Riding her horse through the drive-through at Tim Horton’s was an item on Katelyn Stromgren’s bucket list, as was sleeping the night with her horse and a tent in a Wal-Mart parking lot.
Katelyn was able to accomplish both in Weyburn, as she rode her horse Whiskey along Highway 13 on her way through to Kelowna, B.C.
Originally from there, the 22-year-old had moved to Montreal for a time, and when things didn’t pan out for her there, she decided to ride her horse back home to B.C., and see Canada from the saddle.
This was last year, but after riding up through Northern Ontario and into Manitoba, she was only able to make it to a small town near Winnipeg.
With her horse suffering some injuries from the ride, Katelyn decided to board the horse there for the winter and let him rest up, and on May 21 this year, she resumed her trip, passing through Weyburn on June 12-13 on her way west.
“It was on my bucket list to go through Tim’s. My horse stuck his head into the window and they were laughing and taking photos,” said Katelyn, and she set up to stay overnight at the Wal-Mart parking lot.
She found it odd nobody from the store said anything to her that evening — but the next morning, the police came by to talk to her, along with two managers from the Wal-Mart store.
One of the managers said they were concerned about the mess of hay being left behind, and Katelyn explained she fully planned on having it all cleaned up before she left.
On her blog, she wrote, “Way to go, Walmart. Thanks for the chuckle. … The police officer and I chatted a bit afterwards, she seemed interested in my trip.”
Aside from the visit by the police, Katelyn has found warm hospitality all along the way, which surprised her to an extent.
“I’ve had so much support on this trip. I didn’t I’d have this kind of hospitality. I’ve had to camp way less than I thought, about a third of the time. The rest of the time, people have been willing to put me up for the night,” said Katelyn.
“It’s been a super-fun trip,” she added, although she pointed out, “It’s not easy spending eight hours a day in the saddle.”
Finding the hospitality from strangers along the way, she said, “It’s restored my faith in humanity. They really are good people. I’ve learned if you don’t put yourself out there, you’ll never find out how good people are.”
She’s had Whiskey for about eight years, and he’s about 17 years old.
“He was a lot of work to train. He has personality plus. We’re both super stubborn,” she explained, noting Whiskey has been “teenage-girl proofed.”
“He’s been everywhere with me, and he’s a very bold and confident horse,” said Katelyn.
Asked about her impressions from riding through Saskatchewan, she said, “I love the culture of the prairies. Everybody’s really down-to-earth, and everybody has a normal job. I’ve had no trouble finding hospitality. People just open their doors. So far, I’ve really enjoyed the prairies.”
Seeing the country from the top of her horse, she gets to experience the land and see it close up, and she’s enjoying the process of travelling.
Asked if she has a target of when she wants to reach Kelowna, she replied, “I’m in no rush. If I get there in mid-October, that’s fine. I’ve arranged for everything, so I can come back to a semi-stable life.”
Katelyn noted she can sometimes be a very competitive person, and with this trip she’s learning to take it easy and enjoy herself, not just log so many kilometres every day.
“I love Canada, and love travelling through. I can’t imagine settling in one place,” she said, noting she fell in love with Quebec and fully plans to be back there one day.
“I’ve always been super patriotic. I’ve backpacked through the Maritimes. I love this country and always have,” said Katelyn.
After leaving Weyburn, she hooked up with Gina Bowler in the Trossachs area, as she had been reading Katelyn’s blog and following her travels, so invited her to stay the night there, with promises of other places she could stay at in the Ogema area as she moved westward.
Those interested can follow Katelyn on her blog, which can be found at www.onegirlonehorseonecountry.wordpress.com, or by viewing her Facebook page at One Girl, One Horse, One Country.
