Although it may not be the fastest way to travel, "Terry Doerksen's" journey across the border by ox cart is the way to go. "Doerksen" and his wife "Patty" are heading to the "Red River Trail" route in an original ox cart pulled by their short ox named "Zeke".

As for why Doerksen is making the unique trip? He said, "The easy answer is that I love history." "I love touching history, feeling it, seeing what they saw, and experiencing what they went through in the day."

"Doerksen" said his former boss made the cart with the help of "Armand Jerome," a "Métis Red River" cart maker. With the cart completed, the training with "Zeke" for the adventure began last year.

The training paid off, as Doerksen, Patty, and Zeke set out on their historic journey southward. The trio plans to travel about 15 miles (about 24 kilometers) daily, following the Red River Trail, which dates back to Fort Garry and the Red River Colony.

He said, "The Red River Trail was essentially what enabled Winnipeg to become a city, and actually, on the other end, St. Paul, Minnesota, to become a city." This connection to Manitoba and Métis history is what motivated Doerksen, who is not Métis himself, to embark on the journey. He said, "I love Manitoba's history, I think we have one of the most amazing histories."

"I don't know if other provinces compare or not, but to me, it seems like there are a lot of interesting things that happened in Manitoba." He is expected to arrive in St. Paul, Minnesota by mid-July.