We are back from our wonderful road trip across the Canadian Prairies in our brand-new EV. Such an education and reassurance for all things Electric Vehicle, as in full electric! The car went very well, and charging was no problem.
Living in Alberta, when it comes to contemplating a trip, we have two wonderful east-west perspectives. (Heading north is a whole other kettle of fish, and not many of us are heading south over the border these days.) We can turn left, that is west, and soon you are in the Rocky Mountains, Banff, Jasper and other mountain beauty spots. And keep west you cross the interior of British Columbia, with further mountain ranges, lakes, vineyards and summer heat. You are rewarded with the Pacific Coast, maybe Vancouver and a delightful ferry ride over to the ‘island’, meaning Vancouver Island.
Over the years, we have often done this, but I also like to turn right, which means east and into the Prairies. This is the direction we took this June and drove across Saskatchewan and much of Manitoba to Winnipeg, our final destination. We visited many points in between.
I am enchanted by the Prairies with the great big expanses and a sparse population. The people you meet are welcoming in the most relaxed, no-fuss way and treat you as community. Sitting at a Tim Hortons in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, one evening, having supper as the car charged, I felt this evening community vibe. Greetings and chats, and when our neighbour table caught on that I was eavesdropping, sorry, as I do, they just twinkled at me and smiled.
On the way east, we took the Yellowhead Highway. This more northern route has a rolling landscape. The fields are amazing, and as you work further south, the horizon over the fields is as far as you can see, like an ocean horizon. The farm houses and outbuildings are surrounded by windbreaks of lilac bushes and tall trees that also provide shade and beauty. But in this expanse, my sense of proportion gets skewed. Is that a great city landscape over there? Those pointed rooftops, shining in the sun, like wonderful architecture. Well, they were wonderful, they were aluminum grain silos, all in a row, shimmering in the middle distance!
The population of Saskatchewan is just over one and a quarter million. That’s the whole province. It has two major cities, many small towns and villages, and scattered farm houses. That is not very many folk, but they are resourceful and have resources: agriculture, potash, uranium, critical minerals and a premier who is trotting around the world making trade deals beyond North America. And there are artists and authors, oh, many authors, such as Gail Bowen who we have recently lost.
When I am travelling, I play the imagination game of ‘if I lived here, how would it be?’ Well, it was a wonderful road trip across the Canadian Prairies, and it was June, which is a perfect time of the year. I do love Canadian winters. Would I love Saskatchewan year-round? Well, they have lakes and X-country skiing. With the Alberta separatist movement huffing and puffing much hot air and the referendum in October, I am keeping my heart and eyes open for other places if I have to stir my stumps and move elsewhere.