{"id":1947,"date":"2011-09-26T21:29:01","date_gmt":"2011-09-27T04:29:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/?p=1947"},"modified":"2011-09-26T21:29:01","modified_gmt":"2011-09-27T04:29:01","slug":"middle-manitoba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/?p=1947","title":{"rendered":"Middle Manitoba"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>2011\/09\/24<\/p>\n<p>Today I took a little detour up to the region between Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba.\u00a0 There was a property advertised for sale there in Dignam&#8217;s, and since it&#8217;s only an hour&#8217;s drive from Winnipeg I thought it might be worth checking out.<\/p>\n<p>The land was advertised, if I recall correctly, as having a significant portion of marshland, possibly suitable for birdwatchers.\u00a0 Well, I couldn&#8217;t even reach the property as all approaching roads were closed due to flooding.\u00a0 I tried driving this one despite the water lapping at the edges of the road, but it got me no closer:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/IMG_5050.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/IMG_5050_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_5050\" width=\"640\" height=\"328\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>So, not being able to reach the property because of water, I&#8217;ll have to assume the bit about it being marshy is true.<\/p>\n<p>If it floods like this in the fall, I hate to think what spring must be like.\u00a0 I know Manitoba suffered uncommon flooding this year, but I also know uncommon flooding is common for the flat part of the province.\u00a0 Scratch this area off my buy list.<\/p>\n<p>Since I was in the area, I decided to check out nearby Delta Beach and St. Ambriose Provincial Park.\u00a0 My mother and I camped here once, and all I remember about it is that the park was filled with incredibly dense clouds of mosquitoes.\u00a0 I thought it would be nice to see the big lake too, but all approaches were closed due to flooding, and indeed most of the houses in St. Ambroise were sandbagged.\u00a0 Not a good sign.<\/p>\n<p>Continued on via back roads to Riding Mountain National Park, where I took the less-used east entrance &#8211; it&#8217;s a rough gravel road, but really beautiful. Especially in the fall:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0020.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px;padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0020_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0020\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0046.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0046_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0046\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s the view to the northeast from the top of the escarpment.\u00a0 Riding Mountain is very high for the prairies.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0024.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0024_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0024\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I think the purple haze in the distance is from farmers burning stubble.<\/p>\n<p>Riding Mountain is where I learned to appreciate the potential beauty of swamps.\u00a0 They look best in the fog, but here&#8217;s a couple anyway:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0034.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0034_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0034\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0050.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0050_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0050\" width=\"640\" height=\"280\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m staying in Wasagaming for the next two nights &#8211; taking a one-day break from driving. I plan to mainly sit on the beach and read my book.\u00a0 Here&#8217;s the nice little cabin I have to myself:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0056.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0056_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0056\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s not quite as fancy as the place I like to stay at Long Beach, but it&#8217;ll do in a pinch.<\/p>\n<p>I was hoping to see a movie tonight in Wasagaming&#8217;s unique log theater, but unfortunately it&#8217;s closed for the season.<\/p>\n<p>After sunset I sat on the beach and watched the stars come out.\u00a0 That was enjoyable.<\/p>\n<p>Minnows minnowing in the lake:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0078.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0078_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0078\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Some more fall color shots:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0080.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px;padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0080_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0080\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0043.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px;padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0043_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0043\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0045.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px;padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0045_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0045\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0062.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px;padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0062_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0062\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0065.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0065_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0065\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Generic beauty shots:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0088.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px;padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0088_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0088\" width=\"320\" height=\"480\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0071.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0071_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0071\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>From earlier in the day, a field of mixed wheat and drying sunflowers.\u00a0 I think the sunflowers are the crop here &#8211; that green in the background before the trees is also all sunflowers.\u00a0 Not sure why there is also grain here &#8211; maybe to distract birds from the sunflower seeds?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0002.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0002_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0002\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>And a couple shots of abandoned buildings:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0008.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px;padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0008_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0008\" width=\"640\" height=\"442\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0017.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px;border-width: 0px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/d20110924_0017_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"d20110924_0017\" width=\"640\" height=\"322\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>(That&#8217;s Riding Mountain in the background of the last shot; this building is right at the junction of #5 and #19, the road that goes into the park from the east.)<\/p>\n<p>Passed through the town of Neepawa on the way &#8211; it&#8217;s a very nice town.\u00a0 I&#8217;m impressed with how pleasant it is, and despite appearing quite small it somehow supports a Safeway, a Co-Op and a McDonald&#8217;s.\u00a0 I also generally like the landscapes in and around Riding Mountain.\u00a0 Too bad there&#8217;s no major cities nearby; I&#8217;d go crazy with boredom living in this area.<\/p>\n<p>[gmap file=&#8221;__UPLOAD__\/2011\/09\/20110924.kml&#8221; visible=&#8221;true&#8221; type=&#8221;satellite&#8221; center=&#8221;files&#8221; zoom=&#8221;auto&#8221;] <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>2011\/09\/24 Today I took a little detour up to the region between Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba.\u00a0 There was a property advertised for sale there in Dignam&#8217;s, and since it&#8217;s only an hour&#8217;s drive from Winnipeg I thought it might be worth checking out. The land was advertised, if I recall correctly, as having a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sightseeing","category-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1947","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1947"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1947\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1947"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1947"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.soleillapierre.ca\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1947"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}