O.k., so this isn't the first time I've done one of these photo dumps when I'm on the road...
But this is the first time I've done this drive in the dead of winter. And while you may scan them, you may think to yourself....It's not that impressive.
And you are right, from Southern Alberta to Southern Manitoba, is about 1,000 kms of pretty much...Nothing!
But still...There is beauty in the great abyss of the Canadian prairies, or as they are also called...Palliser's Triangle. I kid you not, that's actually a thing!
Here we go...
I began my journey from Red Deer Alberta on Saturday evening. That first night I got to Alberta's 3rd biggest city, Lethbridge. I arrived at night, so I didn't get to see the mountains. But after a good night's sleep, I woke up bright and early and started to head east....
Problem was, it was getting VERY cold and the snow was blowing....More on that later!
It started snowing in Lethbridge but as I got closer to Medicine Hat on Highway 3, things started to clear up. Big blue skies and rolling hills...But overall, it was...Flat lol
As I was east of the Rockies, I was still in the foothills of the mountains, so every now and again there was a hill or two on the flat terrain.
I made it to Saskatchewan which is the province east of Alberta. This was around noon on Sunday. And still, the skies were blue and the driving was pleasant.
I'm now on the Trans-Canada Highway # 1 going east and you can tell when you reach Saskatchewan because of this weather station on top of the hill on the north side of the highway. It's something I always notice on this trip!
Oh by the way, the tempratures are around -20 degrees Celsius now.
The skies maybe blue, but don't let that fool you. And this picture really didn't capture what I drove through for about 400-500 kms from Medicine Hat to Regina...The drifting and blowing snow covered a lot of the highways, and the snow drifts got pretty crazy in a few spots.
I made it to Regina, the capital city of Saskatchewan. To a balmy temperature of -35 degrees.
Yay!
I really tried to capture the beauty of what I woke up to and started to drive into....
The sunrise on the prairies is truly remarkable.
But cold.....
Not the greatest picture, but this is when I crossed into Manitoba and continued east towards Winnipeg!
Made it!
So that's part one of the trip because this is as far east as I go. I'm here for a night and then head back to drive through Northern Manitoba, Saskatchewan and finally Alberta.
1,199 kilometres of freedom :)