Great Plains Tour by the Numbers

We finished out our Great Plains tour with a return stop in Winnipeg. We played a great scrabble like card game called Quiddler with Ashley’s family, with son Kyle nudging out Ashley`s dad Rick to win. It was great family fun. Thank you Kyle and Ashley for hosting us at this joyous time. We look forward to meeting Baby Morgan soon. All our love!

By the numbers our Great Plains tour:

• 21 days, 10 in the U.S, 11 in Canada
• Ottawa to Winnipeg return by air
• 6025 kms of driving in a rental car
• 5 states: North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana
• 3 provinces: Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta
• 18 sunny days, 2 rain and 1 dusting of snow
• stayed in 5 Best Westerns, 1 park lodge, 2 other motels, 1 prayer house
• 3 family stays, 2 friend stays/visits
• best attraction Old Faithful
• best wildlife – buffalo in Yellowstone Park
• weight gain – won’t say
• best little town – Cody, WY
• best Canadian experience – Saskatoon
• best all round place – Winnipeg
• most peaceful stay – Qu’Appelle River Valley, SK

A few highlight pics follow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why did we call this the Great Plains tour rather than the Prairies tour?  Because of a remarkable little book by Walter Prescott Webb.  Written in 1931, it tells the interaction of people with the vast central plains of America and into Canada, starting with the Plains Indians, then the Spanish/Mexicans and finally the Americans.  Overcoming relentless geography, the lack of water and very little wood took much technological ingenuity and trial and error in order for colonization to proceed.   The horse was indeed the sacred animal of the west that enabled the progress to happen.  Highly recommend this book to educate about this fascinating piece of our history.

Thanks again for travelling with us.  It`s good to be home again!

Dave and Marie