This post is not actually about the Canadian prarie although I did drive through the plowed and planted prarie today.  Here are two pictures taken on route 23 just east of Roland, Manitoba.

No this post is about potholes big and small.  Earlier I mentioned big potholes (flooding and politics).  We zig zagged across those by taking 2 to I29 North.  Beautiful interstate- wide open with big sky going 80 to 90 MPH while passing cattle trucks and rusted Pontiac Reliants.  Got gas just south of the border and there was no pay at the pump.  After waiting in a long line to prepay the attendant could not understand what I was trying to do.  You do not prepay in remote northern North Dakota, you just take your gas and pay later.  Slow border crossing but it is always cool to cross into another country.  In Canada we bypassed Winnipeg and drove very lonely roads where it was hard not to exceed 100 (KPH).  Somewhere in that world of empty roads, tall clouds, and yellow weeds there was a campground that Henna begged us not to stop at.  I do not want to blame her for what was next- we all wanted a hotel.  But hotels are hard to come by even on Highway 1 and we ended up in a sterile, expensive place.  We ate a lousy dinner and set off to look for fireworks (it is Canada Day here).  Brandon, Manitoba is a tough nut to crack though and after wandering empty streets we stumbled back to the hotel and watched The Fantastic Mr. Fox until Henna announced that she was done with the movie. 

I love to camp because most days are not like that.  In a parallel world our family stopped at that campground and met another family celebrating Canada Day.  We made the tacos that we were planning on making and then saw a million stars.  Maybe the mosquitoes forgot to come out.  That night would have cost less than $25 with food.  Tomorrow is another day and I look forward to the road.  Here are a few more pictures from the last few days.