Tuesday July 15, 2025 Winnipeg Manitoba to Big Bog State Recreation Area

We got a late start (Milo slept in) and wandered over to The Forks Market next door to the hotel and split a cinnamon toll and coffee/tea. It was less busy than last night but a big quiet place for people to have a get together. It appears to be one of the old railroad buildings or an old factory that renewed itself for shops and bistros and people and families to gather.

Next a walk down to the river and along the bike/walking path toward the Canadian Museum of Human Rights. It is 7 stories high and about 10 years old so a brand new concrete and glass masterpiece of architecture.

It opened at 10am and we were in there right at 10.

We signed up for a 1 hour guided tour to get acclimated to the multitudes of exibits and then used the 2nd hour (we do want to travel some today) to walk/wander down the 7 levels on the ramps.

This is one of those places that you leave quietly because it reminds you of all the bad stuff that happened as far as slavery, segregation, homophobia, Indigenous peoples’ displacements and the holocaust. Grim but important stuff to see.

We got back to the hotel parking lot just as the meter maid was flagging vehicles. The hotel receptionist said we could stay there until noon and it was 12:15 so I think we just made it. Tough crowd…

Then we asked Google Maps to get us to Duluth, MN knowing it was too far to go but in the right direction. We decided yesterday to go south and visit Calumet, MI, which is where the capitalists for the Calumet & Arizona Mining Company came from. Our friend Mike Anderson gave a talk last year about the ties between Bisbee and Calumet. A quick e-mail to Mike and he told us what sites to see there.

We spent the rest of the afternoon on small 2 lane roads in Manitoba and crossed the border around 4pm. Then another hour and a half driving through remote wooded swamp land with very few towns of people. Deb found us a spot at the Big Bog State Recreation Area with lots of empty sites. We got dinner at the only restaurant around, West Wind Resort, which was full of locals, fisherman we suppose, since this area is all about fishing and walleye was featured on the menu. We also thought, and then confirmed, that they grow wild rice here (wet, boggy,..) so we both had the walleye and wild rice soup for supper. Very nice local folks and delicious food.

Then back to the campground, found the host and paid him the $7 for that park fee (Deb already paid the $24 for the campsite), then walked across the road to the park beach.

So we are back in the USA for a few days anyway, unless we change plans…