Drinkin', Laughin', Tellin' Dirty Jokes

Nobody Thinkin' Of Home

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

Riding Mountain National Park Wasagaming, Manitoba Onanole, Manitoba

Must See: The town of Wasagaming, commonly known as Clear Lake, is a laid-back lake town with adorable log cabins, boutique shops, and historic buildings like the Park Theatre - a stroll through town and along the beachfront is a must.  Grab an ice cream cone from the Lake House and you’re set!  If you need a break from the sun, pop into the visitor centre and take a look at the taxidermy museum!

Watering Hole: The Wigwam, which has been open for 87 years, is cosy inside with a great patio outside, and serves some of the BEST Caesars we’ve ever had!  Their food is above-average pub food, making it easy to spend quite a bit of time getting Wigwamed - we were at the lake for 3 days and we managed to squeeze in 5 visits!

Pro-Tip: The Whitehouse Bakery makes a mean breakfast, but sometimes the wait can be a little long.  Skip the line and pick up a couple of their famous cinnamon buns instead!

Hidden Gem: Unfortunately we didn’t have time to stop there this trip, but the Southgate bar in Onanole (just outside of the National Park) is always a good time.  I chipped one of my teeth on a beer bottle there once - a lifelong souvenir from a great night!  And if you’re staying in the park, there is even a shuttle that will take you to and from the bar!

Click on the pictures for stories!

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

Shoal Lake, Manitoba Population: 714

We spent a few days in Shoal Lake, where my family is originally from, and where a lot of my family still lives!  It’s a small farming town and there isn’t always a lot going on, but it feels like home to me and I always love going back.

Our days were spent gardening with my Baba and Papa, jamming at my Uncle Danny’s farm, drinking home brew, eating so much home-made Ukrainian food, and visiting at my cousin Eddie’s farm for our family reunion.  

Western Manitoba is a really beautiful place and if you ever get the chance to visit, especially in the summer, I highly suggest checking it out.

Click on the pictures for stories!

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

Driving Through Saskatchewan Moose Jaw Regina Indian Head

Must See: Anything you can that will break up the monotony!  We weren’t allowed to take any pictures, but we checked out the Tunnels of Moose Jaw which is fairly cheesy but a fun way to kill an hour.  Plus downtown Moose Jaw is actually a lot cuter than you might imagine!

Where To Drink:  We spent the night in Regina in the Warehouse District, which is supposed to be kind of a cool area I think, but we seemed to be the only people out walking around?  Oh well, we had a good time anyway!  We started with some Regina craft beers at Bushwakker, and then had a few less fancy beers (a little more our style) at McNally’s which was pretty fun despite us being literally the only patrons in the bar.  The bartender was great - I don’t think he stopped singing the whole time we were in there, and he offered to make me some perogies to take back to our hotel room to snack on!  Then we headed to Roger’s Lounge for a nightcap, which I drank at record speed because everyone in the bar was terrifying.  If you ever come across a bar whose sign is a purple post-it on a metal door, turn around and walk away immediately.

Pro-Tip:  Regina is a lot less scary in the morning light, and 33 1/3 Coffee Roasters is the nicest little spot to grab your morning coffee!  And total bonus - a really cute vintage shop, T+A Vinyl and Fashion happens to be located in the same building!  You can shop for a new flannel and some pins while sipping on a delicious drink!

Where To Eat: A little down the road from Regina is Indian Head, where you can find the Indian Head Bakery - what a little gem!  We walked in and there was a lineup of locals to the door, so we knew it was gonna be good.  They bake everything you can think of, and serve simple sandwiches on their fresh bread!  They also seemed to have tossed the lettuce in some kind of dressing before making our sandwiches, which made them even more delicious!  We’ll definitely be stopping there again on our next trip east!

Click on the pictures for stories!

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

The winding roads of the Black Hills seem like they were made specially for bikers.  Enjoy the views while rolling down the highway before you sidle up to a bar in Sturgis and make yourself at home for the day. Spend a couple hours drinking with the locals, feeding dollar bills into the jukebox, and being put in your place by a hilarious bartender who could be your grandma - Black Hills Biker Bars.

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

Sundre, Alberta Population: 2610 Hidden Gem: Sundre Pioneer Village & Chester Mjolsness World of Wildlife is both an Alberta history museum AND gratuitous display of a man’s taxidermy collection.  Worth checking out if you’re trying not to start drinking too early.

Waterin’ Hole: Swamp Donkeys - while a little more refined than most saloons we love, they have a jukebox, a pool table, and friendly regulars who might just invite you to sit at their table! Hot Tip: Last time we drove past Swamp Donkey’s (April 2016) there was a big “FOR SALE” sign on it - act fast and you could own the hottest bar in Sundre! Don’t Miss: Grabbing a burger at the Burger Baron! Best Burger Baron in Alberta, according to these people.

Click on the pictures for stories!

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

To All The Dogs We’ve Loved Before. As the sticker on the front of our trusty travel journal says, All I Want Is To Pet All Of The Dogs (thanks @nationofamanda!), and it’s true.

When you’re on the road there is nothing quite as exciting as getting to pet someone’s dog, especially after a couple of beers. A dog in a bar is about as exciting as it gets!

Bonus: Duke’s owner let us babysit while he went inside to gamble in the VLT Tournament (what, that’s a thing?), really allowing us to get some quality time in laying on the floor and crying over how cute he was.

Click on the pictures for stories!

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

Miles City, Montana Population: 8646

Must See: The World-Famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale!  We visited Miles City last year and just fell in love with this little town.  Everyone was so friendly and charming, we couldn’t wait to come back!  This time around, we thought we would check out their annual Bucking Horse Sale.  Turns out this town really knows how to have a good time - from the actual bucking horses at the rodeo grounds, to the 5 live bands playing at the street dance, Miles City knows how to make these Calgarians feel right at home. It’s like the Calgary Stampede back in the good ole days. 

Fun Fact: You can buy a beer in one bar, take it outside into the street dance, and walk into another bar with it!  Genius!

Pro-Tip: Take a break from the street dance and go for a walk to the VFW to check out their classic country band and share a dance or two with a veteran.  If Clyde is there you’ll be asked for a dance for sure!

Click on the pictures for stories!

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

Alzada, Montana Population: 29 (*the other 27 people must be hiding in the hills somewhere, because other than the 2 staff working in the bar we didn’t see any signs of life for miles.)

Must See: The Stoneville Saloon - the site of the Valentines Day Shootout of 1884, this Saloon is one of America’s oldest bars. A must-stop for bikers headed to / from Sturgis, the Stoneville Saloon is not to be missed. Give yourself at least an hour to walk around and look at all the hidden treasures here. 

Click on the pictures for stories!

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

Deadwood, South Dakota - Day 2 Established: 1876

Must See: Final Resting Place of Wild Bill and Calamity Jane. Worth the $2 cover charge, and if you climb to the top of the hill there are beautiful views of the town of Deadwood. 

Fun Fact: Deadwood was also home to some other interesting characters, like Potato Creek Johnny and Poker Alice.   Fun Fact #2: Calamity Jane was a bit of a storyteller, and despite telling everyone that her & Wild Bill were an item (and going so far as being buried next to him) there was actually nothing going on between them! 

Click on the pictures for stories!

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

Deadwood, South Dakota - Day 1 Population: 1288

Must See: Saloon #10 - cold beers, great staff, gambling, and daily reenactments of Wild Bill’s death - this place is the best!  The Saloon #10 is a slice of Wild West history loaded with endless photos, sawdust floors, and an old-style gaming room.  We spent a lot of time here and enjoyed every minute of it, meeting some of our favourite people of the whole trip!  And hey, if Wild Bill himself tips his hat to you and you fall off your stool, well we think that’s just the icing on the cake!

Pro-Tip:  Walk to Chinatown (one block away from Main Street) and check out the Deadwood Gulch Saloon - penny slots, free beers, free popcorn, and free ice cream!!

Click on the pictures for stories!

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

Day Drive Through The Black Hills of South Dakota Custer State Park Mount Rushmore Sturgis

Must See: The Begging Burros of Custer State Park!  These feral donkeys were introduced to the area about 100 years ago, and have since learned that tourists driving through the park are a pretty easy source of food!  We picked up a bag of carrots on our way, but we probably could have used 2 or 3 more!  As soon as we rounded the corner to the donkeys, we were completely surrounded with at least 4 hungry mouths reaching into the car at a time!  It was the best!

Pro-Tip: Mount Rushmore was pretty cool to see, but if you don’t feel like paying to spend a few hours in the interpretive centre, you can just find a spot to pull over and snap some quick pictures!

Don’t Miss It: About ten minutes west of Mount Rushmore, you can catch the Crazy Horse Memorial from the highway!  We didn’t get a picture, but it was cool!  

Fun Fact: Throughout the year, Sturgis is just a regular small town with a population of about 6800.  We were pretty much the only people walking down the main street (which boasts some pretty awesome antique & thrift stores if that’s your thing - it’s ours!).  But during Rally Week, up to 1.5 million people fill the town! Whoa!

Click on the pictures for stories!

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

Happy Birthday, Hank! Thanks for keeping us Whiskey Bent & Hell Bound!

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

Custer, South Dakota  Population: 2013

Must See: NOTHING!  KEEP DRIVING!  Just kidding. But for real, there wasn’t much happening in this town as we were there just before it gets busy for the season. The Shady Rest Motel is a great place to stay - pick up some groceries and a 6-pack and relax on the porch and enjoy the views.  Pro-Tip: Head a bit further down the road and spend the night in Hill City or Keystone! 

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

Sheridan, Wyoming Population: 17444

Must See: Ok Corral Liquor & Lounge - so far this has been our favourite bar we’ve found!  When we arrived, a bunch of locals were sitting at the bar smoking away and quietly watching Jeopardy.  We left for a while to check out The Pony Grill & Bar, Beaver Creek Saloon, and The Mint Bar, but soon enough we found ourselves back at the Ok Corral.  We spent the night blasting 90s country on the jukebox, learning how to shoot dice, and chatting with our new friends Andy, Ty, Dave (and Spunky!), and the bartender, Beth.  If the Ok Corral was closer to Calgary, we would be there every day!

Fun Fact: Even though we didn’t spend as much time there, The Mint Bar was still really cool, and it used to be a soda shop wit a speakeasy run in the back room way back when!

Click on the pictures for stories!

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

Thermopolis, Wyoming Population: 3019

Must See: Wind River Scenic Byway - the best part of Thermopolis is the drive in and out.  Wind River Canyon came out of nowhere and was one of the prettiest places we’ve ever seen - tall cliffs, tunnels, and a winding river!  Worth detouring to if it wasn’t already on your list! Quick Drink: Stop in at Shorty’s Saloon - be warned, smoking is still allowed in this ultra-small bar, and the locals take full advantage of that. Be prepared to speed down the highway to your next destination with all the windows rolled down trying to air yourself out!

Click on the pictures for stories!

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

Dubois, Wyoming Population: 995

Must See: Two giant Jackalopes at the same gas station!!!

Fun Fact: We were pronouncing Dubois with a French accent - “Du Bwah”, but we were later corrected over a couple beers and were told it’s actually pronounced “Du Boys”.  I guess we really are a couple of Canadian hosers, eh?

Click on the pictures for stories!

[whiskey-bent-hell-bound-blog]

Jackson Hole, Wyoming Population: 9577 Must See: Yellowstone National Park - the best part of our day was coming across a mama bear and her three cubs crossing the road!  We also saw elk, deer, antelope, and what we think was a weasel.

Tip: Grab brunch in Gardiner, MT before heading into the park - we stopped at the Two Bit Saloon for some eggs and toast, and were treated to some “Purple Rain” on the jukebox thanks to a little old cowboy.

Fun Fact: One of the girls we met at Eleanor’s is actually a great great (great great great, we’re not sure how far back) granddaughter of the first owner of The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, who was also the first person to obtain a liquor license in the state of Wyoming!  We’ll drink to that!

Click on the pictures for stories!