The Okie Story: It began during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl created by a drought that lasted from 1930 to 1936. The drought extended over south-eastern Colorado, south-western Kansas, north-eastern New Mexico and the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma. Oklahoma was especially hard hit.
The Okie Nagan Story: It begins nearly a 100 years later in the severely drought stricken Okanagan Valley. The Great Smoke Bowl, created by wild fires easily started in the tinder dry forests surrounding the Valley.
Picture: CTV News
We would become known to those we met along the way as the “Okie Nagans”
The “Okies” loaded their meagre belongings in their vehicles with goal of reaching a place that would welcome them. During this period, the San Joaquin valley in California drew over 70,000 migrants with many coming from Oklahoma.
With tears in our eyes and burning lungs, the “Okie Nagans” packed their meagre belongings into a 2016 Toyota Prius with a dream of a smoke free visit with their grandchildren.
A recent move to a smaller place created the need to divest some of their meagre belongings. An historic family table entrusted to Nonie in the 70”s by her mom who had been given it by her mother had to go. It was now to be entrusted into the keep of a fourth generation great, great, great Granddaughter living in Ontario, making a drive necessary rather than our usual two flights. With only a scant ½ inch to spare, the table was carefully slid into the back of the Prius. As well as the table, an upright cane sewing basket was also loaded for delivery to a great, great, great, great granddaughter to be named at a later date.
The “Okies” faced a long and
arduous 1200 mile (1930 kms) journey to California and were
met with indifference and hatred. It was the Dirty 30’s and many
folks had little concern for the Okies plight. Arriving
in California, they were often forced to work on large farms with low pay living in squatter’s camps under deplorable conditions.
Day 1 had us trading for the smoky skies of Blairmore Alberta. Alberta
was also struggling through a drought with accompanying fires. On the morning
of Day 2 we paid a return visit to Fort McLeod giving us a short break from
driving. We had enjoyed a visit there in the nineties. Nothing much
had changed except for the entrance fee to visit the faux fort.
Day 2, 3 and 4 saw us travelling through the dreaded prairies with our only wish to see just one fricking curve in the road. Terminal boredom was beginning to set in.
To break up this monotony, we spent a day in the Grasslands National Park
where we discovered that our annual national park pass had run out the week
before.
The definition of “grasslands” pretty well describes Grasslands Provincial Park. It was a nice break from the car but not the boring prairie vistas which can only be described as flat. The park is also home to an illusive herd of buffalos. Sadly some very old buffalo poop was as close as we came to seeing them but the prairie dogs were plentiful.
Somewhere near Winnipeg our
GPS went horribly wrong and it became all Dutch to me.
We entered Ontario on Day 5 and spent the next 4 1/2 days traveling through the Good, the Bad and the Ugly that is Ontario.
Lake Country / Muskoka – “This region has some of
Ontario’s most picturesque area’s with radiant lakes and rivers and an array of
activities for all to enjoy year round. Whether you’re after an outdoor
adventure on the waters or by bike, a relaxing getaway at a spa or eco-retreat,
or fun for the whole family, you are sure to find it here.
It took us almost three days to meander our way along the coast lines of Lake Huron and Superior. If you look on Google maps from the Manitoba border deep into the centre of Ontario and you will find thousands of lakes dotting the map.
This is Ontario’s cottage country. Our first day, had us stopping every 10 minutes to admire and enjoy another pristine lake nestled in the rocks of the Canadian Shield. By day three we were still enjoying the lakes but at 120 kilometres and hour.
Tip: Be
aware that if you want to travel to these areas on weekends from April through
September you will need to bring the “patience of Job” for the traffic can be
brutal with Torontonians heading to their cottages. If you are subject to bouts of “road rage”,
know this, it is also hunting territory and that guy you are giving the finger too could be
carrying a rifle. Thankfully it is Canada so it won’t be an assault rifle.
The Bad
Sadly Central Ontario was also suffering through drought conditions and we found ourselves surrounded by forest fires. The smoke was so thick one morning that it left us with terrible tastes in our mouths and a car covered in ash. Thankfully it cleared up as we got closer to the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) with a much healthier layer of smog replacing the smoke.
The Ugly
CBC News: Toronto ranks 3rd most congested city in North America.
Toronto Star: Toronto gridlock is so bad even celebrities are saying it will ‘kill your soul’
Talk to anyone who lives in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) about traffic, be prepared for a long conversation. Having lived in Toronto for a year, we can attest to the above headlines. The other two worse cities are Mexico City (1) and wait for it, Vancouver (2).
Photo: mcleans.ca
One
memorable trip to Ottawa on a long weekend saw us take 3 hours to travel in a rental car from
downtown Toronto to the suburbs of Oshawa. It was a trip of just 60 kilometres,
much of it on supposed freeways. The congestion was caused mostly by the
cottagers escaping Toronto for their cottages in Lake Country, commuters
returning home and me. Hey people, that same trip by Go Train is 55 minutes.
Knowing what we know, I decided to take a longer route that would skirt the edge of GTA and avoid some of that world renowned congestion. Not to be, construction flag persons, congestion, and several car accident road closures made what should have been a pleasant five hour trip (380 kilometres) turn into a hair pulling (figure of speech as I have no hair) 8 ½ hour nightmare.
It was a truly frustrating end to our outbound trip. I was going to have to do some serious thinking about how were going to deal with our return to Penticton, another 4500 kilometres.
