Dear friends,

I've taken a couple of rest days in Regina to get another new tire, find a battery charger, get some physio on my knee and get a little rest for the next leg from here to Winnipeg, Manitoba...I'm opting for an alternate route to Hwy. 1 via Hwy's 48 and 13 which becomes Hwy 2 in Manitoba and leads directly to Winnipeg. I've been generously hosted by Murray and Delores Logan and their two sons, Simon and Andrew in their home in West Regina. Murray is a good friend of a friend of mine...Vic Austen, back in Metro Vancouver. Speaking of generosity, I received physiotherapy from Keith Fitzsimmons of the Regina Sports Physiotherapy Center as a contribution to the Clean Water for Ethiopia Project. Other contributions over the past few days have been free bike repair labor and discounts on equipment, pizza, and a taxi cab ride, all in support of the project. People seem generally enthusiastic in their support of improving the quality of life for others.

At one breakfast place in Moose Jaw, an older gentleman sarcastically commented that "...this was another project to save the world." I know the plethora of humanitarian projects can be overwhelming for some and annoying for others but I believe that more projects provides more latitude for giving in a variety of arenas. One of the reasons I chose Clean Water is that it's not complicated and can provide clean water for life for 4000 people. Dead easy, but essential to the health of the folks in Southern Ethiopia.

I've enjoyed an abundance of clean clear drinking water on my trip to date. I must admit, I haven't been overly concerned with water conservation but I'm reminded of a story of an ultra-marathoner somewhere in the Sahara who jogged into the camp of a nomadic family. A young boy grabbed one of the runner's water bottles attached to his waist and in lightening speed, chugged it's contents to the very last drop before the runner could retrieve it. To this boy, I presume water might be like something precious. In Bonke District, Ethiopia, water accessibility is not the problem but the water quality is - a common problem in many places in the world, yet it is resolvable in many cases.

It's great that so many people have contributed in large and small ways to this project. Folks have many charities they like to support but if someone is looking for a new and effective project to support, I would recommend CWfE.

I wonder if someone woukd be willing to submit a haiku on clean water via the guestbook. I will announce the name(s) of the author(s) if submitted and publish a couple if I receive more than one. I have no t-shirts, mugs or pens on this road trip but fame can be yours.

I'd drink to that!

Goodbye to beautiful Regina (and it is!) and hello Montmartre (not Paris!), south east of Regina about 86 km.

Cheers!

Doug