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
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
N.L. gardening store revives 19th century seed-packing machine
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.