Saskatchewan Rush Hour

Ok... so now you've done driving through the cities worrying about the biggest shopping day of the year. As I've now accomplished the Annual Trek to Saskatchewan and can let you know about my FABULOUS driving skills. Well, I've done it through another type of rush hour and driving intensity and thought that I'd share my wisdom with you... (hold onto your seats!)

• Swerving is an important skill! But that would be around the road kill and the snow drifts instead of to be a defensive driver racing down the major road to get the next Wii for his child.
• Speak to the fellow commuters/travelers. Unlike the city where people speaking 'digitally' to you is not the greatest experience, you just use two fingers lifted a couple inches off your driving wheel to greet everyone. Decoded for all you non-Saskatchewanites: Have a great day! Good luck! Safe travels! Isn't it cold and blowy out today?
• Convenient Paying System. Now Pay-at-the-Pump doesn't work but the guy inside the local Esso talks to you, thanks you for your purchase and wishes you a Merry Christmas (and actually means it!)
• Signage is important. If you need to look for road signs, they do exist but they are very small. When you are going to the cool, organic, environmentally friendly mill, you can find homespun signs... hand painted, rather smallish and attached to the side of the abandoned gas station.
• Directions are freely given. This isn't through google earth, yahoo maps but rather through your friend's husband who you frantically call from your cell phone (thank goodness for coverage in those couple of miles) who lets you know to turn after the valley and at the pine trees. In the prairies, these are helpful clues.
• Construction men are hotties! Now, this might not be the hunk you imagine in the middle of the summer with the picturesque backdrop. No, this is the rather layered Hutterite unmarried man (I know these things... he didn't have a beard) who is driving a big tractor, has a toque on and has such a thick Dutch accent that he is hard to understand.
• Arrival is exciting! After your adventures in prairie driving, you are excited to arrive at your destination and you might even get invited over to people's house for "A Tea and a Pee!"

Spoiler: None of this has been fabricated and has been provided as helpful hints for your next driving adventures. And you thought you had an adventure spending 20 minutes in Costco's parking lot today!