota was much prettier than I expected; green and hilly.  Except for the heat/humidity, it was very nice.  It is on "schedule" for me to return in July/August 2021 so I imagine I'll experience the full summer impact of the state at that time.

On my way to Manitoba, I wanted to stop at the International Peace Garden but my GPS had me cross the border at the wrong crossing - easiest border crossing I have ever had! - but then I had to cross down into North Dakota again to get into the Garden.  It is a lovely park and I ended up spending the night.  Although it was not yet in full bloom, it was still lovely.  It takes crews of dozens, both Canadian and American, to plant and maintain the gardens.

The Garden is located in the geographical center of North America.  It is supported by both Federal Governments and donations/admission.  Since 1932 it has served as a living monument to the ideals of friendship and cooperation among nations and an example to the world.

There were swarms of dragonflies; I did not realize they were so large, or these were just big ones, but they were cool to watch.  I wish I could have gotten some pictures as there were kazillions.

Western Development Museum

There are four branches of these in SK; Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Saskatoon, and Yorkton.  The docent at one explained to me that when they put out the “call” for items, they received so many that they decided on having four.

The Moose Jaw branch opened in 1976.  The “theme” of this branch is the History of Transportation, with major galleries reflecting the development of air, land, water and rail transportation in the west. It was actually more interesting than I thought it was going to be.

The day I stopped for a tour was the day of the Shriners Annual Childrens' Festival.  In talking to some of the Shriners I learned (yes, they still do drive the tiny cars) and that they don't do the circus anymore because it involved too much of a monetary outlay for the parents, so they do this event now and it is entirely free.  Even the admission to the Museum was free that day.

First time I've actually seen this sign

 

North Battleford’s theme is the Heritage Farm & Village and the exhibit experience is of the 1920s farm and village life.

From 10,000 farmers in 1900, Saskatchewan grew to some 250,000 farmsteads by 1914.  At first, the farms were small, often only a 160-acre homestead, and basically self-sufficient.  As development continued and villages were built along the rail lines, farmers developed an intimate relationship with their nearest village.  The farmers supplied the villagers with fresh produce and the village supplied the farms with manufactured goods and repair necessities.

Saskatoon is a 1910 Boomtown; a representation of a typical Saskatchewan town.  I think this was my favorite because you “followed” the Worthy family, watched and listened as the first Mrs. Worthy takes you from their trip from Scotland, starting with the train trip across Canada, to their first farm and sod house to the Century Farm Family Award, reflecting on her family’s over 100 years of experiences.  It was pretty interesting.

I did not realize that Canola Oil was invented in  Saskatchewan and that the name "Canola" is Canada Oil.

The Yorkton branch is the Story of People, chronicling the stories of immigrants.  There are exhibits including Ukranian, British, American and German immigrants.