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| Regina Sunset |
Heads or tails, a decision needed to be made. Cyclists say the Trans Canada Highway through Manitoba has a dodgy shoulder. As a cyclist, you ride the white line like a rail. Screw it up, and your bike joins traffic or crashes onto the loose gravel shoulder. Either way, the outcomes could be nasty. Approaching Manitoba, I had reached the junction with Highway 10. Highway 10 swings up north before hitting Highway 15. Follow Highway 15 and you hit the Yellowhead Highway. It's a longer route, but passes through some interesting towns. Checking over my left shoulder, I didn't see any traffic. In a split second decision, I decided to say bye to Highway 1 and cut across to merge onto Highway 10.
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| Beaver Dam Qu'Appelle Valley |
Initially, I regretted the decision. The shoulder on Highway 10 is rough, really rough. Pothole after pothole jarred my bike. I could only hope this didn't last too long. Nearing Fort Qu'Appelle, the road improved. With a true tailwind at my back, I sailed past the wetlands and beaver dams. Hundreds of years ago, this was fur trade country and the Hudsons Bay Company played a large role in influencing the development of this area. A steep descent into a valley and I was at Fort Qu'Appelle, my first stop of the day.
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| Fort Qu'Appelle |
Fort Qu'appelle was built by the Hudson Bay Company in 1864 at a confluence of prairie trails. This fort played was an important center for the fur trade industry. Also of importance was the manufacturing and trade of Pemican. Pemican was made from buffalo meat and prairie berries. It was an important food source for traders and travelers in their long journey across the prairies. Later, the Hudson Bay Company would build a store at the fort marking for the first time in its history the transition from a trading company into a retailer. Today, Fort Qu'Appelle retains its historical role as a transportation hub. Just like the old prairie trails, several highways intersect each other at this junction.
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| Flooded Fields Entering Melville |
Climbing out of Fort Qu'Appelle, I continued on toward Melville. The trip was quick, tailwinds made it effortless. Melville is one of only 2 railway towns in the West. Originally, it served as a divisional center for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. The town was named after Charles Melville, the president of the railway. Charles Melville would later perish on the Titanic. Today it's key geographical location makes Melville an important center for transportation of commodities, specifically potash. It is a thriving community with a full range of services. Tonight, I camped in a park near the swimming pool. While there's no internet, I was able to use the showers at the pool free of charge. The campground was closed and no one could find the number of the person who opens it. Like most small towns, everyone here is extremely friendly. Even the RCMP doesn't mind me squatting in the public park... they suggested it!
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| Looking Back at Fort Qu'Appelle |
Distance: 149km
Average Speed: 24.5km/h
Maximum Speed: 45.8km/h
Time: 6:05
Odometer: 2035km
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