Winnipeg and flood plains

We got to visit old friends and new in the Winnipeg area.  It was great to deliver sand from Nova Scotia to a rock hound named Martin.  The first thing he did was check out the sand.  Then he invited us in, played a little fiddle for us and showed us his collections.

 Martin would not let us leave empty handed

 We saw three snakes (2 dead) where just 4 weeks ago there were thousands.

 Leaving Winnipeg on Friday, we spotted the Thunder Carts and had to stop...

 ....and wait...

 ...and go!

We got to Neepawa

where the White mud River is still flooding.

This site was under water 1 week ago, and we saw 100's of flooded fields today on the way here.

 At Lions Camping in Neepawa you can get a shitszu-beijon cross puppy for $300.  We made it out unpuppied.

 The nicest metal signs we've seen are made in Shoal Lake Manitoba.

 We stopped for burgers in Russel Manitoba and got bogged down.

 The best part of this mud bog was that the trucks could get through the bog easier than they could get back to the parking area.

 On Sunday we went to Batoche, where the Riel rebellion was centered.

 Janna got to play the harmonium

 Jake got to see how to build Red River style.

 This is a metis rifle pit used during the battle

 From Saskatoon it was off to Ponoka where Yvette's little sis and family are living.

 We got to see Linda Seagrave (Hodges) and ride three of their 28 horses.

 We actually got an evening and a morning trail ride with George, and in between we took in the Ponoka Bullarama at the stampede grounds.

 Janna is with cousin Alissa

 This West Ed birthday party is for Justin and Alissa.

 Alissa thought the icecream cake was nice and the gifts were ok....

 but what she really wanted..

 ...was some purple cardboard.

 A little harnessing...

 A little high roping...

 And it's time to say goodbye to Monique and family.

Tomorrow we'll see Tori off as she goes to Costa Rica with my sis and family.  We hope to be at Mt. Robson tomorrow night and then home through Kamloops.

Ottawa revisited

We left the Gaspe Peninsula and headed over to our friends the Massicottes.  We got to help out getting wood into the basement for winter, and it was a treat to do some physical work with more purpose than just to stay in shape.

Monique freaked the kids out with her hitchhiker thumb.

Carl and Lee stay in this Ottawa RV park most of the summer.  The day we pulled in they hosted us for icecream in the evening.  Carl's great grandpa came from Ireland during the potato famines, to Isle D'Orleons and then to the Gaspe.  Carl also grew up there with a jack of all trades dad who was also a cod fisherman.  It was extra neat to hear about this because e were just there learning about the codfish economy of the area.

 We had to do the tour again because Janna and Jake skipped last time.

 From the peace tower we spotted a mazzerati and went down and took a picture.

 We watched the parade of honour by the speaker of the house.  They don't even throw candy.

 We spotted 4 criminals right outside the supreme court, and they got away.

 It was hot.  32 C and muggy in Ottawa today, but a city worker let us get hydrated here.

We got to have supper with the Kennedys and then watch the canucks lose game 4 together.  ( I'm bitter, but not riotous )  Janna stayed overnight with her buddy, and we picked her up the next morning to head for Sudbury.

Sudbury has the second best science center we've seen.  You can even hold African snails and pet porcupines and skunks if you're there at the right time.

You can make your own race car and then race it.

You can nearly be taken out by a bowling ball.......

....among other things.

After a while too many butterflies bug you. 
We drove to The Sioux and then to Thunder Bay with a failing fuel pump.  That meant we climbed some awfully long hills at 30 kph and we stayed in Thunder Bay 3 nights instead of 1.  The next hill proved our problem was solved.
I like places of geographic signifigance

 We made Winnipeg from Thunder Bay and set up at Bird's Hill Park for a few nights.
It's here that we got to witness the final nail in the canuck's coffin.