Winnipeg Trip

Each way is about 1320 kilometers. My way to Winnipeg was long, left at 7:30 AM and arrived in Winnipeg @ 11:30 PM (1 hour added with the time change). The way back was 8:30 AM to 9:30 PM, roughly 14 hours. I spent over 28 hours driving during the trip. Too much.

Winnipeg during this time was extremely hot and humid, over 70% humidity with 33-34C temperature. Driving with no cruise control is challenging. Overall driving on the highway is peaceful except for random chaos with people driving around you.

Driving through three provinces you see hills, prairies, and flat lands. It can become monotonous. I can't count the number of bugs I hit with my windshield. Lots of road kill on the side of the road - skunks, raccoons, deer. Not much police anywhere. The speed limit in Alberta is 110, it slows to 100 when you hit sask and manitoba. There are really no big signs that say "Welcome to XXXX" like in the past. Its kind of depressing. The fastest I went was 130 but that was only for a quick burst, my main speed was 115-120 kph, but mainly 110 in 100 zone - not fast really.

I had little time to fix stuff in Winnipeg. I tried to visit friends but only managed to meet one. I am glad I brought my car, otherwise I would have spent alot of time walking and riding a bike.

During my time in Winnipeg, about 5 people died on the highways in Manitoba. One was a 17-year old kid killed by a drunk driver. When I was in Winnipeg, two guys decided to rob a Shoppers Drug Mart on a Sunday with a gun and steal OxyCodone and other narcotics from the pharmacy safe. Unbelievable.

The Mazda 3 drove very well for the trip. My only complaint was the lack of cruise control. Your feet get cramped after a few hours of holding the pedal down. On my way to Winnipeg, I managed to get British Forces Radio on the FM Dial at 106.1 MHZ. On my way back I could NOT find this station. Somehow I managed to get a radio station halfway around the world.

My main worry when driving on this trip was undivided highways. But good news, the #1 highway is completely divided from Calgary to Winnipeg. NO MORE dangerous passing like 12 years ago. My how time has changed. The money spent on gas was roughly 110.00 each way - not bad. Certainly less than I used to pay on a V8 5.0 truck when I lived in Calgary back in 1997-2000. THAT truck cost a tremendous amount of gas.