The Midwest

Everything is big in Alberta

You can't actually see them in this photo, but way off on the horizon stand dozens of huge wind turbines. Unbeknownst to me, Alberta has developed many large wind farms that stretch for kilometers along highway 3. Kind of puts the lone windmill on the Toronto waterfront to shame.

My second stealth campsite in Alberta. Finding stealth sites in eastern Alberta is always a challenge, given the complete lack of trees and endless barb wire fence. Not such an issue if one were travelling by foot, but it makes for difficult movement when hauling a 100lb bicycle. This site turned out to be quite good as the farm equipment blocked me from a secondary road and it was well removed from highway 3.


The bar tender and myself outside "The Boars Nest" in Seven Persons, Alberta. Seven Persons is a tiny little town just west of Medicine Hat. From my brief observations, I could see only two businesses in operation there: Premium Sausage (A sausauge emporium) and The Boars Nest (Local watering hole and the only ATM in town). I was starving by the time I reached Seven Persons, and as much as I love all sausage lunches, I opted to dine at the nest. Once inside I was greeted by Gord (loyal nest patron), the owner and bartender. These three helped turn what was up until that point an abysmal day, into one of my most memorable. Good food and beer—which Gord graciously bought for me—along with good conversation put me in high spirits all the way to "The Hat." If you ever find yourself in Seven Persons, I highly recommend The Boars Nest bar and grill.


Not as big as Alberta's.

Contrary to popular belief, Saskatchewan is NOT flat. The only land I crossed that seemed truly flat was in Eastern Alberta. All of saskatchewan—at least the portion along the Trans Canada—is gently rolling hills.




My campsite in MacGregor, Manitoba. This was a campsite owned and operated by the local legion. It was only $10 and it had free fire wood, washrooms and showers. A far cry from the $28 campsites with pay per use showers here in Ontario. MacGregor was a lovely little town that seemed immaculate in it's cleanliness and order. I got the impression that the residents really cared for both their private, and communal property. Also, a nice woman came by my tent around dusk and gave me a bag full of homemade cookies. SCORE! Here's how I looked post-cookies: