an update thus far

Winnipeg:
~So I have some updating to do...!... it seems relatively fitting as I've made it about halfway. I've been mostly camping in Provincial and National Parks along the way.
I've just made it to Winnipeg, and I'm excited to check it out... I think it's going to be rich in music and culture, and I'm yearning to check it out. I've met a couple of people from out here, and they all seem to be pretty cool. I've checked into my first hostel of the trip. I've settled in... and immediately grabbed a pint of their local pale ale, and found free wi-fo (!!)... for the first time in 12 days.
~The only city I've visited so far is Saskatoon, and the visit was very quick:: it looks really quite lovely, especially crossing over the bridge from downtown and heading to the Broadway area. It reminded me of Vancouver: in that there are bridges connecting the rest of the city to the downtown, it seems very lush there; and also Kamloops: it was like... what Kamloops would be if it was bigger... like... at least double the size. (Kamloops population vs Saskatoon:: 90,000 to 200,000) It was almost eery, the buildings even looked similar, there were just more of them... and their downtown is considerably small, too. It stretched out over a couple of main streets. I didn't give it much of a chance to be honest... I ended up retreating to Pike Lake for a couple of nights.
~Saskatchewan was really quite beautiful. It was the furthest I'd been East. I stayed first in the Cypress Hills InterProvincial Park-- which is on the Alberta/Saskatchewan border. The first two nights were in Elkwater, Alberta. It was cool, I had a spot on the edge of a campground, and my trip had finally begun: I had been away 3 days, but for the first time I was in new territory. Scenery and land that you've never seen before is so inspiring. It's an odd feeling... I feel like I'm travelling some far off place, and yet .... I still feel strangely at home.
~En route to Saskatchewan, I opted for the backroads, with the advice from a girl at the Visitor Centre. ...I found out that my van does not, in fact, like that.... her ass doors became unhinged and since then, I haven't been able to open nor close them. I didn't realize this until, at my first proper stop, I noticed to my immense delight: a light film of dust covering everything in the back of the bus! ...made for a glorious first 35 minutes cleaning up that night. I'd met a great couple at the Cypress Hills Winery, they'd invited me to join them for lunch, and they were my first example of the kind people that live out here. The next morning, at Centre Block, Saskatchewan (still in the Cypress Hills), I met another couple who ended up helping me duct tape up my baby's ass, and she's been in prime condition ever since!! Aside from a little dust, I haven't had to do much cleaning at the end of each travelling day.
~And so, I am on Day 12, as I left Vancouver on the 20th of August. I stayed overnight in Kamloops with Ryan, in Field with my good friend Alicia (from my stint in Red Deer) and her great fiancee Chris (I approved), and then Banff and partied with all my friends who are living there.
~I've yet to discover Manitoba, but I can say that it has been the most beautiful thus far: I drove through Russell, and took backroads to my destination Riding Mountain National Park... I got lost of course... this is an interesting story...
~I circled this little place called Olha a couple of times... the first time, considering fueling up, and the second, desperate for gas!! To my dismay, the woman took cash only... it was just getting dark, I was lost and it had just started rainin. My van had been straddling empty for the last 20 minutes! ... as I drove around in a sea of dirt roads and tiny ... places? I don't even know if they would be considered villages...!!...
~~~I started bawling~~~
~I offered to leave some of my shit as collateral and said I'd pop over to the next 'town' and get fuel and return as soon as possible!!!..... As I'm bawling, I decide to check my other wallet, just in case....
~Of course, I find $40 cash!! Sliiiightly embarassed, and trying to laugh through my tears, I hand her the cash and get better directions to Audy Lake where I camped my first night in Manitoba!!!
~The next morning, I drove through a Bison Refuge on the way to Clear Lake where I camped last night... I searched for the handsome bison, but found none... it was relatively rainy... but soo beautiful!! The terrain made me feel like I was on a safari in Africa! ...Not that I've been there... but it just seemed so foreign and exotic... aside from all of the beautiful birch trees that were grounding me along the winding way.
~I'm starting to think that the myths I've heard about the Prairies may be false: that you can tie a rope to your steering wheel and have a nap as you drive straight for kilometres; or the old joke out here (as I was told by Nadine a few days ago), that you can watch your dog run away for 3 days!!! ...I'm finding way more winding roads than I'd expected. Maybe if you were to stay on the Trans-Canada, this may prove true, but I guess I've avoided Highway 1 up until now. I'm saving it for the way back...!..
~I'll be updating more often starting now :)

~I hope this finds all of you well and happy!!!