Day 42: Medicine Hat to Maple Creek

Today was a day of Seconds.

I am paying for burning over 10000 calories in the last 2 days, my body needs fuel but I couldn't eat any more at dinner last night.

Depending on how I feel later on up the road, my destination will either be Maple Creek (110km) or Gull Lake (178km).

Leaving Medicine Hat I passed the world's largest tipi, so stopped for a few photos.
Nothing much else happened on the road until Irvine, where I stopped for what was supposed to be a quick snack.
When I was offered a full breakfast, consisting of eggs and bacon and toast, I was suddenly hungrier than I thought. That came with tea.
Irvine's roads are currently being resurfaced, so the town is covered with a fine coating of dust, and smells like new asphalt. I scribbled my name in the visitors  book and continued my journey.
Today I am dealing with a slight headwind, nothing massive, but enough to make me work a bit harder. Having the second breakfast in me helped.

The day was, once again, warm. No, hot. It was hot. I wanted a swim to cool my legs. This possibly was made real when I stopped at the Visitor Info Centre (VIC) in Walsh, a town of 50 people.
Upon entering the building, I was given a bundle of energy bars and a map, and made to sign the visitors book. A new map of Saskatchewan was added to my stash too. The lady who helped me said that there was a campsite with a swimming pool near Maple Creek. That sounded amazing.
That's where I would stay tonight!

Later the power of roadside advertising kicked in and I changed that decision!

I met Kai (Germany) and Antoine (Montreal) at the Saskatchewan/Alberta border and had a quick chat with them.
They are heading to South America over the next 18 months. Kai is trying to grow a periwinkle plant that will eventually cover his bike like a creeper. The hot, dry days are making this little project quite difficult for him.

I left them to their early lunch and continued eastwards, up the slightly rolling hills towards Maple Creek. This is when the advertising kicked in.
Signs om the roadside advertising golf resorts and restaurants started to appear, pushing products onto me.
My brain looked at all of these, decided whether they applied to me or not, and discarded them all. All except the sign advertising steak. Steak!

It was decided then, steak for dinner, but what about the swim?

Kevin: "What's more important Kevin, food or a swim?"
Brain: Swim, it's hot.
Kevin: "Tomorrow will be hot too, I need fuel."
Brain: Swim and steak?
Kevin: "I choose steak. And a cold shower."

I passed the campsite that offered the swimming pool and stopped at the VIC for Maple Creek, a further 5km up the road. They said I could camp on the lawn outside, they wouldn't squeal on me.
No, I was not staying there, I wanted steak, but thank you.
The 8km stretch heading into Maple Creek brought a few issues to light. I was hungry. I was very tired. I had another rear flat!

I got into Willowbend campsite, setup camp, had a cold shower and a jug of chocolate milk, then set about trying to repair my rear tyre.
No visible penetration from the outside. Running a finger around the inside of the tire, I felt a small point pricking through.
Another small piece of wire was poking through, causing the tube to lose air.
This is the second bit of wire I have pulled from the tyre. From the wire beading that is supposed to be protecting me!

Tyre fixed, time for dinner.
I found the steak place and ordered.
It lived up to expectation, and was delicious. The beer wasn't bad either.

Walked back to the campsite for an early night. Tomorrow is going to be a big day.

Distance: 110.3km
Time: 5:27:57
Height gained/lost: 445m /-391m
Calories: 3079