On a Dirt Road in Saskatchewan

We had been driving almost non-stop from Fairbanks, AK and we were tired of the maroon interior of the van. The stench was reaching an all-time low and our diet of trail mix was catching up to us. All of this was no surprise; after more than 9,000 miles in a van with 4 guys, the quality of life is sure to be lessened.

So a few miles past Saskatoon on a flat and deserted highway, we thought a dirt road turn-off would be worth it. Simply letting the van air out was worthwhile. So we got out of the van and ran down the road for the sheer joy of movement and could not believe the blue sky stretching for miles over the green expanse of central Canada.

I still remember the sound of the dirt and rocks beneath my feet and the breeze blowing across those northern plains. It didn't have the striking features of a mountain range nor the beauty of open water like an ocean, but there was a simple beauty found in the flatness and unobstructed view of a prairie.

Featured in the picture below is a 1993 Ford Aerostar. The exact Aerostar that carried me and my friends to 49 states during our 4 years of college. It was captured in this photo shortly before its passing at over 280,000 miles. It lived a full life.

Our Van in Saskatchewan, Just South of Saskatoon, Canada