Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

 

by Pa Rock

Road Warrior

My goal today was to reach Saskatoon, which was to have been the furthest point north on the trip, and I left Brandon, Manitoba, this morning with that goal in my tired old head.  But a few miles down the road I began to realize how road-weary I am, and I changed plans.  Instead of heading north to Saskatoon when I reached Regina, I opted to stay on Canada 1, and visit Moose Jaw, which had always been my back-up plan anyway.  Aside from just being tired of driving, I am also beginning to really miss Rosie, and this change of plans should shorten my trip by a day.  We'll see how that works out.

The time moved back an hour when I crossed into Saskatchewan, so I wound up getting to Moose Jaw before noon.  I've already explored the town, kinda-sorta, and unpacked into a pricey room at the Best Western.  Last night I opted to stay on-the-cheap in Brandon, Manitoba, and rented a room at Motel 6, a place which comes highly recommended by Tom Bodett.  I have stayed at Motel 6 before, though never in Brandon, and knew what I was getting into - so shame on me.  The shower worked, and that was about the only positive that I noted.  The television didn't work, neither did the clock radio, the breakfast bar was sad, and the noise from rowdy guests never stopped.  Tonight I am paying a third more for twice the peace and comfort.  Tom, as far as I'm concerned, you can turn the light off.

I stopped at a Tim Horton's for a breakfast snack this morning, since Motel 6 didn't meet my minimal standards for the first meal of the day.  Today was my first time at a Tim Horton's, and it was a good experience.  Canada uses paper drink straws, which I like.  Also, when I pulled into a "Neighbor's" quick stop for gas, a very nice Native American young man rushed out and filled my tank.  He washed my windshield while the tank was filling.  I did that same line of work when I was around sixteen, and I remember it as being an interesting and generally good work experience.

And speaking of work experience, two nights ago I had dinner at a chain restaurant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  It was a fairly busy establishment with one person working in the kitchen, one person serving the dining customers, and a child running the cash register who could not have been more that twelve-years-old.  I know that several rural and backward state legislatures are lowering age work requirements to bring children into the workforce, and I suspect that kid may have been working legally.  I had to help him in counting my change.  Children are being pushed out of schools and into jobs to help employers make more money as they screw the kids' parents out of living wages.  It is blatantly unethical and immoral.

The weather was very nice this morning, but about an hour before I reached Moose Jaw the rains started again.  Fortunately there was nothing as torrential as what I have experienced the past two days.

Tomorrow I am headed to Medicine Hat, Alberta, and from there will begin drifting south or southwest into the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park area on the Canada-US border - perhaps that far, perhaps farther.  It depends on which way the wind is blowing.

Time for a nap!