Notes from the road

Hello Everyone 

I wrote this note last night, holed up in my camper in a field off the highway. 

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I am writing to you from beautiful Chaplin, Saskatchewan. Why, might you ask, am in this megalopolis when I generally prefer rural areas? Coincidentally, it's a question I am currently asking myself. My trusted free camping website led me here, with reports of a nice campground just off the Trans Canada. But it was after dark as I drove in, the outhouses are padlocked shut, and there's not much more than a grain elevator and a collection of bungalows around. Basically, I'm camped in a field in middle of nowhere Saskatchewan. One can never say I have not had my share of adventure. I have a friend from Creston, BC and when I passed through there a few months, I was fully prepared to trash talk her hometown, as friends do. But it turns out that Creston is a really nice place. Beautiful scenery, lots of local fruit, friendly people. I had the same experience with Canmore, Alberta yesterday. I was prepared for a small, rough around the edges kind of place, when in fact it's a great town. Soaring mountains on all sides, they have free RV parking near downtown. Right next, in fact, to an impressive new building housing a library, art gallery, pool, rock climbing gym and community center. Says a lot about a place that that is how they invest their resources. Good for you, Canmore. When I was a kid, I remember first learning that rain clouds could just end. It makes sense of course, but the first time you see it happen, driving in the car and the rain just suddenly stops, is pretty cool. I had something like that happen when I left Canmore. The mountains just end. The most Alberta thing to happen to me so far is watching a guy on horseback cross a four lane highway in front of me. He made it. Lastly, I rolled over 40,000km today. Arthur wasn't too impressed when I told him.  

Wes

Photos 

The first is from a really nice dog park in Regina. For the prairies, it's a cool town. I even saw a dude with a couple of mountain bikes in the back of his pickup. One of which was high end (a Yeti). No idea where he's going to ride that beauty, but he earned my respect. 

The next two are from sunrise at my campsite last night. Might be a boring spot on the map, but damned if they don't have nice sunrises.