The Ongoing Adventures Of Sabrina & Scooter

Date: Wednesday, August 20
Day: 54
Kilometre: 12,161
Location: Spruce Woods Provincial Park, Manitoba

I left the Moon Lake campsite at 10-ish and headed to nearby Dauphin for a fill-up, a Globe & Mail newspaper and some fresh ice for the cooler, then back-tracked towards the Trans Canada. Two and a half hours later I was at Spruce Woods Provincial Park, west-southwest of Winnipeg. Spruce Woods is a very nice park situated along the banks of the Assiniboine River.

I introduced myself at the main gate and arranged to have the head Interpreter meet up with me after and I was given what is called “the VIP camp spot”. Once the site of a farmhouse, it was a beautiful and isolated location situated literally on the banks of the Assiniboine.

Below is a panoramic photo I stitched together, showing my view of the Assiniboine River from my campsite.

Meeting Madelyn was a treat. A near-full-time Interpreter for Manitoba Parks and part-time goat farmer, she drove up to my campsite, introduced herself and we hit it off right away. Madelyn is a very personable, forthright woman who can speak knowledgeably about pesticide spray cycles for potato crops and then transition seamlessly into matters like philosophy or politics. We talked for quite some time, then agreed to meet at noon the next day at the amphitheatre.

The evening was uneventful, and the squirrels devoured samplings of the still-immature bur oak (mossycup oak) acorns bursting forth. The following morning, the resident red squirrel was more than peeved that two flying squirrels were squatting in his ‘hood, judging by its vocalizations and repeated forays up to the tent!

I met up with Madelyn at the Interpretive Centre, we dealt with all the “ins and outs” of the upcoming show, and then I sat down to upload my blog writings on their dialup connection. Oh, how I pine for high speed!

It’s supposed to rain later today, with possible thunderstorms. I hope it misses us tonight!