496 mile day FLAT COUNTRY

Headed west then south in Manitoba stopping every hour to clean bugs off the face shield. Stopped at the International Peace Garden as I crossed into North Dakota. Heralds the longest undefended border in the world.

Then into North Dakota with dinner in Battineau. Then back into Manitoba and west into Saskatchewan. The Southern Souris has flooded and in places the road is only a few inches above the water.

I'm staying the night in Estevan - Saskatchewan's oil patch. Missed a good picture of flooding with reeds growing surrounded by fields of bright yellow canola, with an oil pump with gas flaring in the background.

Did get a couple of flooded farm fields and an extremely backlit welcome to Saskatchewan sign.

13,016 On the road again

2,155 miles in the rear view. Breakfast at Timmy's. Changed the oil. Heading west then south. Jog around Winnipeg and collected a lot of bugs on the face shield. Flat enough so, to quote Bruce Williams, "You could stand on a tuna can and watch your dog run away for three days."

Kenora, ON Husky the Muskie, Rushin River and a bear

Got the full tour and a warm bed. Photos are of Husky the Muskie (continuing big things) and the Rushin River. No picture (not fast enough) of the bear looking in the Williams' window before getting into the neighbor's garbage. First time I had a bear admire my dinner.

Halfway?

Arrived at the home of Bruce & Helen Williams. The photo is the view from the living room window looking down the length of Longbow Lake. I'll be here for a day or two as halftime.

Wake up calls

After hanging with some guys "working on the pipeline" and finishing my laundry, I went to sleep.

Woke up around 4:00 to a moon so bright there were no visible stars. Woke up again at 6:40 to a beeping alarm that continued until 7:10. Decided I might as well get up and hit the road. It's a flannel shirt, heavy gloves and dickey morning with rain in the forecast. Not that far to go today, so maybe I'll beat the rain.

Tenting tonight in Ignace and forgot what I knew

30% chance of less than 1 mm of rain. Set up tent in nice sheltered grove without checking prevailing wind. Put gear in tent and rode to laundry where nice guy gave me soap. Half hour to kill before dryer - so where's the pie in this town?

Black clouds stacking up. Rain gear back in tent. Quick town tour seems harmless before heading to tent.

Then comes thunder, rain (< 1 mm) and HAIL. Forgot about thunder with hail.

Scurry to campground following VERY slow car. Open tent and fall in backwards to remove boots. Rain into tent. And unlike Ford Prefect, I don't have a towel.

Rain stops. Leathers wet. Time to put clothes in dryer.

Yet another waterfall - Kakabeka Falls

River very high. No viewing point that shows the entire falls. Pretty impressive. The reddish tone is only seen at high water when it picks up a lot of iron oxide just above the falls.