Belonging Between the Spokes

Belonging Between the Spokes

by Madi A. 02/2026

The Planning

While she was in her early forties, she reunited with her biological sister in August 2003. By April 2004, she flew, for the third time in her life, out west to meet her maternal grandmother and relatives. 

Even though she and her sister were heading to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (SK),  they had to transfer from Toronto to Calgary, Alberta, and then from Calgary to Saskatoon (SK). 

Her very first flight had been in the early 1990s, traveling from Northern Ontario to Orlando, Florida. The second time was a flight to Las Vegas, Nevada, in the late 1990s. 

She was so excited to meet her grandmother, and they shared a wonderful long weekend of travel.  She met a maternal aunt and cousin who made her feel so welcome with homemade family dinners that could only be described as feasts. 

During their visit, news of the biennial family reunion, scheduled for July 2004 in North Alberta (AB), became a welcome topic of conversation.  

It was a wonderful opportunity to meet relatives spread across  Canada, the United States, and England. It would be a great momentous event to have everyone in one space. 

Her mind was set on going, but planning it was another matter entirely. As a single parent of three children with a modest income, traveling had never been part of her budget, and she had only three months to make it happen.  

Initially, her sister planned a flight, followed by expenses of staying in and traveling from Saskatchewan to Alberta. It seemed like an impossible goal.

She looked at other options, such as the Greyhound bus and the train, but the costs remained out of reach.

A few weeks before she was ready to give up hope, her sister reached out with a possibility: a cousin from Southern Ontario was driving west for two weeks with her two children. The connection was made, and a possibility emerged. The only remaining obstacle was finding a way back to Ontario, as the cousin was intended to vacation out west for an additional week.  

Finally, a ride west was planned! All she needed to do was to finalize the return trip.  

Moving forward within her budget, she managed to plan a ten-day trip at a minimal cost.  

With only a week left before her departure, she found her solution: a one-way Greyhound bus fare from Saskatchewan to Ontario. That cost was finally reachable. 

On the way westbound

On a bright summer day in July 2004, her cousin pulled into a gas station in the south end of the northern town where she was waiting. Two young teens were in the back seat along with their dog. The front passenger seat was open for her to occupy after she placed her luggage in the back. After a few minutes of greetings, they were organized and ready for the second leg of the trip.   

Her cousin was a seasoned driver, as her parents lived in Saskatchewan and she would visit regularly. The first night was in Thunder Bay (ON) after making a stop at the Terry Fox Monument. The second leg of the trip was over 1400-kilometers.

The next morning, they got an early start for another 1400-kilometer day. They only made stops for gas, and while stopped, they took bathroom breaks, got snacks, and drinks. 

Even though the children had been traveling that road since they were young, being in a vehicle for hours was hard on both of them. When they started arguing or disagreeing, she tried to create fun games to prevent the driver from dealing with it. If all else fails, she would take out two $5.00 bills and pin them to the ceiling above each child. If the children stopped arguing, they could have the money to spend at the next stop. That little game worked for a few stops.  

They arrived at their destination to a warm welcome, a homemade meal, and comfortable accommodations for everyone. It wasn't a late evening as they were both tired from their two-day trip.  

The Reunion

She drove her grandmother's car to Rocky Mountain House, Alberta (AB), where the reunion was scheduled.  Her sister flew into Calgary (AB) and drove north to meet her.  By Friday afternoon, she, her sister, her cousin, and her two children were reunited in a large cabin with three bedrooms, plenty of room for everyone. It was wonderful to see the big plan come together. 

The festivities began that night with registration, followed by a meet and greet, and a BBQ dinner. Many relatives had parked their RVs on the grounds, and a massive circle of people in camping chairs formed around a huge fire pit. Everyone was simply happy to be there. At dusk, the gathering turned into a lively pit party.  

The most impressive sight was a massive sheet of paper hanging on the hall wall: a detailed drawing of the Wagonwheel representing their genealogy. 

-​The Hub: Contains the names of their family ancestors.

-The Spokes: Each band represented a specific family branch.

-​The Felloes: Represented the current generation.

Her Grandmother was adamant about splitting the spoke so that her name and her children's names ran parallel to her sister's information, right next to their biological parents' names. With that added, the tree was finally complete.

The next day, the community centre was filled for breakfast, then lunch, and pot-luck dinner. The day was packed with activities: a horseshoe tournament, children's games, and a silent auction, all ending with music and dancing. The following morning concluded with a brunch and a final gathering for farewells.  By mid-afternoon, everyone was heading home.  

The Journey Back to Grandmother's 

She began the drive back to her grandmother's house in Saskatchewan with her sister and cousins.  They stopped in Drumheller to visit the dinosaur display and take in the Badlands.  The cousins paused for a photo along the Yellowhead Highway with the Rockies in the background.  It was incredibly picturesque;  even though the others had grown up in this environment, this was all brand-new landscape for her to absorb.

A Week at Grandmother’s

The family was gathered at Grandma's house for a week-long visit leading up to a cousin's wedding the following Saturday. It was the perfect time to get to know everyone. There was “barnight” every evening at the local pub, which was within walking distance. One afternoon, while walking by, she saw two horses tied up outside at the hitching rail.  Two cowgirls were in the bar having lunch, a sight urban relatives from  Ontario certainly weren't used to seeing. 

The week was a blur of pool and dart, afternoon drinks, lunches, and family dinners. Everyone pitched in to make it work.

The experience was overwhelming for someone coming from a small family. She spent the week memorizing names, hometowns, and lineages, joking to herself that she hoped that there wouldn't be any quiz at the end of the week. 

The wedding was beautiful, but the day after brought the bittersweet reality of departures.  Before her sister caught a Sunday flight to be in Southern Ontario by Monday morning, the sisters went to pay their respects to their late mother,  who was laid to rest alongside other family members in the cemetery near her Grandmother's house. It was a deeply emotional visit, and the family remained quiet for a few hours afterwards. She felt a rush of mixed emotions, happy to have found the final pieces of her family puzzle, but saddened by the circumstances of her mother's absence.

The next morning, she prepared for her one-way Greyhound bus trip. Her Grandmother couldn't bring herself to come to the bus stop; it was too painful. The last time she had said goodbye at the station was years ago when she watched her late daughter, the girl's mother, leave. 

An uncle drove her to the station. Once she was on the bus, she could see her relatives waving goodbye. As she settled in for the thirty-five-hour ride home, she used the quiet time to reflect on the past ten days. Being present for every moment was vital. This wasn't just a family reunion; it was the completion of a massive chapter in her life. She finally belonged!!! 

Present Day: July 2026

Years later, it occurred to her that another family reunion should be part of the plans.  As her sister has one granddaughter and three grandsons to add to the Wagonwheel spoke, she herself has two granddaughters and three grandsons of her own to add.

With the new invitation for July 2026 arriving, the possibilities usually fall into three categories: logistical, emotional, and financial. Since her circumstances previously kept her away, this moment feels like a crossroad.

Alberta

RV parking on the grounds

Wagonwheel genealogy