It is a full on annual tradition now. Summer in Saskatchewan means hopping in the car, making our way south to Regina, getting dressed in green, and heading to a Riders game. And like our football trips the previous two years, we were given yet another spectacular day to sit outside and cheer on the good guys. As one super Rider fan used to quip… sea of green, sky of blue.
When my wife and I hit the road out of Saskatoon to Regina in late July, we were embarking on our first “annual tradition” since moving to Saskatchewan. A Riders game. Last year’s game was our first and we had a great time – football, food and for me, the first feelings of belonging in Saskatchewan. With a year on the prairies under our belt, we headed south to cheer on our team in what is now an expected part of every summer here.
And similar to last year, there were preparations before heading to the game. Like applying a Gainer tattoo before making our way out to the stadium…
It has been quite the year. Early on the morning of March 31, 2016, I headed to the airport in Halifax with two suitcases of clothes and belongings. About nine hours later, I landed in Saskatoon, took a cab downtown and walked into a temporary apartment a few days before starting my new job. Those early weeks were a jumble of emotions, especially until my wife joined me almost two months later. I have laughed a lot, learned a lot, and shed a few tears during a year of establishing my life on the prairies.
Looking back, it has been a treat to experience Saskatchewan’s uniqueness. In no order, here are some of my favourite “Saskatchewan firsts” in the year I’ve called Saskatoon home. Not surprisingly, a lot of these are going to be weather related.
1. First Riders game – To make me feel right at home, the green guys lost by falling apart late in the game, just like every team I’ve cheered for. This trip down to Regina to take in a game will be an annual tradition for us.
A quick two day trip to Regina to take in my first ever Roughriders game allowed just enough time to squeeze in a few craft beer tastings as I continue to explore Saskatchewan and western Canadian beers that I hadn’t been able to sample while living in Halifax. Beer Brothers, a beer-focused bar in downtown Regina, was the stop following an after work drive into the city from Saskatoon on a Friday afternoon. While my wife ordered from a reasonable selection of gluten-free options on their menu, I went to work trying a couple of beers. On the left, I started with three small samples and was especially impressed with the Rebellion margarita gose (lime, slightly salty and sour, a wonderful summer beer) and their double black IPA. I’ve become quite the Rebellion fan since moving out here, and selected a pint of their regular IPA, now one of my go-to beers, for my meal.
Although finding your place in a new city and a new province takes time, I’ve been pleasantly surprised how quickly my new hometown has truly felt like home. Before moving to Saskatchewan, I really only knew of the province through a few of its far reaching stereotypes – the cold, the wheat, and yes, the Roughriders. I’m still awaiting my first cold snap – moving here in April was a brilliant stroke of timing. I’ve sampled liberally a number of delicacies made with the staple crop of the province, and now, I’ve perhaps become a real Saskatchewanian (Saskatchewaner?)… I’ve seen my first Roughriders game in person.
Continuing the tradition of my wife and I taking an annual “honeymoon” trip in lieu of anniversary gifts, honeymoon #4 was a weekend in Regina to see our new favourite team. Although this trip was a blast, my wife has insisted that honeymoon #5 be more along the lines of previous destinations (Puerto Rico, San Diego/Tijuana, Boston). But I digress.
Game day in Regina got underway with an incredible bit of good luck and timing. Off on a search for coffee, I stumbled into a celebration of the 1966 Grey Cup winning Riders team happening in our hotel. They had brought along the Grey Cup and I got to spend a few minutes with this iconic symbol of Canada. It’s dented and scratched up. It’s clearly a good times trophy and I can’t imagine the likes of the parties it has seen in its 106 years of life.
Bluenose Traveler 