7/19/17 Completing the Continent

July 21, 2017

We put the last piece in the puzzle today!

Riding into Saskatchewan was a benchmark because now Jules and I have ridden every province in Canada on two wheels! Still on the Yellowhead, we continued west. As we crossed the provincial border, the sky became hazy and what we feared to be smoke drifting all the way east from the British Columbia forest fires was proven to be true. Any time we stop, the fires are the topic of conversation as stories of evacuation and loss are borne along with the smoke. High winds and dry conditions continue to fuel the flames and as of now, many of the roads we wished to ride are closed. It is ironic that last year, when we rode BC, it rained every day and much of the beauty of the mountains and glaciers was denied to us. Now we, along with most of Canada, are longing for the return of those misty, drizzly days.

Flowering fields of canola again covered thousands of acres along the road and as far into the horizon as we could see. A quick lesson on the crop was taught to us by a gas station acquaintance. Canola is the only "Made in Canada" crop having been developed in the '70's by Canadian researchers. It is Canada's main crop and worldwide demand is great for the healthy oil-seed that produces cooking oil, meal and bio-fuel. And we have been so fortunate to be here when it is blooming, because it is absolutely, brilliantly stunning.

Onion domed churches cropped up between the canola fields , and I had the distinct impression that there was a settler story involved here. A strong Ukrainian influence permeated our ride today. And then we found Sheho. Looking for a lunch spot, we turned off the main road and stumbled into this settlement, population 120, complete with a prairie chicken monument and a picnic table. Planted in the middle of the plains, the village sports a hotel complete with a "beverage room", a general store selling Ukrainian kielbasa, and a town hall of sorts. An old dust covered Bronco circled the town continuously and its driver waved every time he went by. We loved this little town and our brief stay here.

Diving back into the canola, we covered the rest of our day's miles in great spirits. Saskatoon, the capital, dampened them slightly with roads choked by traffic. But we found solace in our resting spot for the night and all the great highway that we covered.

As of today we have completed the the Great White North! Having ridden in Mexico, every state in the US and now every province in Canada, you might wonder what is left. Not to worry, there are always new roads, new towns and new continents awaiting! For now, the book remains open and the possibilities are endless. So let's ride on!