Journey Day 9 - Regina to Medicine Hat

A little slow getting going today, another hour change yesterday on top of tired anyway.

Yesterday we noticed trucks working near a railway had a second set of wheels to lower on to the tracks and one was parked near us in the hotel car park this morning.

Retractable Rail Wheels 

Highway Driving

Today was a Highway 1 day; over 300 miles mostly on cruise control at 110 km. A lot of today was more of the same, open wide views and little going on. Though the scenery is the same, it is different charging along at 70 mph on what is effectively a motorway though with A road rules. Though perfectly legal, it isn't safe to pull up on the shoulder and at that speed, by the time you spot a photo you want to take you are way past.

Highway 1 Trans Canadian Highway, Saskatchewan

Basically, not a lot happened that I recall to write; but here goes anyhow.

We did pass 2000 miles today so should be over halfway in mileage.

Prairies

We are now in the Prairie, described in the travel books as a wild remote region. Actually, it may have been open prairie but now it is mostly vast flat farmed fields full of crops which there is little romantic about it; though it is pretty when the sun is out. The 'remoteness' is bit of a fiction in this season; with modern cars, unless you set off with only a quarter tank, there is no issue with getting fuel. I guess winter conditions would be a very different matter.
Morning temperature today started at 17C and stayed below 21 till after lunch.

We had no suitable alternative routes today but broke from Highway 1 at Moose Jaw to have a look around the town which was accredited with buildings which could be used for 1920's Chicago in movies. Actually, there were about three buildings which matched this description but we enjoyed passing the rail freight yards and generally a look around town. We pulled into Safeway (still exists here) and stocked up with sandwiches and a few bits for the journey before returning by the same route to the Highway.

Canadian Pacific Railway freight

Sand Hills
The flat fields began to give way to more varied terrain. Where ground was exposed the under soil was sand and the prairie began to emerge with less crops. The landscape undulated with sand hills; not exposed sand as in dunes but rounded bulges of grass. In the earlier miles the grass seems a good quality and we see more grazing animals, especially around water holes gathered in the dips.

Sand Hills

At one point a huge industrial structure alongside gigantic piles of salts scars the landscape to the North, Potash is a big industry around here. Later, to the South a large shallow lake is surrounded by evaporating salt pans.

Rest Stops

The Trans Canada Highway, since we left the Forested areas in Ontario, does not have rest areas and toilets which is an inconvenience. Several times we saw signs for picnic areas only to find closed sites or no sign of anything. We eventually stopped at a garage and shop but didn't like the scrappy picnic area so crossed over the railway and ventured into the small town behind. We had lunch sat on the tailgate by a park and some houses.

Lunch stop in small community

Back heading toward Alberta the Sand Hills became more sparse with thin grass and stony dips. This area was not supporting any crops or grazing. And so the afternoon passed with sand hills, new areas of pasture and always Highway 1 stretching out ahead.

Prairie Sand Hills

Highway 1 through an unusually hilly section

Alberta Time

Crossing into Alberta we also crossed a timezone going from Central Standard to Mountain Daylight Time; however, as Saskatchewan did not operated daylight saving and Alberta does, there was no change.
Alberta tourist information visited and maps and guides collected and we arrived at Mexican Hat just after 5 pm.

Evening

We walked out to a nearby restaurant as I really didn't want to stare out of the windscreen any more today. It's cold, don't know what temperature but the air-con is off and we have got jeans and jerseys on. On the positive side, we may sleep better tonight without air-con rattling away.

Today's Statistics

Statistics: Miles today: 303; Miles so far: 2242 ; Fuel added so far: 206.6 litres, 45.5 gals; Provinces: Saskatchewan & Alberta; Time Zone: UTC-6 Central Standard Time (CST) to UTC-6 Mountain Daylight Time (MDT)