Wascana Freewheelers

When I said that I was moving to Regina many people felt obligated to inform me that there are in fact no mountains in Saskatchewan. I took this information into serious consideration but the job offer was just that good, I couldn't refuse. Mindful of the likelihood my previous extracurricular activities would be somewhat curtailed I started looking into alternative fun stuff. Riding bikes is a universal pastime and this is no different in the good old flatland's. Unfortunately both of my bikes were stolen within a week of my bringing them to Regina but thanks to a great friend in Edmonton I returned hooked up and ready to ride again.

The Wascana Freewheelers are a recreational cycling group I found out about from my roommate who invited me to join her while she tried out one of their regular Wednesday evening rides. They meet at the legislature steps and ride around the city for an hour or 2 before stopping for coffee, ice cream or whatever they feel like. It is a self admitted food eating group with a cycling problem. Since then I've been able to join them on a couple of other fun events they plan to keep themselves busy including a progressive dinner ride, scavenger hunt and a Freedom Friday ride out to a small town called Pilot Butte and back.

The yearly progressive dinner ride is just that. We started at one house for appetizers, rode via the scenic route to the next for the main course and off to the last stop for dessert and a hot tub soak. It had such a big turnout this year we had to split into 2 riding groups.


On Her Majesties Service was a scavenger hunt type ride where we rode for nearly 4 hours from government building or area of significance answering obscure questions before meeting back for burgers and bevies. I can easily say that I've seen more of Regina by bike then anything in doing these rides and the people are great!

The teams starting out planning their routes and some of our 27 stops included the Public Library where they show nightly films, Taylor Field where the Roughriders play to see the wall of fame, a local park where we crashed a grad celebration, the Lieutenant Governors House where the kind commissionaire had looked up the answer to our question before we got there (thanks team 3!), the Wascana Center and the Legislature.

Regina Beach

I woke up this morning to the sound of rain and decided that it would be a great day to finish unpacking. Having accomplished that and discovered the clouds had dispersed leaving it sunny and hot outside I went back to plan A and drove out to Regina Beach 70km from Regina. Regina Beach is best described as an active summer village although many folks live there year round. Between summer and winter fishing derby's, their very own triathlon, art festivals and fowl dinners it seems like a fairly happening place to hang out at.
It was your typical beach scene, beach volleyball, families spread out on blankets and towels, bikinis and board shorts, boats with tubes trailing behind them and kids splashing around in the water.
Not being much for crowds to begin with I started to explore a trail the seemed to border the lake. Turns out it wasn't the short trail I had anticipated it to be. The South Shore Trail follows what used to be railroad tracks. The rails are gone leaving behind a decent pathway joining the communities along Last Mountain Lake.

The real reason I decided to turn around was my need for food. Having heard from multiple sources that if one were to ever make their way to Regina Beach then a stop at the Blue Bird Cafe for "the best ever" fish and chips would be in order.
They didn't disappoint!

Wascana Lake

About 2 blocks from my house is a man-made lake with a 4km trail around it known as the Blue Trail. Needless to say it makes it extremely easy to get away for a quick run or walk or sit by the lake on one of the many benches around it when the mood strikes. It even hosts a couple of neat little islands and viewpoints that create some hidden areas of tranquility in an otherwise extremely well used area.

I'm convinced that the rest of Regina agrees with me that it is a great place to be because there doesn't ever seem to be a time that there is no one else around. This at times makes for some interesting dodging of fellow pedestrians, rollerbladers, cyclists and geese. This photo is looking back towards Albert Street where the dam lies under the bridge keeping the water in the lake and my house from flooding. Yeay dam!

This guy is hanging out by himself just behind the dam along some trails bordering the creek even closer to where I live. It's a bit more solitary back there and that is a very good thing sometimes.

Apparently the lake was created way back in 1883 by damming the creek and the name was derived from the word Oscana which means "pile of bones". The Cree would place the bison bones along the creek when working with the hides and drying the meat. It was most recently dredged and deepened in 2004. I'm sure glad I missed that construction and got here this year fully able to enjoy it.

The grounds include the legislative buildings and are nicely maintained and a number of picnic table area's with cement BBQ's are scattered around. All you do is bring your charcoal, food and friends and family and enjoy the day. There are always big groups using the tables or sitting on the grass on the weekends. Of course its pretty hard not to notice the resident geese;

The Wascana Center actually extends way past this 4km loop that I've been using as my running route. In fact it is one of the largest urban green spaces in North America at 2300 acres. The water within the loop I described is used for water sports such as dragon boat regatta's, kayaking, canoeing and sail boating. Beyond this body further along the creek are protected marsh ecosystem lands for birds and other living things.

There are so many things to be explored within this area so this is only meant to be an introduction to this amazing green space within Regina. As the summer progresses I'm sure I'll be adding more about what is in and around the area as I explore and enjoy it myself.

Mosaic Festival

I officially have moved to Regina now having arrived last Friday afternoon. My roommate Kristin suggested that we head out to the Mosaic Multicultural Festival for supper that evening. What a fantastic event! For the past 43 years Regina has hosted this local festival that incorporates the various cultures making up the fabric of the city.


Each pavilion is hosted at a different Regina venue dispersed along 4 bus routes. The cost of bus transport is included in the passport that you get stamped at each pavilion before entry. For a $12.00 passport we traveled to Greece, Kyiv Ukraine, Philippines, Italy, Laos and finished off in Ireland Friday night. I didn't have to drive and so tried out the local food and drink of most countries en route. There were some excellent bevies too, Zorba's Kiss with ouzo, hot pepper infused Vodka and Harp beer although Guinness was also an option.


I spent Saturday riding around Regina and traveling the world by bike. I had the goal of hitting every country by the end of the festival at midnight and can proudly say that I biked and drank my way around the world in record time and filled my passport with all available stamps. My mom was very proud! From India to Chili, Romania, Scotland, Hungary, the Caribbean, Ethiopia, Germany, China, Poltava Ukraine, the Aboriginal Pavilion, Latin America and finally Austria the good food and dancing continued.


I can't say which were my favourites but when the dancing was happening or the show just starting at any particular pavilion I found I stayed longest. The dancing was amazing to watch, the costumes spectacular and many of the pavilions showcased kids of all ages dancing up a storm and without a doubt extremely proud of their heritage.

La Bodega (aka The Treehouse)

We went to La Bodega my first night in Regina, and then I went again on the second night because I supposed I was addicted and well it's about 5 minutes walking distance from the house. How could I not be instantly in love with a three level outdoor patio built around a tree with white tinkle lights? They make the best brunch too!


They serve a huge variety of tapas, offer 2 pages worth of martini’s (including infamous specialties such as "The Spooner") and white wine sangria as their summer special. Trust me that when it’s 30 degrees in Regina sitting in the treehouse listening to mellow Spanish-reggae and sipping on white wine sangria life is pretty good.


At night when it gets dark enough to see the twinkle lights they show concerts on the huge 3 story out door screen against the wall of the building. It's definitely a very cool place!

In the interest of keeping things up to date and traditions alive another La Bodega evening to celebrate the arrival of a new roommate to Angus Crescent took place. Pei Ju is staying with us for a month before Kristen comes back.

I found a place to live!

I have completely lucked out and found the best roommates I could have possibly met to share a grand old character house. I have to keep my screenless window open with an empty whiskey tin box and a piece of wood but it’s a very quiet road where all I can hear are the birds singing during the day and into the evening. The hardwood floors creak with each footstep and we can hear occasional moans of the apparently friendly ghost that lives here too. This is our street and our house is the red one:

Most people will have heard of the father of Canadian Medicare, Tommy Douglas, he lived on this street too. This picture was taken while walking from our house to his house. Check out all the wonderful big trees:

And this was Tommy Douglas’s house:

The Crescents are in the historical Cathedral area of Regina named for this big cathedral in the local shopping district on 13th Avenue.

It seems like everything important is within walking distance including most significantly very cool and unique hangouts. There will definitely be more about those to come!