Tom's Travels

Sylvia had a social worker's seminar in St. Louis, so I drove down to visit with her. I arrived about 5:30 and visited with Rob and Robyn Wagoner who were in St. Louis for a conference. We went to dinner on The Hill. At 11:30 pm I picked up Sylvia at the airport. On Friday, Sylvia attended her seminar while I did some work. We had lunch and then I returned to Rocheport. Sylvia caught a plane back to Boise that evening.

I left the Way Family Reunion early to catch a plane to Los Angeles, California on Sunday July 23. I arrived in Long Beach late. On Monday I made a presentation in the afternoon and then went to a meeting of Community Economists in the evening. On Tuesday, Matt Fannin and I went geocaching early before my second presentation that morning. On Wednesday morning I returned to LAX and flew home, arriving home about 11:00 pm.

This weekend was the first Way Family Reunion in Moose Jaw. My Brother Howie, and Sister-in-law Brenda did the local arrangements. I contacted family members by e-mail. The plan was for me to meet Harley, Amy and Elise in St. Louis and fly together to Regina on Thursday July 20. Harley and Amy drove down to St. Louis on the 19th and stayed in a hotel near the airport. Unfortunately, there was a devastating storm including several tornados that hit the city that evening (July 19). 600,000 customers lost power, some for many days, and our flight was canceled. We tried to find an alternative way to get to Regina, but the only option was to wait a day. The hotel where Harley, Amy and Elise were staying was without power, and there wasn't anything to do in the city given all the downed trees and power outages, so they drove to Rocheport and spent the day and night here. On Friday, we left very early and drove to St. Louis and caught our plane to Regina. We rented a car and drove to Moose Jaw. There were about 100 people at the reunion on Saturday and Sunday. I had to leave about noon on Sunday to go to meetings in California. Photos to follow.

This year's International Comparative Rural Policy Studies summer school was held in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. I was in Regina to give a presentation at the National Farm Progress Show and on Sunday June 25 I flew to Manitoba to join the summer school which had officially started the day before. I arrived in Winnipeg about 9:00, just in get on the bus for the ride to Brandon, Manitoba. We spent that first day of the school visiting small towns along the way, including Plum Coulee and Winkler.

Most of the first week of the school (June 26 - 30) was spent in the class room at the University of Brandon. On Friday June 30 we took a field trip to Riding Mountain National Park where we we learned about Park-land owner relations, the United Nations Bio-reserves program and sustainable development. Saturday, July 1, was Canada Day and after a short morning session we spent the day at the celebrations in Brandon's riverside park. John Bryden and I went for a short canoe trip on the Assiniboine River.

On Monday we took a field trip through southern Manitoba visiting Boisevain and the International Peace Gardens. The remainder of the week was spent in the class room.

I took Wednesday evening and Thursday off and drove up to Riding Mountain to visit my Brother Ron and Sister-in-law Linda in their cabin. Ron and I went geocaching on Thursday.

On Saturday July 8 we left Brandon and took a bus to Duck Mountain Lodge in Saskatchewan. On the way we stopped at the First Nations Reserve of Waywayseecappo, and Inglis. At Inglis we visited a unique museum comprised of 5 restored grain elevators, and a Romanian Orthodox church. July 9 was a day off so I took a group of 8 students fishing on Madge Lake. Monday and Wednesday were classroom days. On Tuesday we boarded the bus and traveled North to Swan River and then to The Pas where we learned of the early history of Western Canada. We visited the very successful Opaskwayak Cree Nation Reserve and Clearwater Lake. On Thursday we started early on our final field trip, traveling from Duck Mountain to Winnipeg, stopping at a a farm, a museum, a new beef processing cooperative, and several communities and historic sites.

Friday, July 14 was our final official day. We attended a seminar on a world poverty program, met with provincial officials and ended with closing ceremonies and a banquet. Next day I missed my plane and took the day to see some of Winnipeg and do some geocaching. On Sunday July 16 I flew home.