Minnedosa to Portage la Prairie

We met Chris and Tim in Craik. They were travelling from Halifax to Vancouver, where they live. Their mission was to raise funds for Ronald McDonald House which is affiliated with the Delta Chain of hotels. Where possible they stayed in these hotels but this night they camped in our campground. They couldn't believe how early we go to get going, even though we only had 130k to ride.
Ray on the far right was generous in treating us to the cinnamon buns. His wife Deb had made our dinner
in Regina. Enjoying the treat are Sylie, closest to the camera, Juanita on her left, then Terry from Vancouver Island.
This looks like a painting. It was a very quaint spot, fair trade coffee, everything made from scratch and very delicious.


The ride today was exceptional for a couple of reasons. We had the sun and the wind on our back for most of the day. It was one of those days that you are not constantly looking at the odometer to see how much farther you have to go. We found the landscape in Manitoba was what we had thought the prairies was all about. Flat, flat, flat. I relished the opportunity to ride in my bring ring. Miles and miles of canola fields. We were in Portage at 2:15, where I got a much needed haircut while Terri and Edith scouted out the nearby bike shop. We ended the trip with an ice cream cone at Dairy Queen.

At the 33 km of the ride today we were treated to those cinnamon buns promised the night before. Ray from my galley crew knows the owner and just works down the street in Neepawa as the school superintendent. The family moved their business from Winnipeg to Neepawa. It was the prettiest little town we had seen thus far. It is known as the Lily capital of the world and is home to author Margaret Laurence. Also Terri's brother-in-law Harold was born in Neepawa and raised in Minnedosa, where we had stayed the night before.
I had stopped a lady on the corner to ask where the nearest mailbox was and she offered to take my postcards and mail them.

It was also just outside the town of Neepawa that a husband and wife team had a spill. They were riding in close enough proximity to each other that when he went down, she rode over top of him and also went off her bike. He was dazed but still able to ride after he was checked out by the doctor. His helmet was cracked in four places. She injured her shoulder, needed meds and a sling and was not able to ride. She took a bus out of town the next morning and was to stay with family until the group got to Kenora. She would then decide if she was able to continue the ride. Anything can happen in a split second.

We are enjoying a nice evening near crescent lake in the fairgrounds at Portage. We have been spoiled the last few days with the wind on our back and good weather. We know to enjoy it for there will be times we won;t be so lucky.