Manitoba man begins Red River Trail trek to the U.S. in an ox cart
While it may not be the fastest way to travel, for Terry Doerksen a trek across the border by ox cart is the way to go.
Doerksen and his wife Patty are heading down the Red River Trail in an authentic ox cart pulled by their shorthorn ox named Zeke.
As for why Doerksen is making the unique journey?
"The easy answer is I like history," he said. "I like touching history and feeling it and seeing what they saw and experiencing what they experienced back in the day."
Doerksen said his former boss made the cart with help from Armand Jerome, a Métis Red River cart builder. With the cart complete, Doerksen said he started training with Zeke for the adventure last year, beginning with the ox pulling a sleigh in the winter and the cart through the summer.
Terry Doerksen and his wife Patty are heading down the Red River Trail in an authentic ox cart pulled by their shorthorn ox named Zeke. (Source: CTV News)
The training has paid off, as Doerksen, Patty and Zeke headed out on their historical trip south. The trio plans to travel about 15 miles (about 24 kilometres) a day, following the Red River Trail, which dates back to Fort Garry and the Red River Colony.
"The Red River Trail was basically what enabled Winnipeg to become a city and, actually, at the other end St. Paul, Minnesota, to become a city," he said.
It's that connection to Manitoba and Métis history which drove Doerksen, who is not Métis himself, to set out on the journey.
"I love Manitoba history. I think we have one of the most amazing histories," he said. "I don't know if the other provinces compare or not, but to me, it just seems like there's so much interesting stuff that has happened in Manitoba."
He expects to reach St. Paul, Minnesota, by mid-July.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Speaker's Nazi veteran invite 'profoundly embarrassing' Trudeau says, as Rota faces calls to resign
Tensions flared in the Commons on Monday over opposition calls for House Speaker Anthony Rota to resign after apologizing to Parliament for inviting, recognizing and leading the chamber in a standing ovation for a man who fought for a Nazi unit during the Second World War.
Poster advertising 'whites-only' children's playtime sparks outrage in B.C. community
Police have launched an investigation into a poster inviting "proud parents of European children" to participate in racially segregated playtime in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.
'Deeply hurtful': Polish ambassador condemns Nazi veteran’s invitation to Canada’s Parliament
Polish ambassador to Canada says House Speaker Anthony Rota's apology doesn’t go far enough after a Nazi veteran was honoured in the House of Commons last Friday.
7 candidates have qualified for the 2nd Republican presidential debate. Here's who missed the cut
The field for the second Republican presidential debate will be smaller than the first.
Vaccination during pregnancy safe, effective and recommended, CMAJ says
The most up-to-date guidelines from the Canadian Medical Association Journal recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for anyone who is pregnant in order to reduce the risk of serious illness to themselves and the children they carry.
Canadian Sikhs stage protests against Indian government over murder
Canadian Sikhs staged small protests outside India's diplomatic missions on Monday, a week after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there may be a link between New Delhi and the murder of a Sikh separatist advocate in British Columbia.
Canada approves Ebola virus vaccine for adults exposed to the deadly disease
Canada has approved a vaccine to prevent Ebola in non-pregnant and otherwise healthy adults aged 18 and older.
We carry DNA from extinct cousins like Neanderthals. Science is now revealing their genetic legacy
Using the new and rapidly improving ability to piece together fragments of ancient DNA, scientists are finding that traits inherited from Neanderthals are still with us now, affecting our fertility, our immune systems, even how our bodies handled the COVID-19 virus.
An airsoft pistol, a machete, and 2 knives: Jury learns of items seized in pickup truck used during attack on a London, Ont. family
The trial of Nathaniel Veltman, 22, continued in Windsor for his actions on June 6, 2021 that killed four people and seriously injured a fifth person. In court on Monday, two forensic identification officers with the London Police Service testified.