We visited the RCMP academy in Regina today and it was a very interesting museum. It traced the history of the Mounties which really started out as the North West Mounted Police in 1873. This academy is where EVERY wannabe goes to become a Mountie. This November the Depot Division will celebrate it's 125 year anniversary . It is the oldest RCMP establishment that has not moved or relocated or restarted. In one of the theaters it showcased how the Klondike gold rush really established the Mountie as we know it today. Previously it was a police force that used police force action to keep the peace. During the gold rush the Mounties changed their tactics to become more of a peace-keeping force using peaceful methods instead of force. During the summer they have guided tours of the actual academy (which is HUGE), but because there are cadets there now the academy is closed to visitors. One interesting fact, that I didn't know, was that the "mounted" part of the RCMP was ended in 1966. Now the horses are only used for the musical ride and special events. If you are interested in getting more information about RCMP you can go to their web site www.rcmpheritagecentre.com.
Tomorrow is a travel day to Brandon, Manitoba. Oh, for those who are curious about the weather we've had - it's been very cold at night (as low as high 30's), but average in the day (low 60's). We had rain for the first two days, but nothing since then. The province of Saskatchewan has had torrential rains for most of the summer so they are very waterlogged - rivers and streams have flooded and there is still standing water all around.
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