Seven Days in Saskatchewan

Sunday

Approximate Distance Travelled: 470km
Edmonton to the border. After a somewhat late start, we cruised the highway and explored something before even leaving the province. After that, it was all ghost towns, dirt roads, and a beautifully saturated sunset.

 

In the bottom of the shallow valley, a small cluster of broken concrete structures occupy lake front real estate. Smashed, wrecked, chipped, burnt, and rusted, nothing had escaped some form of ravage or decay. What had been the main building, composed mainly of a small shed squashed between two large circular concrete tanks, lay in complete ruin. White powder coated the landscape, windswept piles slowly eroding as we walked through.

 

I climbed cautiously onto the gigantic white mound, then strode to the highest point and beckoned Nancy Drew to join me. Together, we crossed the wide pile and stood staring out at the pale blue lake. The gusting wind stirred dirty white powder from within our footprints, and blew it across the landscape.

 

Standing wearily in front of the horizon at the edge of the tiny abandoned town was an old grain elevator. The weatherbeaten, decayed exterior was picturesque, but I kept my eyes on the rotting wooden steps as I climbed in. To my surprise the interior, made entirely of wood, was solid and in good shape. A number of pigeons sat in the rafters and watched as we examined the relic from the inside.

 

The finest house in town was almost entirely empty. With no front door to speak of, and missing more than a few panes of glass, the old building still retained a good deal of charm. The rooms were painted bright, cheery colours. How many feet have stepped, hopped, danced, walked, shuffled across these worn floors?