Day 27: Family, Friends, and a Ferry Crossing
59 km ran today; ~1,322 km total
Saturday, June 20th, 2026
Distance Ran Today: 59 km
Total Distance Ran: ~1,322 km
Projected Total Distance to Run: ~1,570 km
Progress: ~84.2% complete
Remaining Distance: ~248 km
Another sunny Saskatchewan morning greeted us when we woke up. The weather couldn't have been much better, and after several weeks on the road I've learned not to take these bluebird days for granted. My shin splints were making themselves known first thing in the morning, but there were lots of people joining us throughout the day and I was looking forward to seeing everyone.
Early morning at camp. Another bluebird Saskatchewan day was about to begin.
The body was feeling the accumulated kilometres. My shin splints had flared up making it one of those mornings where getting started required a little extra patience, a little extra care, and yes, a little Tylenol.
Loading up for another day!
Fortunately, I wasn't facing the day alone. Sandy was once again hard at work helping get me moving before the kilometres began.
Sandy once again stepped into her role as trail nurse before the day's kilometres began.
Even Frogger and Gnome seemed ready for another day on the road.
Frogger and Gnome faithfully guarded yesterday's finish line and waited for the journey to continue.
One of the highlights of the morning was welcoming Jack and Logan, who arrived to pace for the day. Having fresh legs and good company always lifts the mood. Jack was with me way up north for quite a few days. Logan was planning to meet up with me in the north too, but with those few days I had to take off, it messed up those plans a bit. Nonetheless, it was awesome to have my two good friends from Joggers and Lagers joining me
A couple of hours into the run, things started loosening up and I was moving much better than I had been at the start.
A few hours in and the legs were finally loosening up. Things felt much better than they had that morning.
Jack and Logan joined the adventure today!
Along the way, cousin Kalim showed up with a candy delivery, which immediately improved morale.
Cousin Kalim arrived with a very important delivery: candy.
Not long after, Saskatchewan kindness showed up once again. A local farmer stopped and made a donation toward the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada.
A local farmer stopped to make a donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada.
By lunchtime we arrived at one of the day's major landmarks: the Riverhurst Ferry.
Lunch break overlooking the South Saskatchewan River before the ferry crossing.
Crossing the South Saskatchewan River aboard the Riverhurst Ferry.
The ferry brought another unexpected reminder of how many people have been quietly following this journey.
A gentleman recognized the run, called his wife, and told us she had been following along online. Before the ferry crossing was over, they had made a donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada.
A conversation on the ferry turned into another donation. His wife had been following the journey online and wanted to help the cause.
The afternoon brought more rolling prairie roads, wide-open skies, and plenty of good conversation.
Good company, prairie roads, and endless skies made for a memorable afternoon.
One thing that made this day especially memorable was how much family and community showed up along the route. It seemed like every stop brought another familiar face, another hug, or another opportunity to reconnect.
Theresa's snack station quickly became the most popular stop of the afternoon. Tailgate party!
An afternoon break filled with family, friends, and plenty of treats.
My brother, Joal, brought his daughter, Annika and his son, Calden out to support today
With only a few kilometres remaining, Jack, Logan and me headed out for the final stretch together.
Back on the road for the final 6.5 kilometres of the day.
By day's end, another 59 kilometres had been added to the journey, bringing the total distance covered to 1,322 kilometres.
As always, Frogger and Gnome were there to mark the finish.
Another day complete. Another starting point marked with Frogger and Gnome…and wind turbine pose to cap it off
The evening ended with something that has been in short supply lately: a date night with Chad.
We camped on the lawn of Dylan's seasonal site at Palliser Regional Park, where Auntie Chris spoiled us with an incredible meal.
Quesadillas, cream cheese and cranberry pinwheels, charcuterie treats, homemade Mars bars, and butter tarts somehow all made their way to our campsite.
After nearly four weeks on the road, it was a pretty perfect way to end the day.
Auntie Chris created a feast fit for a celebration: quesadillas, pinwheels, charcuterie, homemade Mars bars, and butter tarts.
After nearly a month on the road, a simple date night was pretty awesome.
By the end of the day, another 59 kilometres had been added to the journey. That brought my total distance to approximately 1,322 kilometres since leaving Stony Rapids, with roughly 248 kilometres remaining before reaching the Saskatchewan–Montana border.
The finish line is beginning to feel real, but there are still plenty of steps left between here and there.
Why I'm Running
On May 25th 2026, I set out to run approximately 1,570 kilometres from as far as we can drive in northern Saskatchewan to the Montana border in the south.
I'm running in memory of my mom, Louise, who died from leukemia at age 38. I turned 38 on June 12th (a couple of weeks ago), and this journey is my way of honouring her life.
This run is also about something bigger than one person or one story. Through Every Step Is Good, I'm raising funds and awareness for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada while promoting the power of movement, community, and daily action to support mental health.
Every kilometre across the Canadian Shield, parkland, and prairie reminds me that progress rarely happens all at once. It happens one step at a time.
