To Moose Jaw

As we rode along Hwy 2 today, we were passed by about 200 motorcycles as they returned home from a weekend event near Assiniboia. The banner across main street in Moose Jaw advertises the next motorcycle event.
A 25-foot tall welcome to Moose Jaw from the visitor center near Hwy 1 - the TransCanada Highway.

Moose Jaw is home to the Snowbirds (like the Blue Angels flying team in the USA).

Ever since Dick saw a Tim Horton's cup discarded along the road in Montana, he's been on the lookout for his favorite coffee place. He was certain that Tim had expanded into Montana, but not in the little towns we rode through. A little Internet research told us that the first opportunity would be in Moose Jaw. The excitement was palpable, we stopped to ask where (oh, where) the nearest Tim Horton's was. Dick was almost giddy as he ordered coffee and muffins. In addition to coffee, Tim also sells a wide variety of excellent doughnuts, muffins, bagels, and sandwiches - there's so much traffic going through that their baked goods are always fresh.

Dick's second favorite store was nearby. This is the best place to buy the white gas (Coleman) fuel we need for our little stove because you can buy little bottles. Coleman fuel is generally available but comes in a gallon container which means we give away or donate 3/4 of the quantity after filling our little fuel bottle.

Just a half block away was Dick's third favorite store, Sobey's grocery store. We learned to love shopping at Sobey's stores when we were in Nova Scotia.

Tonight we had Warmshowers hosts with a bonus - there were two other bicycle tourists staying the night also. Rose is from London England, a seamstress and designer of period theater costumes. She started out traveling alone (brave girl!). Her goal is to ride from Yellow Knife, almost the northernmost city in North America, to the southernmost city in South America which is in Argentina. She met Ray in Jasper Alberta and they been riding together for a few weeks. Ray is a retired nuclear chemical engineer from New Brunswick who is working on his "bucket list." The part of me who is a protective mother is so glad Rose and Ray are a touring team, although Ray's ending city is somewhere in Ontario Canada. Our hope for Rose is that she will let us be her Warmshowers host in Guaymas Mexico next November as she is riding south. We will host her on our boat and will not let her pitch her tent on the deck. We will also do our best to keep the mosquitos at bay. Currently she has 37 mosquito bites - yes, she counted them - which are driving her crazy.

A great big thank you to Bev, Jim, and Aaron for their generous Warmshowers hospitality. They made us a wonderful dinner and provided excellent company. Jim completed the Boston Marathon last year in less than 4 hours and hopes to ride cross-country with Aaron after Aaron graduates from high school, 6 years from now.

Another great day on the road.

Miles completed = 1418