Road to Winnipeg: A flat, flat, flat, straight highway but greener than across Alberta.
Stopped at Rivers, Manitoba, the renowned birthplace of 'Janis Jean Sagar' best known as 'the girl who left town at 9 months old'! With the help of brother Gary on the cell from Vancouver, we were able to pinpoint the exact house at 767 Fourth Avenue (at Ontario Street) that Dad built off base while he was stationed at the RCAF Station in Rivers. Happily, the house has been kept in good repair and is now owned by the Neilsons. The Barker's house to the left was still there but the Taylor's house to the right was empty and looked ready to be demolished. The Greek Orthodox Church that Gary remembered across the back lane had just been torn down two years ago but 'Rivers Elementary' still stands. As we looked down Ontario Street to the train tracks at First Avenue, we realized where Gary's love of trains may have originated. Rivers is an absolutely charming little community and I felt proud to have been born there. Sadly, the Air Force base is now hog barns and storage sheds. Took lots of pictures as a souvenir for Jan but also perhaps to trigger some special memories for Diane and Gary.
We were charmed by the fields of sunflowers, corn and grain along the highway to Winnipeg ('Winterpig' to the cognoscenti) where we spent the night.
