Father's Day Ride, pt II

Hidden cemeteries and other gems

On a previous trip in 2023, Paul and I have been to Hyde. But this was the first time to cross the bridge and travel the valley floor to the next bridge a few miles away.

First, this entire section of the valley seems much deeper than the Fort Qu’Appelle area where I live. Biking up these hills are brutal. But that will come later. Second, this section of valley just seems more lush, green, and beautiful than the rest of the valley. I wonder why. I can understand why early settlers would have chosen this area to farm and live…until the railroad was built 7 miles north through the town of Neudorf. I’d like to imagine that I would have stayed in the valley instead of move towards railroad resources in the dull, German settlement northwards.

In preparation of this trip, I discovered that there were at least three prominent looking empty houses from the early 20th century built along the south side of the river. We were only able to view one of them up close. The first had a no trespassing sign. The second, a closed gate. Each were behind trees, far from the entry.

We were able to get a close view of a grand 2-story brick house. It too was a fair distance from the road, behind trees. But we could travel it and view from the edge of a fence. Glorious and well built. Still plumb, straight, and seemingly sturdy. I wonder who lived here, how long, and what year it was built. I may never know.

Just past the brick house down the road was another area of interest. We left the road again and got a closer look. A family cemetery plot! This was beautiful and well maintained. And best of all…public welcome. The earliest marker in this Parker family cemetery was from 1921.

We found a gate that led us to a resting spot on the Qu’Appelle River. Paul has this new app on his phone (Merlin?) that identifies birds chirping within earshot. It is amazing. A list of 5-6 birds with names and a photo start popping up on his phone.

Sometimes, technology gets an A+.