Here's
the deal...
Souris is a quiet little town in
southwestern Manitoba. Its location overlooking the Souris
River makes it an ideal location for such favorite rural Manitoba
pastimes as canoeing, snowmobiling, hiking, and watching television.
It is supposed to be famous for its swinging bridge, but it
didn't seem to be
swinging much when I took the above photo - so???
It is not a likely place for crime, mystery and violence - favorite
pastimes in many other parts of the world. It has in recent months,
however, been the site of a perplexing problem.
The water level on the Souris
River
has begun to drop without any apparent cause. It hasn't
been that high to begin with in recent years and now presents
a real problem. You are the (self-appointed) captain of a team of
would-be hydrology investigation professionals who, by some
mistake, have obtained funding to explore the causes
of this water shortage. To be specific, the team consists of
you and your brother Bernie. You decide upon an expedition to examine
first-hand the water conditions on the river. Along the way you will
have CHOICES to make, that will, as in any expedition, determine the
outcome.
For example, David Thompson camped
here in the winter of 1797. (Why was he campng in the winter?)
He made the
decision to head south
and kept going until he discovered the Mandan Villages near Bismarck
North Dakota. If he had decided to go west he would have only
discovered Saskatchewan. So - lesson learned.
Your
First
Choice:
Space is
limited on
your
canoe. To do a proper investigation, you should take along a good
supply of scientific equipment. To do so however, would limit the space
for emergency rations. You might have rely on good fortune, kind
farmer's wives, and small town restaurants for food. You might have to
rely on your charm. You might starve.
To be
sure,
you
could
skip the equipment. To accomplish your mission, you could rely on your
natural talent for investigation. You could count on your keen powers
of observation.
You
could
start
making your excuses now.
If
you
forego
scientific supplies you could pack in a supply of nourishing rations.
After all, you've got to keep your strength up!
Your decision:
|