We may never pass this way again

Life
So they say
Is but a game and they’d let it slip away
Love
Like the autumn sun
Should be dyin’
But it’s only just begun
_{Seals & Crofts 1973}

We had a restful sleep, woke early and broke the fast after a fresh cup of coffee. After a brief stop at the Flying J to refuel and empty the sani system, we were on the road by 830am.

The traffic into and out of Saskatoon was heavy but nothing like Vancouver or Kelowna. Our day was uneventful and the scenery much like everywhere else in Saskatchewan, except the air was a bit smokey. Traffic was light and the roads smooth until we reached Yorkton. It was there we turned east on Highway 10 toward Dauphin Manitoba.

Why Dauphin? Well, my grandmother on my mother’s side, Bessie Adelaide Dunfield was born in Dauphin in 1901. Her parents and her older siblings moved to Dauphin from Montreal sometime between 1899 and 1900, then they all left Dauphin sometime between 1901 and 1904, and moved to Delia Alberta. Apart from a brief stint working in Hollywood California, Grandma lived in Alberta until she met my grandfather Forrest while boarding at the home of Mr and Mrs White in Calgary. Grandpa was previously married to the White’s daughter Marion but sadly she died of cancer after Grandpa returned from fighting in WWI in 1918. Grandpa was visiting his in-laws and they thought Grandma would be the perfect match for this widower. The rest is as they say history.

In 2010, my sister Pauline and I did a road trip to Delia (well actually we stayed in Drumheller) with my Mom and Aunt Hattie Webber. We went to the museum and found as much information as we could about Grandma and her family. Pauline wanted to see the family home, an Eaton’s Catalogue home. Yes, back then you could purchase a detailed house plan and all the supplies (including windows and doors) from Eatons. If any of you are interested, you can learn more at https://share.google/sww7W1iI1iZAg9K9G. The home was still standing but not in its original spot. A family had purchased the old home and moved it to a farm somewhere north of Delia. Some locals told us where they thought it had been moved to, so we drove for miles looking for the house. Sadly we never found it but the trip was absolutely precious. It was the last one I took with Mom before she died.

So, when we decided to drive across Canada, I asked Connie if she’d mind us doing a detour to visit the city where my grandmother was born. She agreed and today, here we are. We won’t do it this trip but one day, Connie would like to visit Swan River where her grandparents on her dad’s side raised their family.

I think an apt name for the stretch of road between Yorkton and the Manitoba border would be the forgotten highway. While paved it was one of the roughest stretches of highway I’ve been on in recent years. I had no choice to drop 20 kilometres below the speed limit and we still bounced around the entire way. Amazingly, when we reached Manitoba the road was smooth as silk.

I was amazed how quickly the landscape and vegetation changed when we reached Manitoba. It seemed almost sudden there was more water, and forests of fir, spruce and deciduous trees.

Interestingly, so far gas is the least expensive in Manitoba. I paid $1.25 per litre this afternoon. A full 10 cents cheaper than Alberta.

We arrived at Vermillion Campground about 4pm and set up. There are only 4 or 5 RVs camped here tonight. There is a 2km walkway in the park that is lit 365 days per year. After dinner we went for a walk around the pathway and then through the downtown.

The park is quite lovely but the downtown of Dauphin is like many interior and northern Canadian towns, fraught with social issues. Frankly I find it sad. I am full of opinions as to why things are the way they are, and what could be done to improve them but with age comes wisdom and I mostly keep my opinions to myself.

Perhaps it’s me. I find the older I get, I’m looking back at what was and wishing it still is. Alas, it can never be. The past is gone and the future, well it’s not mine and if you are of my generation it’s not yours either. It belongs to our children and grandchildren.

Until next time, thanks for reading!