Wednesday 21 August 2013

Tuesday, August 20th, 2013

Re-Start

Carievale, Saskatchewan

I landed in Regina. My marathon support man, Daruka, and the lovely, vivacious Billie, the blue front amazon parrot were there to see me in anticipation to re-start the prairie portion of a 4th walk across Canada.

It took a three hour drive to reach the Manitoba/ Saskatchewan border and the extension to Manitoba's Hwy 3, now turned to Hwy 18.

It didn't take long for the thrill of walking and recieving greetings to begin. Firstly, a fellow, a chef actually, and looking like one of those jolly types, pulled over. Other motorists followed thereafter.

When I reached Gainesborough, Daruka had already "worked the town" so to speak. He went around asking for information from locals. He even ventured up one of those old abandoned grain elevators.

Outside the Riverside Hotel several employees who Daruka had met, came out to meet a monk, their first perhaps. Employees from the grocery store also came to "check it out."

"What's the walk about?"

"To promote walking culture and all that goes along with it- therapy, inner peace, health both physical and mental," I responded.

Darren was amongst the group. He didn't ask questions. He loves to talk and not to stop. . He was gracious enough to trek my last kilometer with me and even to help Daruka set up the tent at the Carievale Campground, and all the while his conversation went one way. Daruka and I didn't mind. somehow or other you end up loving the guy as he inserts humour into the picture.

Yes, Humour, it's one of the greatest gifts ever that comes to us and makes a world that would otherwise be bland and stale.

22 KM

No comments: