Cross Canada Tour
Day 11 - June 18th - Fort MacLeod to Bow Island
166 Kms
And without that nice tailwind I might add! In fact, I rode into a headwind all day, probably between 10 and 15 Kms. I was going to stop at Taber, but once again, I felt like riding a bit further. By the time I figured where I could camp or lay my weary body, I was all the way to Bow Island. There is no island here, so I don't know where the name originates from.
Back to yesterday - I paid a visit to the local museum and fort in Fort Macleod, what an interesting place, but I only had a half-hour to explore as they closed at 5:00 p.m. They have some neat and interesting artifacts, together with lots of information on the trek of the Mounties along the Red Coat Trail - it must have been quite the journey in those days!
I woke up in the middle of the night to realise that the sound of the strong westerly wind had abated and was replaced by the pitter-patter of raindrops. Needless to say, it was very tough to crawl out of my cocoon of a sleeping bag in the morning. But I did, and thankfully the rain stopped long enough for me to make my oatmeal and tea and put my wet tent away. It rained a bit more on me as I rode, but then stopped to be replaced by that annoying headwind. As I pulled into Bow Island, the sky was darkening and I felt a few drops of rain. I checked out the campground, which was pretty basic (without showers etc.), so I decided on the cheap motel option instead - wisely so, as a full fledged thunderstorm started soon after I checked in! I've stayed in better places, but for $40.00, who's complaining. Besides it gives me somewhere to dry out my wet gear from this morning. Good restaurant at the motel - while I'm typing this message, I'm scoffing a delicious pizza and quaffing a beer, life's good, the headwind's forgotten!
I happened upon another touring cyclist today, a lady from Victoria, BC no less. She is also heading out to the east coast, but trying to ride as much of the Trans Canada Trail as possible. She rode the KVR portion through some of BC, but is stuck on the pavement now as much of the trail is not complete. She'll have better luck in Quebec and the Maritimes where much more of the TC trail is complete and linked. Her name is Angelica and she's been on the road since May 20th; after a chat we bid our farewells and carried on at our own pace. Perhaps, I'll see her again, who knows? I met up with her just outside Lethbridge, where I had stopped for my second breakfast. I found an "all you can eat" pancake house - they didn't make any money off me! Lethbridge was unnerving to ride through with my loaded touring bike; in many places there was no shoulder at all and with railroad tracks at crazy angles and heavy traffic, I was glad to be through there in one piece.
Both yesterday and today, I spotted a touring cyclist heading west, but both times it was inconvenient to stop and chat. I especially felt sorry for the poor chap I saw yesterday who was bucking those those winds that were such a pleasure to me - Oh well, he looked young and strong!
Scenery wise, the rangelands hardly change, they just go on and on! I was quite excited to come across a hill going into Lethbridge, there was even a sign saying "Hill Ahead." - You had to be there!
Cows are funny! They stand there chewing the cud, oblivious to all the noisy traffic going by, but when I pass, they all stop what they're doing and look up and stare at me! I've noticed this phenomenon in BC, Alberta, and during other voyages with the bicycle and Basil, weird eh? (You can tell that I have a lot of time to ponder such important issues!)
But I digress, Highway 3 from Fort Macleod to Lethbridge is actually designated a part of the Red Coat Trail, so I've already ridden some of it and I'll pick up a bit more of it in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Well it's pouring outside so I think that I'll watch some TV and relax for the night. Hopefully the rains will subside by morning!
Day 12 - June 19th - Bow Island to Walsh
113 Kms
I'm only about 2 Kms from the Saskatchewan border. The next campground or motel would have been too long a haul even with my favourable tailwind. The owners of the campground here at Walsh, almost didn't let me camp here, as the area was under a foot of water just last week, they showed me photos from the local newspaper that pictured a lake not a campground! I cajoled them into letting me stay on in a relatively dry spot on some gravel! They still charged me full price though - but it was only $5.00 with free showers! All the water has to boiled here as the town's system was contaminated with the flood waters. Throughout the last couple of days I've seen much evidence of how the recent heavy rains have flooded many of the low lying areas. One of the reasons that I didn't stay in Taber yesterday was that the campground had only reappeared a couple of days previously, and it was next to a swollen river - very soggy to say the least.
This morning I awoke in my motel room, looked outside and it was still raining. So after a quick breakfast in my room (same old oatmeal, banana & tea) I donned my duck suit and pedalled off in the rain. Luckily, the wind was almost at my back, but it was a cold wet ride to Medicine Hat. In fact, it was only 7 degrees this morning! By the time I reached Medicine Hat the rain had almost stopped, so I pulled into the tourist info centre to find out about the camping spots along my route and the best place for a large hot breakfast - to whence I promptly headed. Good place, but they couldn't get all my order on one plate, so I had to have two!
I couldn't take many photos today, except I had to capture the "Danger" sign that suggested that I stay in my vehicle to view the buffalo - yeah right, my vehicle!
Other observations today... Don't use those black rubber bungies to tie anything down to a vehicle, I've seen hundreds of those things broken at the side of the road and lots of the steel hooks that used to hold them to something.
By the way, Highway 3 in Alberta has the rumble strip along its full length, but the shoulders of the highway are much wider and better maintained than in BC, hence you didn't get too much belly-aching from me for the last few days. I rode the full length of the Crowsnest (3) highway and picked up the TC#1 in Medicine Hat. The TC is much busier, but has a nice wide shoulder, for now anyway! I'll probably stay on the TC until Moose Jaw.
It's sunny and cloudy at present, let's hope that the wet stuff stays away; at least it's warmer than this morning!
Day 13 - June 20th - Walsh, AB to Swift Current, SK
180 Kms
A good day in the saddle with a nice breeze from behind. I was at Gull Lake at around 1:00 p.m. and thought that seeing how the wind and weather were cooperating, I'd carry on and do the other 60 Klicks.
I was expecting a time change at the Saskatchewan border, but Saskatchewan is on Alberta time! I guess that the change will be at the Manitoba border?
Not much to report road wise, except that contrary to popular belief, not all prairie roads are flat. Today's road undulated constantly, albeit at low grades. But I guess that if you have your arse parked in a car's seat and you're cruising along at 100 Kms/hr, it probably does seem fairly flat! Anyhow, the rolling grasslands reminded me a bit of the Yorkshire (my birthplace) moors in Britain, but on a much larger scale.
I ventured upon a couple of young Korean ladies (one from Vancouver and the other from Calgary - their names I would not dare to butcher here!) who also have a destiny of the east coast. They were at the side of the road fixing a flat when I came across them. I showed them how to release the brake cable easily so they could remove the wheel and fix the flat. They had been trying to pull the tube out with the wheel still on the bike and were in the process of starting to remove the brake shoes until I showed them the easy way! They had started out from Calgary on June 4th and seem very determined. (I hope they make it to the coast, but the bikes they were riding may prove to be their downfall, but people have ridden further on less, so I hope they have good luck.) So I wished them well and kind of expected to see them here in Swift Current, as this is the only campground stop after I saw them. They may show up yet though!
I had a quick ride through downtown Swift Current to get some groceries and other necessities (a cold beer!). What a hell hole of one way streets and crappy drivers! I was not amused! The campground's not bad though, the ground's still a little soggy, but bearable. I was planning on having a rest day soon, and was thinking maybe here in Swift Current, but I'm not impressed, so I'll journey on tomorrow.
Today's prime find, at Tompkins, SK - The best ice cream stop yet. Just a shack off the highway but a multitude of flavours and run by a couple of elderly ladies. They even had a guest book for me to sign. I had the double scoop waffle cone with Rolo ice cream - Yumeee!
Today's observations...
9 dead black rubber bungies,
54 live prairie gophers!
Needless to say, I have a lot of time on my hands!
I hope that the weather holds - As they say in this neck of the woods... When it's clear like this on the prairies, one can almost see tomorrow!
Day 14 - June 21st - Swift Current to (almost) Caron
145 Kms
Another slab of roller coaster prairie road under the wheels. The TC, up to now, has been a divided highway, all but about 60 Kms yesterday before Gull Lake. But east of Swift Current it is in poor shape and the condition really deteriorates from the town of Morse all the way to Parkbeg. The shoulder changes continuously, from rough to smooth to potholes to non-existent or un-rideable in many places; in some areas there was a five inch drop from the roadway to the rough gravel of the shoulder! A lot of today was spent on the main roadway, and even that left a lot to be desired! There wasn't much traffic though, so most drivers moved way over into the other lane when passing me. Truckers do this most the time when possible, real gentlemen - most of them anyway! .
The wind was more from the south today, so not as beneficial as hoped; if it stays the same it will be even worse for me tomorrow as I'll be heading south east to Weyburn from Moose Jaw.
I stopped in Herbert for my second breakfast - great coffee shop, full of farmers, all sat around one huge table, chewing the fat. Anyway, as I was leaving, I met another young lady cycle tourist, also heading east. What is it with all these women on the road? We chatted for quite a while and I discovered that Jennifer was from Campbell River (on Vancouver Island). She started her trip in late May travelling almost the same route that I had taken up until Castlegar, where she headed north to Revelstoke, then east to Drumheller and then turned south to pick up the TC. She stayed in the motel at Herbert last night, "spoiling herself," she said. Funnily enough the restaurateur had just finished tell ing me that there was a lady cyclist at the restaurant the previous night, as Jennifer arrived for breakfast this morning! We chatted and said that we may meet up in Caron later in the day, but I decided to stop short, as I found this beautiful park. I saw the sign on the highway for Besant Park, which is about 5Kms west of Caron, so I rode in and checked it out. It's a private park and very quiet. It's the first place that I've not been able to hear the traffic noise of the highway, but the trains are close by - as everywhere it seems!
As I mentioned, I'll be heading south east tomorrow on Highway 39 and then east on 13. I hope that the condition of the TC is not an indication of how the lesser highways will be; but it will be nice to get off the TC anyway.
It was another hot day today, around 30 degrees; I'd prefer it cooler, but it's better than rain! I drank tons of stuff today trying to stay hydrated, plus ice cream and popsicles, at least there are periodic convenience stores at truck stops where I can devour something ice cold.
Today's observations...
26 dead black rubber bungies and only...
17 live prairie gophers!
I keep seeing the "Watch for Deer" signs, but the only deer that I have seen in Saskatchewan have been two dead ones. Lots of different marsh birds though, especially in the areas travelled today.
Phew, I'm still hot after a cool shower - I think that I'll head up to the campground store for something else cold!...
Just got back to the campsite, no sign of Jennifer, but two ladies have set up camp across from my spot, one of them is waving a cold beer at me - got to go!
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