Crossing into Manitoba is beyond exciting after spending more than a month in Ontario! The monstrous hills quickly become gentle rollers, and then finally – flat land! The quiet old highway is a welcome change from the 17 but becomes busier and more treacherous as I approach Winnipeg. It’s a relief to finally get into the city, which has lots of cycling infrastructure and cyclists! I make a stop at Orioles Bike Cage and meet the lovely volunteers there. They tip me off to some great things to do in the city, like visit the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and catch some live bluegrass at Times Change(d).
Dean catches back up to Alexis, Faez and I, and we all share a dorm at the Winnipeg hostel. No-one can quite take over a room like four fully-loaded cycle tourists, but somehow we’re able to organize our mess of gear enough to do some laundry and tune up the bikes. After the four of us leave Winnipeg we have to say some sad goodbyes, as Alexis and Dean head north and Faez and I continue on to Brandon.
Between flat land and decent weather the landscape passes by quickly. Long, long trains thunder past with no hills to slow them. Hay bales and grain elevators dot the fields. Before I know it, I’ve reached Virden, and after that, the western border of the province.
jessbikescanada 