#3: [29-Dec-01]

#2: [02-Sep-01]

08-Sep-2001 -- 52N 111W was to be the third confluence we would reach during our one-day tour of Saskatchewan and Alberta (please see start of tour at 53N 108W).

From the previous confluence ( 53N 111W), it was a simple matter of driving roughly 100 kilometres south on Route 41 to the town of Consort, then heading west on Highway 12 for about 15 kilometres to the general area of 52N 111W.

The confluence is located only a couple of hundred metres north of Highway 12. We found an access road off of Highway 12 that did not appear on our MapQuest maps (see photo 8). A sign posted at the start of the road indicated that the land was controlled by Taurus Explorations (apparently an oil exploration company). A second sign informed us that motorized vehicles were not allowed without prior permission, but that travel by foot was allowed at our own risk. Therefore, we parked the car and started walking up the dirt road.

Only 100 metres along the road, we were startled by the pounding of hooves. We turned back to see a cream-coloured cow standing only metres away from us. She looked as startled to see us as we were to see her. She slowly walked away, but all the while kept a cautious eye on us.

We turned right (east) off of the dirt road onto a path that headed towards an oil well (see photo 7). We walked past the oil well and the patch of trees beside it to find the confluence in a clearing beyond. Judging by the abundance of meadow muffins (aka cow pies) in the area, the land was being used for grazing livestock.

We quickly set about taking our confluence photos. There was a large bank of clouds on the western horizon and the sun was about to disappear behind it.

We had now successfully reached three confluences since departing Saskatoon at 10:30 that morning. It was now 6:30 p.m. and time to gas up the car and drive the 330 kilometres back to Saskatoon. In the morning, we would attempt our fourth and final confluence, 53N 106W, before heading back to Boston.