BC Road trip Post #5 July 01 to July 02

 BC Road trip Post #6  Tuesday, July 01 - Wed. July 02  Rosthern Sask

Departure:  8:30 a.m.

Destination:  Rosthern Sask, past many areas of local flooding.

Weather:
rainy and cool - 61F
skies clearing after noon, with sunny breaks.
by afternoon, very sunny day
strong N  winds that keep you paying attention to the road.

FLOODING  everywhere:  even over the rail lines.  small creeks are overflowing with fast currents.  Transportation people won't be able to keep up with pumping water, so local groups of farmers are either out on their four-wheelers for inspection, OR they are already working together in teams, using their giant tractors to power enormous pumps.  There is a lot of water here.  In some areas, up to 50% of the area is covered with water, and it is obvious by the neat rows of tiny plants that this is usually a field, not a small lake.
More people sandbagging around homes, driveways and barns.

Wildlife:
many water birds overhead
saw one deer on the hiway.

Drive:

Got as far as Quill Lake and saw that all the water had gone over the road.  We drive through slowly, not really knowing where the edge is.
HWY closed - re - route up hiway 5 to Walden, Sask and take the # 2 west.
HWY 2 west - huge line-up to drive slowly one at a time through shallow flood over the road.  No we are going back to Humbolt to go another way.
Humbolt road N is under construction for 34 kms, dirt roads with big soft spots and potholes, but we make it through.

Cross the Saskatchewan River - huge river full to the top, and it is in a big hurry.  Thank God, we're safe!

Arrive in Rosthern late - 7:30 even though we've gone through another time zone.

Rob and  Ruthann Koop welcome us with a delicious bbq dinner, a good walk through their beautiful town.  We watch Canada Day Fireworks display.

Happy Canada Day.