Day 42. My Sabbath was especially pleasant because there was a small congregation in Steinbach. I was able to attend church with them. Not surprisingly, they were wonderful to be with and welcomed me with open arms. One of the members had served as a missionary in Pueblo about two decades ago, so it was especially fun to visit with him.
Day 43. Steinbach to Warroad. 89 miles. TTD 2773 miles. 1700 feet elevation. Weather perfect with a little rain.
If this isn’t an example of rural Manitoba, I don’t know what is. The motel I was staying at had a lounge/bar. The Martian Lander, like the one that tried to kill me the other day, was parked in the parking lot. Later, I noticed a man come out of the lounge and climb up into it to drive home. Talk about a disaster if he was under the influence. Crazy world.
Expecting rain, per the forecast, the day started nicely with overcast skies and no wind. Even better, I had a riding companion, and it wasn’t buzzing. Bruce, my nephew, was able to take a couple of hours off work. He rode along with me and was wonderful company. Bruce is one of the nicest and most interesting people I know. He even helped me with goal numbers one and three today, just being a good guy. He noticed a car stalled on a side street we passed and suggested we ride back and see if we could help. I hadn’t noticed it, likely because I was doing all I could just to keep up with Bruce. In any case, the man was smiling at our offer but had already made other arrangements for help. We peddled onto Marshant. Before Bruce turned around, he provided me with some good energy bars and then turned back to Steinbach while I headed on to minnesota.
As you probably know, in Canada, everything is written in English and French. In a few weeks, I’ll be in French Canada, Quebec, and I’ll likely be asking people habla Espanol. What I find funny about this sign, and French, is that it’s like the saying of my friend Joe: “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.” The French interpretation of the Rat River looks fancy, but it’s still the Rat River.
It sure is nice when lunchtime rolls around, and there’s a place to have lunch. This was a lovely picnic table and roadside pavilion. If I can just give these old legs a few minutes above my heart, midday, along with some lunch and maybe some drugs, it makes the rest of the day much more enjoyable. Plus, I think I heard somewhere that people over 65 are supposed to nap each day. I’ve even rested in the dirt just off the side of the road. I’m surprised the kind Canadians haven’t called 911 on me.
Yes, I rode back into the United States today. The border crossing was uneventful as it was obvious I wasn’t carrying much and my clothing looked like I couldn’t afford much. Although the US is an amazing country, I don’t have the gushing praise that so many seem to have after returning from foreign countries. I know that Trump doesn’t realize Canada is foreign, but I think the rest of us know it’s not the 51st state. I know I’ve been in Canada in the summer, giving me a somewhat jaded perspective, but there are some other wonderful facts about Canada. For example, in 2025, the “Freedom Score,” for Canada, was 97 out of a 100 ranking number five in the world. The good old US scored 84.
Tomorrow it’s on through Minnesota. Hopefully, the many lakes haven’t provided the same breeding ground as the lakes in the provincial parks of Manitoba, but I’m a little nervous 🙂
Grumpy Grandpa's Great Bicycling Adventures 