# The pilgrimage to Calgary……



## Brent H (Nov 25, 2021)

So, I bought a project car in Calgary and it is like 3200 km from home.  Tomorrow we set sail on the adventure…. Early departing on the Motor Vessel BrentH  with my copilot C’mitchie enroute to Thunder Bay to pick up @ShawnR and continue the adventure ……

I will have my copilot snap pics along the way and see if he is willing to continue the thread as we go along. 

The MV BrentH:


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## 140mower (Nov 25, 2021)

Aye capt'n, may yer Schooner get ya safety across the Prairies and back... Be careful though, sail too far and you might fall off...


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## kevin.decelles (Nov 25, 2021)

Chevy truck and trailer..............  you'll blend right in!  Looking forward to meeting you guys.


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## David_R8 (Nov 25, 2021)

Drive safe!


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## Canadium (Nov 25, 2021)

Wow, snow in Barrie already! Nothing white at my place yet!



> “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
> _– Mark Twain_


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## 6.5 Fan (Nov 25, 2021)

Have a safe trip.


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## Susquatch (Nov 25, 2021)

Brent H said:


> So, I bought a project car in Calgary and it is like 3200 km from home.  Tomorrow we set sail on the adventure…. Early departing on the Motor Vessel BrentH  with my copilot C’mitchie enroute to Thunder Bay to pick up @ShawnR and continue the adventure ……
> 
> I will have my copilot snap pics along the way and see if he is willing to continue the thread as we go along.
> 
> ...


I made that same trip with my middle son 15 years ago. He was moving back east from Calgary and needed someone to help him move. His wife was 6mths pregnant and couldn't handle the drive. I flew out and then we rented and loaded a U-Haul there and drove home. 

It was a fantastic trip with my son. We talked and laughed and solved the world's problems. I know that yours will be a great trip too. 

Drive safely and enjoy every single mile - especially those gorgeous Saskatchewan Prairie ones.


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## Dusty (Nov 25, 2021)

Drive carefully BrentH and C'mitchie its been a nutty kind of winter in the Moose Jaw area for accidents then there's the deadly ones.









						Pedestrian Killed Along Highway 1
					

A 21-year-old woman from Moose Jaw has died after being struck by a vehicle along Highway 1 on Wednesday evening.  Moose Jaw RCMP responded to a call around 6 p.m. of a woman that was hit by a vehicle east of Moose Jaw on the highway’s eastbound lanes. The motorists were not injured and remained...




					www.discovermoosejaw.com


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## Hruul (Nov 25, 2021)

Drive safe. Have fun. Sounds like you should have good weather coming through SK if the forecast holds.  (changes multiple times a day usually)


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## Perry (Nov 25, 2021)

Safe travels guys.   


We were at +13C here today.  Just got back in from a bike ride.......but this is Alberta.......wait 15 minutes and you may need a snowsuit.


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## YYCHM (Nov 25, 2021)

Phase I.....









						Oro-Medonte to Thunder Bay
					






					www.google.com
				





Which route are you taking Brent?


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## Dabbler (Nov 25, 2021)

have a very safe and UNeventful journey!


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## Brent H (Nov 25, 2021)

@YYCHM - the lower route. Hoping to beat the squalls coming in off Huron.  Lunch is packed - boys in bed - 0500 comes early


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## Darren (Nov 25, 2021)

Shawn has my cell number, he's about 15 minutes from my place, we talked about having a beer when you arrive at his place. Keep us posted. Drive safe!


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## YotaBota (Nov 25, 2021)

140mower said:


> Be careful though, sail too far and you might fall off...


In my best superhero voice,,,,,,,,"I will save you!!!"  LOL
Safe trip young fellers.


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## Brent H (Nov 26, 2021)

We are on our way to Shawn's place now!


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## darrin1200 (Nov 26, 2021)

Brent H said:


> @YYCHM - the lower route. Hoping to beat the squalls coming in off Huron.  Lunch is packed - boys in bed - 0500 comes early


I’m surprised. I figured the shorter trip north of Georgian bay would have been better.

I hope you and your boy have a fantastic trip.


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## Brent H (Nov 26, 2021)




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## Brent H (Nov 26, 2021)

Brent H said:


> View attachment 18527


9:00 am on route Saulte Ste. Marie


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## Hacker (Nov 26, 2021)

Have a safe trip and looking forward to seeing you in Calgary.


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## historicalarms (Nov 26, 2021)

Just a warning for travel this time of year in rural areas...bambi's daddies are all out looking for girlfriends this time of year and as with anybody chasing women...all reason & common sense goes out the window, they can be on a road any time of day, their time to chase is short & they don't stop for sleep  or broad daylight.


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## David_R8 (Nov 26, 2021)

Brrr those pictures make me cold!


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## Dusty (Nov 26, 2021)

David_R8 said:


> Brrr those pictures make me cold!



Sissy!  LOL


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## David_R8 (Nov 26, 2021)

Dusty said:


> Sissy!  LOL


I used to not be... prior to 2004 when I moved to the Island I lived in entirelly in Alberta and 3 years in PQ. One winter in AB I played broomball, outdoors, -25F, my feet were so cold it hurt to run.
Now anything close to zero is cold. 
Ask @YotaBota and @francist...a west coast zero or below goes right through a person!


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## Susquatch (Nov 26, 2021)

David_R8 said:


> Now anything close to zero is cold.
> Ask @YotaBota and @francist...a west coast zero or below goes right through a person!



I believe that. I've walked around Thompson Manitoba and Kapuskasing Ontario in a flannel shirt at 55 below zero and was not cold. But 5 below in Windsor or Ottawa or Vancouver goes right through you like a knife. I've always thought it related to wind chill somehow or maybe humidity but at those temperatures there is no water in the air no matter where you are!

Just thinking about that for a second, maybe it's the opposite! Setting aside the direct chilling effect of moving air for a moment. Since air at - 55 can't hold water, there can't be an evaporation effect to increase windchill. But at freezing temps the air will hold a little water so the extra wind chill becomes very real!

I dunno. What I do know is that - 5 in Windsor or Vancouver or Ottawa will damn near kill you and 55 below in Kapuskasing or Saskatchewan "can be" downright nice. Especially if you throw a pot-full of boiling water into the air!

Btw, I've actually carried propane around just like water in an open pail at 50 below....... What an amazing experience that was!


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## Brent H (Nov 26, 2021)

Currently watching Shawn make travel sandwiches after a trip out to his shop    Lathe is looking sweet and ask him about his welding table vent hood - cool idea !!  

The trip starts again tomorrow morning early and we will be enroute to Regina!!! 

Weather on the way - snow squalls and crap up to Sudbury, sun came out and we were the only truck on the highway up to Nipigon.  Got busy there but clear skies and arrived about 7:55 pm local to a great feast!!


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## YYCHM (Nov 26, 2021)

No one taking pictures along the way


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## Brent H (Nov 26, 2021)

Maybe tomorrow- but C’mitchie did take pics - just gotta get them sent to me.  I tried taking pics but thought better of the practice - LOL.


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## Brent H (Nov 26, 2021)

Oh and - there is no cell service for about 6 hours of the drive


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## Brent H (Nov 26, 2021)

It gets a bit sketchy for service despite the ability to see the repeater towers.?!  Cmitch got a few nice pics of the land and sea and sun setting.  It was tricky out of a road salted window but the scenery is amazing!!! I heard a lot of - OH Wow’s


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## Perry (Nov 26, 2021)

Brent H said:


> Oh and - there is no cell service for about 6 hours of the drive


I can relate to this.    I walked about 30 km from west of Upsala ,Ontario  to Upsala on a very early Sunday morning when my U-haul truck had an issue.    Not a vehicle on the road very early in the morning.  It wasn't until late Sunday night I was back on my way.  Hard to forget that day.

Edit.....I just remembered the prehistoric mosquitos......I was the only food for them for miles.....   lol




lol...stock photo......but that is what they felt like.....


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## YYCHM (Nov 26, 2021)

Perry said:


> I can relate to this.    I walked about 30 miles from west of Upsala ,Ontario  to Upsala on a very early Sunday morning when my U-haul truck had an issue.    Not a vehicle on the road very early in the morning.  It wasn't until late Sunday night I was back on my way.  Hard to forget that day.



30 miles???  Are your sure?  Or did it just feel like 30 miles


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## Perry (Nov 26, 2021)

YYCHM said:


> 30 miles???  Are your sure?  Or did it just feel like 30 miles


I changed it.....it was kms, but it felt like 100 miles.   It was over an hour and a half walk.   Probably closer to two hours.   Sun was coming up when I made it to Upsala. I spent most of the day at a service station sitting outside by a payphone.

The truck started to overheat so I pulled over.  Popped the hood.  Serpintine belt laying on top of the engine.  I spent a long time trying to figure out the correct routing.  No matter which way I fed it on, it was too slack.   No real tensioner in the system.   When I finally gave up, I reached up to close the hood and there was a map of the belt layout.    After looking at it for a while I realized I was missing one pulley.  The tension pulley  had sheared clean off along a casting line.  It looked like a clean factory cut.   So easy to miss it.  

So U-hauls plan was to send out a replacement truck.   How was I going to unload and load a truck by myself in the middle of no where.  Plus I was towing a sports car on a trailer.  I talked them into sending out a tech with the part that was required.  I listed every tool we would need.  The tensioner  If I remember correctly needed a Torx or Triple square bit to remove it.  Back then those where not too common.   Tech shows up with no bit.    At least he had the correct part.  

Memories.....lol


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## 6.5 Fan (Nov 27, 2021)

Brent H you should be in luck with SK travel, plus 12 on Sunday is the forecast. Lots of frost coming out of the roads yesterday on a trip into Saskatoon.


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## Chicken lights (Nov 27, 2021)

Brent H said:


> Oh and - there is no cell service for about 6 hours of the drive


Yep and barely any FM radio too 

Welcome to northern Canada 

Safe travels!


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## Brent H (Nov 27, 2021)

Thanks @Chicken lights : the journey begins again in a few minutes!!  @ShawnR and C’mitchie are fuelling up and I am going to pump bilges one last time!!  

Once we get to Manitoba and Saskatchewan I will have been to every province and territory in Canada


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## Chicken lights (Nov 27, 2021)

Brent H said:


> Thanks @Chicken lights : the journey begins again in a few minutes!!  @ShawnR and C’mitchie are fuelling up and I am going to pump bilges one last time!!
> 
> Once we get to Manitoba and Saskatchewan I will have been to every province and territory in Canada


I’m missing the Territories. When were you up there?


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## combustable herbage (Nov 27, 2021)

Have a safe day guys, We have driven that route a few times, get ready for another day of rocks and trees.
Once you hit Kenora or so you should be able to see Calgary in the distance.
Its a different trip it takes 2 days to get out of Ontario and then you can blast across a couple of provinces in a day.
Take care.


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## Brent H (Nov 27, 2021)

yesterday just past Sudbury:




The cool rocks on the route






Just past Sault Ste Marie (1200 hours  local (1000 in Calgary))






Past Wawa and heading towards Thunder Bay ( about 1500 hours local) 

Lake a superior:





Next stop was Thunder Bay about 1945 local!!


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## Susquatch (Nov 27, 2021)

Brent H said:


> @ShawnR and C’mitchie are fuelling up and I am going to pump bilges one last time!!



Never heard the bilge pumping analogy before. I laughed my self silly! Your coast gaurd roots are seeping through....... 

I didn't notice before, is @ShawnR joining you for the prairie leg?

I can see why you have been everywhere but the Prairie. No need for Coast Gaurd land busting..... Yet.

Again, safe travels to all.


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## YYCHM (Nov 27, 2021)

Phase II









						Oro-Medonte to Regina
					






					www.google.com
				




Looks pretty ambitious to me


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## YYCHM (Nov 27, 2021)

_@ShawnR Where are you guys now?


..... well he was on-line there for a bit_


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## Dusty (Nov 27, 2021)

Never heard the bilge pumping analogy before. I laughed my self silly! Your coast gaurd roots are seeping through.

Yes I thought Brent's bilge pumping analogy comments harlisious as well. Reminds me of an old Captain High Liner commercial where he asks a young boy "have you ever been to sea Billy".  Well no I've not been to sea although I can relate to pumping the bilge with me on water retention pills well over 3 years. Bilge time for me runs 24-7 with my lame knee.

On the flip side Christmas is coming and good old Santa might bring me a potty for under my bed, and a cool night cap for my balding head. LOL


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## YotaBota (Nov 27, 2021)

In David_R8's defence, he's not a sissy,,,,,,,, he's a "west coast wuss" just like me. lol


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## YYCHM (Nov 27, 2021)

Geepers, they godda be close to Regina if they left at 6am Ont time......


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## Perry (Nov 27, 2021)

YYCHM said:


> Geepers, they godda be close to Regina if they left at 6am Ont time......


Not if they past a yard sale at some farmers shop?   Trailer is probably already full....headed back east to unload.


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## YYCHM (Nov 27, 2021)

Hmmm.... They should have checked in by now????  Ya, I know, mother hen stuff


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## historicalarms (Nov 27, 2021)

Perry said:


> Not if they past a yard sale at some farmers shop?   Trailer is probably already full....headed back east to unload.


 Nope...just not gonna happen...farmers just dont have yard sales...they've all got $hit from 45 years back in every corner of every building just waiting to be needed for some obscure rebuild/repair....me included


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## Susquatch (Nov 27, 2021)

historicalarms said:


> Nope...just not gonna happen...farmers just dont have yard sales...they've all got $hit from 45 years back in every corner of every building just waiting to be needed for some obscure rebuild/repair....me included



That's it! That's where I get it from! It's because I was born a Saskatchewan farm boy! 

Thank you for that insight!


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## Brent H (Nov 27, 2021)

Hey folks!

Tied up at one of Regina’s finest inns .  About 6:45 local. LOL - it’s all good - busy place.  Took a bit to dock the rig as the space is pretty tight.  Went looking for grub and my son got thrown out of the pub.  Crazy Reginian laws - ugh!   No body injured just had to leave the pub as I guess “under 18 cannot view a gambling machine from the front”.  - I mean, come on, he had already seen Regina ……Go figure - alas, moved to East Side Mario’s for food and grog.   Just back to the cabin at 10:30 local.  

Will take on supplies around 0645 and then bunker before heading out of town.  

ETA car pick up at 2 pm Calgary Local and arrive Chez Rudy 3 pm ish local with Shawn and the C’mitch. 

Check point Moose Jaw for @RobinHood 

Some pics along the way and will post after Shawn and Cmitch send them over.  

2400 Km’s (ish) logged so far !


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## YYCHM (Nov 27, 2021)

Ahhhhh Regina "The city that sounds like fun" . @Dusty  made me say that  That phrase was actually coined by Mick Jaggar, not me

Bunker Up... I love these terms.... Keep them coming!


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## historicalarms (Nov 27, 2021)

Cept'in when a "long time on the water swabby" walks up to you and asks if you want to "hot bunk" with him....best find a tarp covered life boat until he looses interest....that tidbit of advise came from a WW 11 vet who spent the entire war as an AA gunner on battleship USS Missouri .


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## Brent H (Nov 28, 2021)

Yar!  Here is the bloomin itinerary:

Pump slops and bilges first thing followed by scrubbing the deck, changing the sheets and preparing to get underway.   Crew will take on complementary grub in the local mess and report to the MV Brent H for an 0700 departure.  

We will bunker just after clearing the dock and making our way out and onto the plotted course for Calgary.  Heading due West.  Seas are expected to be calm and less than 0.5 metre - there are some navigational warnings posted for choppy waters - road crews need to make repairs with the odd rogue wave that is hazardous to the barge we are pulling.  

Photos not loading


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## Dusty (Nov 28, 2021)

YYCHM said:


> Ahhhhh Regina "The city that sounds like fun" . @Dusty  made me say that  That phrase was actually coined by Mick Jaggar, not me
> 
> Bunker Up... I love these terms.... Keep them coming!



Ok blame poor old lame Dusty apparently I am now the devils side kick amongst other things.  LOL

Believe I heard @Brent H toot, toot his horn as they drove by Moose Jaw just above Beaver Scrotum. There's that devil again!


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## Brent H (Nov 28, 2021)

Welcome to Manitoba:





Across the flat lands






Intense!!





And entering the Regina:






We are enroute again at 0600 Calgary. Local.


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## Dusty (Nov 28, 2021)

@Brent H, b in Hamilton, raised in Stoney Creek it took me awhile to appreciate the real beauty of the prairies one doesn't view speeding along the Trans-Canada but it's really the people that makes it count.

As you boogie across the prairie landscape you'll find yourself asking "didn't we just pass that farm" a while back.

Pilot's talk, kick the tires, light the fires, check AB's (after burners) off. Just saying!


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## Brent H (Nov 28, 2021)

Look at that - a “flash forest”. 

The biggest gaggle of trees yet


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## SparWeb (Nov 28, 2021)

Your photos yesterday remind me of this song:






Last time I did the cross-Canada drive, I had that song lodged in my head for days.


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## Hacker (Nov 28, 2021)

Welcome to the prairies. Think of it as a big grass lake and those trees are the islands.


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## Susquatch (Nov 28, 2021)

Downright funny to see the TransCanada as a dotted line back road.......


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## Dusty (Nov 28, 2021)

SparWeb said:


> Your photos yesterday remind me of this song:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Great, never ever heard that song before. LOL


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## Dusty (Nov 28, 2021)

@Brent H, watch those long trees lines, alligators, long neck geese, hump back camels and Chimpanzee, cats and rats and elephants, Unicorn, and da fuzz love to hide there. LOL


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## Brent H (Nov 28, 2021)

STRUCTURE!!!  Woo Hoo!!

Just past through Herbert - lovely.  @Dusty what is up with only 1 km warning for places?  - Oops. Waldeck 14 km


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## Dusty (Nov 28, 2021)

Brent H said:


> View attachment 18589
> 
> STRUCTURE!!!  Woo Hoo!!
> 
> Just past through Herbert - lovely.  @Dusty what is up with only 1 km warning for places?  - Oops. Waldeck 14 km



Waldeck you say, you are now well in Swift Current RCMP Detachment area double check AB's off.


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## Brent H (Nov 28, 2021)

@Dusty : what the hell?  Saskatchewan pilot in training????


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## Brent H (Nov 28, 2021)

ETA at Car pick up 1347 local


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## Brent H (Nov 28, 2021)

“Come listen to a story about a man named Jed………”

Now you guys are all stuck humming that tune-   Muhuhahahaha!!


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## Doggggboy (Nov 28, 2021)

Brent H said:


> View attachment 18592
> 
> “Come listen to a story about a man named Jed………”
> 
> Now you guys are all stuck humming that tune-   Muhuhahahaha!!


Rat Ba$tard! 
Not a lot of mountaineers around here but I know what I'm gonna be singing in the shop this afternoon.
Was your hotel on the east side of Regina this morning? I thought I saw a half ton and trailer warming up in the parking lot at the Holiday Inn at just off Prince of Wales when I went past this morning.


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## Chicken lights (Nov 28, 2021)

Doggggboy said:


> Rat Ba$tard!
> Not a lot of mountaineers around here but I know what I'm gonna be singing in the shop this afternoon.
> Was your hotel on the east side of Regina this morning? I thought I saw a half ton and trailer warming up in the parking lot at the Holiday Inn at just off Prince of Wales when I went past this morning.


Remember the movie Groundhog Day? That’s what it feels like every time I see the welcome to Regina sign 

One of these days I’m hitting up the Regina beach just for the experience


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## Susquatch (Nov 28, 2021)

Brent H said:


> View attachment 18590
> 
> @Dusty : what the hell?  Saskatchewan pilot in training????



I dunno..... Looks like coast gaurd red to me..... Your buddies from the barge might be cooking up a nasty surprise for you.......


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## Dusty (Nov 28, 2021)

Brent H said:


> View attachment 18590
> 
> @Dusty : what the hell?  Saskatchewan pilot in training????



Prairie crows nest to ensure you're heading westward, evil minded shipmates. LOL


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## Brent H (Nov 28, 2021)

We need a BIG Yawn emoji

Looks like the Arctic but with less colour.


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## Brent H (Nov 28, 2021)

@Doggggboy : we stayed right in the crack of Regina.  Took it right down town!


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## Doggggboy (Nov 28, 2021)

Brent H said:


> @Doggggboy : we stayed right in the crack of Regina.  Took it right down town!


Right next to the nub... er, I mean hub.
When the ice comes off the lake and creek in the spring, Regina is also sometimes called the city that smells like it sounds.
Mostly by Bomber fans.


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## YYCHM (Nov 28, 2021)

Phase III









						Oro-Medonte to Calgary
					






					www.google.com


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## darrin1200 (Nov 28, 2021)

If I remember right, the CFB Suffield training map had the “two” trees marked on it, until one was struck by lightning.
LOL


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## Brent H (Nov 28, 2021)

So, I woke up after a short nap and snapped this picture of Shawn…….ummm should I be worried? We


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## YYCHM (Nov 28, 2021)

Brent H said:


> View attachment 18604
> 
> So, I woke up after a short nap and snapped this picture of Shawn…….ummm should I be worried? We



I would be


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## Tom O (Nov 28, 2021)

Nah just lash the wheel to the door handle and fire up the boilers!


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## Dusty (Nov 28, 2021)

Tom O said:


> Nah just lash the wheel to the door handle and fire up the boilers!



Could just about do that if you don't mind running in the ditch every now and then, but not towing a barge. LOL


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## Dusty (Nov 28, 2021)

Doggggboy said:


> Right next to the nub... er, I mean hub.
> When the ice comes off the lake and creek in the spring, Regina is also sometimes called the city that smells like it sounds.
> Mostly by Bomber fans.



Win or loose you really don't want to hear what Roughrider fans call the Bombers after they leave town. Devil made me print that.  LOL


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## Susquatch (Dec 12, 2021)

I saw this and immediately thought of you guys on this trip..... 

Americans driving on a snow covered road as they lose traction say "Holy Crap"! 

Canadians say "Hold my coffee and watch this!" 

All reminds me of driving on the I-75 in Michigan a few years ago. I hit a really bad patch of dry ice and was nursing my way through it by keeping my foot off the brake and catching whatever traction I could find. I looked in the rear view mirror to see this guy doing loops behind me. As he passed me on my left, I could see that he had his hands over his face! I laughed so hard I almost lost control myself!


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