Time: two hours and 15 minutes (includes one 5-minute break)
Kilometres: 270.3
Weather:
Kenora: Sunny, warm, 28 C at 10AM
Winnipeg: Sunny, hot, 38 C at 1:30 PM
Well, I beat the storm. In fact, I’ve been in the city for about two hours and the clouds are just starting to roll in.
I pulled out of Kenora around 10:15. I followed the T’Can (hwy 17) through town where I came to a real roundabout. The sign was just like the ones I’d seen in England. I’ve only found one roundabout in Toronto and thankfully it is not a busy intersection as there are no signs telling drivers how to use it properly. If you’re looking for that roundabout it is on Windermere north of The Queensway. Anyway, I knew proper roundabout etiquette (thanks, Doreen) but I was the only one on the road so know one saw the proper signalling and lane changing.
The ride through the remainder of Ontario was the same as the day before: a few hills and lots of forest. The road wasn’t very twisty, but it was interesting enough.
I quickly came to the Ontario-Manitoba border. Ontario had a tourist information kiosk for those entering the province. The “Welcome to Manitoba” was upon me very quickly. In fact, I didn’t even have enough time to pull over for a photo-op – especially as I had a car right behind who would not have appreciated my quick braking and pulling over.
Just inside the provincial border is a Manitoba info centre. (Here’s a pic of the sign.) My main reason for pulling into to was to push my luggage back onto the seat. It had slowly been tilting over as I road and I was afraid that if I leaned too far over it would be hanging on only by the python lock. I also made some Kool-Aid from the singles packages but quickly discovered that it leaves a very chemical aftertaste. I’ll stick the make-at-home version and not the singles.
It took awhile for the trees to slowing change from the normal jack pine, cedar, evergreens, and birch. It’s not that the species change, although I think I saw some poplar trees, the height and abundance slowly did. Ninety-four kilometres into the province, the forest disappeared into cropland. For most of the 94 km the road was nearly perfectly straight, two lanes in both directions, and divided by enough trees that I couldn’t see the opposing traffic. I guess the trees really help stop the drifting and blowing snow in the winter.
The posted speed limit is 100 km, but even though I was doing between 110 and 115, I was still one of the slowest vehicles on the road. I had a fire truck behind me most of the way and it would have run me over if I’d gone any slower.
Just passed the turnoff to Steinbach, construction forced the traffic to slow down to 60. I didn’t mind as I got a good look at the farming and the landscape. I really think that the Prairies have been given a bad reputation because of the straight roads and featureless views. The roads are straight because there are no natural features to force engineers to build around them. The rocks of the Canadian Shield are gone. I think, however, that there would be more trees, but the land has been cleared for farming. The sudden disappearance of trees did not seem natural. One second I was surrounded by tress and then next second they were all in my rear view mirror.
While I slowed for the construction area (it was about 25 km of roadwork), I looked over the landscape and I saw clumps of forest in the middle of farmland.
The weather was now getting a little hot – even for me. Again I was wearing the cooling bandana and my Gore-Tex, but as I was only doing about 60 km, I didn’t need the Gore-Tex and quickly began to overheat. To top it off, it was impossible for me to pull over as it one lane of traffic in both directions and no shoulders. I just had to literally sweat it out.
As I neared the end of the construction zone, I turned on my GPS. Before leaving the hotel in morning I had programmed it to find the quickest route to the hotel in Winnipeg. I didn’t need it to get out of Kenora, as the all I had to do was stay on the T’Can. The GPS did its job perfectly. I rode through the hotel’s parking lot at just after 12:30. I had time to kill as check in isn’t until 3PM. I pulled over and again adjusted the luggage and headed north along Main Street.
First I crossed over the Red River and the over the Assiniboine River. I was in the heart of The Peg. To my right I saw an almost familiar building. It was Union Station. It looks like a smaller version of the one in Toronto. I’d guess that it’s about half the length, but it is constructed in the same style – with the columns and the clock and the windows.
I was stopped at the lights and Portage and Main. My thermometer registered and warm 38 C. On the southeast corner is the Bank of Montreal. Again, it is constructed with the imposing Greek columns. On the southwest corner is a modern looking Scotiabank. Somewhere in my travels through downtown, I saw a hotel that looked similar to the Laurier in Ottawa, but again a smaller version.
I found a gas station, and filled up for $7.75. I couldn’t believe how cheap gas is compared to northern Ontario. Some places in Ontario gas was as high as $1.14/l, but usually around $1.07/l. In Winnipeg all the stations are at .93/l. I was now in the north end of the city. During my short trip through the city I had been keeping my eyes open for a place to do my laundry and also for a tattoo shop so someone could put my earring back in (I think I also have an infected one, so no earphone and iPod today). I found a place for laundry, but I think I must be in the “wrong part of town.” It had bars on the windows. I also fond a tattoo shop, but it was closed.
I turned back towards the hotel as I had passed a Tim Hortons near it. It was lunchtime. After lunch, I checked into the hotel. Again, my luggage had started to lean off the bike. To top it off, I found that one of my python locks didn’t lock anymore. Well, it comes with a three-year guarantee, but tell that to Canadian Tire (no receipt, then no return or exchange).
I pulled everything off the bike and checked into my poolside room. Well, it sounded like a good idea when I booked the room, but it is a bit noisy. Thankfully I have plenty of earplugs with me. (Here’s a pic of the pool. I just walk out the door and I can go for a swim. Perfect!)
I am currently into chocolate brownies and Australian red wine (a wonderful combination) for a snack. I’ve already done a few laps in the pool and will head into the hot tub shortly. After that, I have some problem solving to do. How do I fix my luggage problem? Tomorrow will be my best change of finding things to either stabilize the luggage or replace the damn thing.
