Epic Cross Country Journey, Part 2 (which is really part 5)

The fact that I'm sitting on a picnic table in the woods, Steve's cell phone tethered to his laptop, and I'm blogging, kind of thrills me to no end. It's hippie camper girl meets modern mom and the result?

Genius.

My hippie self is justifying blogging in the woods with the fact that there is a burn ban in effect and we can't light a campfire. So what the heck else are we supposed to do? I can't read a book (my iPad is charging...bwahaha! The fact that I didn't bring a book made out of PAPER kind of FREAKS me out, but heh, get with the times I suppose. My paperbacks don't glow at night, so there.)

We're parked at a park (ha) just east Winnipeg. We drove the pants off of yesterday to get here, just so we could park ourselves for two whole nights, without having to perform the (now) finely tuned ballet we call "Set up Camp."

It's similar to it's sequel: "Tear down Camp." (It's less finely tuned, it's been different every day.)

The only place we have to go tomorrow is for lunch at the Forks (hardship, I know.) Then a meeting at the Forks. (A bit of work mixed in here and there...that's what I get for planning a tour and then volunteering to drive the work vehicle to Vancouver to start said tour, thus traveling the exact tour route, only in reverse.) And then for dinner with some old friends.

We needed this little travel break, Griffin is doing well but Corbie is having a bit of a rough time...I keep saying that I think it's teeth, but I don't really think it's teeth, I think he may have the beginnings of an ear infection, and I think I'm going to have to take the little monkey to the walk in clinic tomorrow. Luckily we're in a good place for it - a major city with friends who have kids in it.

I haven't dragged the photo's off the camera for today just yet (blogging is one thing, but busting out cameras and card readers and uploading, that's a bit much, obviously.)

(Snicker snicker.)

Anyway, I was saying, the terrain we drove today was incredible. We finally made it out of Ontario after 1881 kilometers. Eff. That's about half the trip! But the change from "Canadian Shield" to "Prairies" is in-stan-freaking-tanious. Mountains. Flat.

Bang.

So, hello, Prairies. This is the only part of the western half of the Trans Can that I haven't driven through, and I'm kind of excited about it. Plus, it's fast. Two days, in and out if you wanted to. We're staying 5 - 2 days here, 2 days in Saskatoon with Steve's family, and one in between.

Then Drumellheller (DINOSAURS!), Red Deer (Uncle Ben!), Golden, Kamloops, and Vancouver. Then Ferry. Then Island. Then 6 days on the Island, with Steve's parents (for their 50th anniversary, the whole catalyst to this trip,) and his sister and brother in law.

Amazing.

It's been most excellent so far, it's true. We're doing something many people only dream of doing, and we are fully aware of the scope of it's awesomeness. We're trying to document, and remember, and share, but mostly, to enjoy.

And enjoying we are!

Drive on, driver!