Written Directions
We start in Moose Jaw on 9th Avenue heading south. This turns into highway 363 which takes a right turn toward Coderre just outside the city limits. Follow highway 363 to Hodgeville and then turn north on highway 19 to the Trans Canada Highway 1.
Scenery
This route travels through farmland with both ranches and grain. It was surprising to see the hills and gentle curves in this part of the province. As you pass Old Wives Lake, consider the legend of the Cree and Blackfoot where a battle was avoided when the older Cree women created a diversion for the Blackfoot warriors - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Wives_Lake. We took the route in September, after the crops were in, and it was mostly brown with a few trees changing colour. I'm looking forward to a summer trip to enjoy the variety of crop colours.
Drive Enjoyment
Although there are not any sharp turns, there are many sweeping turns on this road with gentle hills and valleys. The pavement is well patched going west but I notices several places where the pavement was breaking up on the east bound side of the highway. Most of the highway is devoid of shoulders. We travelled the entire length of the road at 90 km/h despite the 100 km/h limit for the first half hour out of Moose Jaw.
Tourism Opportunities
We started with a great lunch at Rosies on River Street. There's about a dozen tables inside the restaurant but you need to sit at one of the outdoor picnic tables out front! The staff are friendly and the food will have you talking for the rest of the day.
The small towns in Saskatchewan are slowly getting smaller. Many no longer have conveniences. You might want to take the short trip to the shore of Old Wives Lake to do some bird watching as it's also a bird sanctuary.
At our stop in Hodgeville we met some very friendly local folks both in the Coop store and gas bar and in the parking lot. There were lots of smiles and appreciation for visitors.
Motorcycle Road Additional info
Although the highway condition is sub par, the curves and hills are unexpected and appreciated for a part of the province that most folks consider flat and boring!
