Another day, another province, another friend

I pulled out of Winnipeg early this morning leaving the Sheraton Four Points, and a Tim Hortons on the Pembina Highway and taking the ring road, Highway 100 to the Trans Canada, Highway 1 in the direction of Portage la Prairie. Shotly thereafter I took the Yellowhead Highway, number 16 all the way to Yorkton. The landscape duringg the first part is quite flat but changes into long rolling terrain as you approach and cross into Saskatchewan. One can easily see the effect of all the rain they've had around here as there are large puddles of water in the fields. The weather was pleasant, cloudy with sunny breaks when I left Winnipeg but the skies got more covered and much darker as I went along.

I stopped for breakfast in Neepewa, pancakes and bacon, delicious. While there this really interesting character walked into the restaurant and came to my table.

- How long you been riding a BMW, he asked?

- Some 30 years. I said.

- So you know they call the bikes Beemers and the cars Bimmers.

Butch, whose originally from Alberta, has been riding BMWs for a left as well, stayed at my table andnwe chatted throughout my breakfast. He's an ambassador for the BMW Owners Association and he went on at lenght on the benefits of being a member, one of which is receiving a copy of the BMW Owners News magazine. Before we parted Butch, gave me his copy of the August 2009 issue of the BON that he fetched from the back of his car which he had left parked at the gas station accross the road when he first saw my bike and decided to investigate, and he had a good look at my bike and my GPS unit. He, like I, marvelled at the technology in that small unit. He was a really nice gentlemen and it was nice to have someone to talk motorcycle with.

No sooner had I left Neepewa it started to rain so I pulled over to put on my rain gear. However, the rain did not last very long. I stopped for gas and to wash my bike in Russell and arrived at around 2:30 in Yorkton, having spoken to Jane, Jean-François and Pierre-Alain during the ride.

My impression of Yorkton is of a fairly depressed city, though I may be totally wrong about that I must say though that there are many bikers cruising the streets. I've yet to see another Beemer.

I am having trouble adding pictures so I'll try later.