The first week of the journey seems to have gone by in a flash. We have left Ontario, seen three different states, and are now back in Canada. We are moving fast but if we want to make it to Alaska this summer, we have to keep on trekking!
The border crossing was very small and quiet. There was only one other RV ahead of us and we had no issues going through. We got asked the usual questions but as always, we try to be prepared and have all of our Passports, receipts and answers ready. Our trick with meat and produce is to keep it in a cooler in the truck with us and have it all listed. That way if we are asked to dispose of it, we have it all with us and can get rid of it easily. The last thing we want is a reason to be told to pull over! Once we crossed into Winnipeg, our garmin RV GPS let us know that we could not drive with the propane on here, glad we have solar to power our fridge.
This was the first time for Annalise and I to be visiting Manitoba. Jason had driven through a long time ago on his way out west so I was excited to finally say that I had been here and seen it! We have several friends from Winnipeg and the number one place to go when we asked was The Forks. So, that’s where we went first!
Where we stayed
We stayed at the Winnipeg West KOA right off the Trans-Canada Hwy. Got a great pull-thru site with 30 amp and water. We have been trying to stay budget friendly and opting for the more basic sites and just dumping on our way out. Perfect location to continue heading west and close enough to downtown Winnipeg to do things. WiFi was basic, not strong enough for any uploading/downloading but enough to check emails and do some searches with patience.
What we did
After a week of being on the road in hot humid weather, we were excited to go out for dinner and see the sights at The Forks. It is a touristy spot with beautiful paths along the water, a perfect place to bike or take a walk and read the historic information along the way. We had a lot of fun being silly in front of the Winnipeg sign, walking through the historic CPR trains on display and of course eating some sushi. This stop was a favorite on Annalise’s list.
We also visited FortWhyte Alive, an animal sanctuary with additional activities such as bike and walking paths through the grounds, sailing and archery. These grounds were the home of the 1881 stand-off of CPR and Manitobans in an attempt to break the railway monopoly. It was dubbed “Fort Whyte” which just stuck. You can still see the overgrown railway in among the grounds which gave us a glimpse back to that time. We enjoyed watching the Bison and birds and going into the nature center to learn many facts about the prairies ecosystem. They have indoor activities where you can see tiny micro-organisms through a microscope. (do you see the giant eye in the last picture?)
What we missed
We would have loved to have taken Annalise to the Canadian Mint in Winnipeg.