53rd Parallel

Friday, October 6, 2017

We travelled farther north today, passing the 53rd parallel.  We are really heading north!  I always learn more about geography on these trips.  To put it in perspective, the equator is zero and the North Pole is on the 90th parallel.  Indianapolis is at the 38th parallel. Our final destination is Churchill, Manitoba at the 58th parallel.

The fall colors are almost gone, as the leaves are beginning to shed.  The area is very remote—not much civilization along the route.  After a 6 hour drive, we reached our destination -- La Pas, Manitoba.  It is a city of 5,513 people, another fur trading settlement from the 1800’s. 

There is not a campground close by, so we are staying in the parking lot of the Aseneskak Casino.  There are no hookups, thus we are “dry camping” in the middle of an Indian reservation. 

They let their dogs run wild, and we were greeted by a couple of “locals” running around looking for handouts.   Although they seemed to be very friendly dogs, we chose to leave Spot inside.  He’s having a pretty good time and has made friends with several other dogs on the trip.  The casino gave us some “free” money to entice us to play, and both Jim and I were winners!   Anytime you leave a casino with more money than you took in, that’s a winner!  We each won $5!  Andy in our group took home $240, so he was the big winner by far.

P.S. Happy 27th Anniversary from the 53rd parallel to my baby sister (forgot to get a card in the mail.)