The First Trans-Canada Auto Trip

Halifax: August 27, 1912 <<<    >>> Victoria: October 17, 1912

Daily News: October 1, 1997

Into Alberta

Today's Statistics:	Travelling from Maple Creek, Saskatchewan to Lethbridge, Alberta
Distance: 320 km	Driving Hours: 5.5 h	Fuel: 53 l	Weather: Sunny	Temperature: Min. 11 Max. 20

The day began in historic Maple Creek, a town with many old buildings and an excellent museum of local history. Shortly after leaving Maple Creek, the Reo crossed into the province of Alberta.

The remainder of the day was like a lesson in Alberta agriculture and industry. The Reo passed through farms offering a wide variety of crops: hay (still bright green in colour), sugar beets, potatoes, corn, and beans. The town of Bow Island is known as the bean capital of Canada. Also along the way were dairy and cattle farms, oil pumpers, and natural gas reserves. A few farms raised less common animals like llamas or buffalo. The variety pointed out the great natural wealth the province has.

The day's drive concluded at Lethbridge, southwestern Alberta's major city. The Reo stopped in at Dr. Gerald B. Probe Elementary School, where Peter Findlay had been invited to speak to the students, some of whom have been following the Reo's excursion across Canada on the internet. The students were very interested in the old car and the story of the first trans-Canada auto trip.

Early in the day the Reo entered Alberta

The original Mr. Bean? ... at the bean capital of Canada

Students at Dr. Gerald B. Probe School studied the Reo carefully.

... Updating the webpage over breakfast

On this day in 1912 ...

• The Reo drove 314 km - the longest day of the trip!
• Haney and Wilby wrote that southern Alberta was covered with gophers. They could hardly avoid them as they drove.