Day 52: Grenfell to Moosomin

Thankfully there was no more drama in the night. I was woken early this morning as people left camp.
Who leaves camp at 5am anyway?!

Fields of Gold

I took a slow ride through Grenfell, which is tiny, and then latched onto an awesome tailwind that whisked me through quaint little towns, fields of Canola and wheat, and interesting countryside.

I have seen countless hawks or harriers that are being chased by smaller birds, some of the aerobatic maneuvers they perform are just remarkable!
I even got waved at by a train driver. What a day this was turning out to be!

I stopped in Broadview for a boiled egg, which I carry with me. That's enough fuel for another 30km or so. Next stop was Whitewood, where I grabbed an early lunch, or very late second breakfast, I am undecided. While parking my bike, a local pulled up in his van and gave me a few drinks vouchers for Tim Horton's!
Ace!
The locals name was George Chopping, and he ran a museum just outside of town. He has built it all himself over the past few decades, and has been interviewed by National Geographic, amongst other publications.

Warmshowers

Moosomin grain elevator

Tonight I am using Warmshowers for the first time, a website for cyclists to host other cyclists.
I arrived in Moosomin a lot earlier than expected, due to the tailwind, and went to the house to meet Harvey.
He showed me the house, and my room, which was ideal. I dumped my bags and showered, then promptly fell asleep on the bed for 2.5 hours. That never happens to me, but I wasn't complaining, it felt very good.
I went to the Red Barn for dinner, met another cyclist there, and watched the CFL game between Saskatchewan and Calgary. Mid-game the power went out, so I left and went home where I met Blanche, Harvey's wife. I was then served Saskatoon berries and cream, which was delicious!

Blanche and Harvey told me that the storm the previous evening had produced a tornado nearby, and showed me the video (Youtube video) that the storm chasers had taken.
Scary stuff!

Distance: 101.2 km
Time: 3:36:40
Height gained/lost: 155m /-153m
Calories: 3406
 

Day 51: Regina to Grenfell

I left Kathleen and the kids at around 8am and was quickly out of the city. I was making good progress thanks to the gentle tailwind that was pushing me.

Not much different today on the scenery front, apart from seeing a large herd of bison just outside Indian Head, where I stopped in the shade for lunch.
It was another hot day today, with thunderstorm warnings issued for later in the day.

I stopped at Wolseley and walked across the famous swinging bridge, and stopped and spoke to a family who were just in awe of what I was doing. While in town, I met another South African, who now lives in Edmonton, and had a quick chat with him.

Leaving Wolseley I watched the nice fluffy clouds in front of me change shape, some getting bigger, others staying the same size, just getting fluffier. Just out of curiosity I looked behind me to see what was happening there.

Jiminy Cricket!
Stop the bike!
Take a photo!

That was something to look at. The entire horizon was pitch black and I had to tip my head back to see the top of the cloud. Rain was already falling to the south of me.
I had 26km to go to Grenfell and did not want to be caught in this monster! I had heard how violent these storms can be.

Setting of again, this time with a bit more effort in each pedal stroke, I saw lightning striking to the north.
The race was on, was I going to get caught or would I make it safely to cover? I kept checking on the progress of the storm and was soon happy I wouldn't get caught. At one point I saw a funnel cloud start to form, but it quickly disappeared. Could this produce tornadoes?
Eek...

Grenfell arrived and I ducked into the campsite and quickly setup my tent, chucking all my bags inside once done. No sooner had I zipped up the tent, with me inside it, did the heavens open. Big raindrops pelted my tent, smacking it wetly.
Then came the wind, buffeting my tent.
And then, a weird noise, followed by cries from people.
I poked my head out and saw the biggest hailstones I have ever seen, whacking everything in sight. My tent withstood the barrage, but some of the cars and caravan awnings in the camp got damaged.

Fifteen minutes later, it had all cleared and the evening was now beautiful and sunny, the air clean and clear.

I had a good dinner and was in bed relatively early, only to be woken in the night by trains shunting.

Distance: 137.2 km
Time: 6:03:32
Height gained/lost: 311m /-308m
Calories: 3920

Top secret Saskatchewan space program uncovered

Days 46 - 50: Regina

The following takes place between 16 - 20 July.

A lie-in and a slow start to the morning saw us eventually head out to "The Leg" - the Legislative Building situated next to the beautiful Wascana Lake. We stopped to take a look at the building and the gardens, but landed up taking a guided tour around the inside of the building.
It has lovely marble pillars and houses some amazing artwork of the past judges and First Nations elders.


The table used during the meeting of the Fathers of Confederation in Quebec City in 1864 is in the library, but with six feet removed. You can see the cut line in the picture.
Dinner on Sunday night were delicious home-smoked ribs and salad.

Monday was bike cleaning day, and I had the most willing helper. Alexis gave Shirley a wonderful soapy bath and had my tires sparkling in no time. The dirty chain stood no chance and was soon gleaming too! Thanks Alexis, Shirley is now purring and ready for the next stretch of the journey.
I took Shirley to Dutch Cycles, a bike store recommended to me by Brian of the Saski crew while on the Icefields Parkway, to have new handlebar tape wrapped on, as well as to get a new pump.
They did a great job, chucked in a little discount too, and had me back out and home in no time at all.
Monday night was baseball night. We were going to watch the Red Socks. Not those Red Socks, but the Regina Red Socks.
At the Mount Pleasant diamond, the home side took the victory over Moose Jaw, 10-3.
The smoke from the BC fires had blown in all day and provided us with a fireball red sunset!

Tuesday morning we went to the Mosaic Stadium to watch the Saskatchewan Roughriders practice. They are the local CFL team and are playing Clagary this weekend. Following the stadium, Kathleen, the kids and I went to Coney Island Cafe for poutine! You can have any topping imaginable, and the same goes for their milkshakes! Tonight I met with Brian and Aldona, and kids, from the Icefields Parkway, for dinner. A lovely feast was provided. Thank you, it was really good to see you again!

Wednesday morning we went to the Royal Saskatchewan Museum followed by lunch in Victoria Park. We unfortunately missed the farmers market, oh well.
We made our way to Milky Way this evening for ice cream. The weather had been amazing the last few days, and tonight is no different. Calm, and warm, it's a perfect night for ice cream.

Thursday. A shopping day. I picked up a few items for the road tomorrow, packed my bags and took Shirley for a quick spin. I haven't been on the bike since Saturday, giving my legs a complete break, and the saddle sores a chance to simmer down!

Tomorrow I am aiming for Grenfell, 130km away. Hopefully the wind will assist.

Stats: Week 6

Time to crack out the big days. Some serious cycling was done this week. 833 km in five and a half days!

Total Distance: 2547.7 km
Total Time: 123:29:39
Total Height gained/lost: 21357m /-21628m
Total Calories: 83508

Day 45: Moose Jaw to Regina

Today we find the Moose. Only the largest moose will do.

Moose Jaw is home to the tallest moose in the world, and I need to add it to my list.

A statue on the outskirts of town greets Jim and I as we roll by. The moose looks slightly comical in appearance, but we take the photos anyway.

Main Street

A short day is on the cards for me today, I think Jim may push on, depending on how he feels.

The wind made us pay for yesterday's tailwind right from the start. Hitting us on the right shoulder, it was blowing across us and slowing us down.

We were both a bit flat from putting in 176 km yesterday, so the speed was a touch under 20km/h for most of the day. Jim told me that the stretch between Moose Jaw and Regina was one of the flattest, and he wasn't wrong. Fields of Canola and Flax, yellow and blue respectively, fill the space between the road and the horizon, and I am sure you can see the curvature of the earth out here!

I was sore and tired, and the conversation with Jim had dried up. We were both in the pain cave, and were only focusing on getting to Regina.

We had heard rumours of large group of cyclists coming up behind us, and we saw some flags on the side of the road mentioning Sea2Sea. We stopped in at one of the RV's and spoke to the guys manning the station. They were supporting a trans-Canada cycle tour in aid of ridding the world of poverty. After washing our hands, they allowed us to refill our water bottles and have a few snacks. 

I welcomed the break and the opportunity to get off the bike for a few moments.

We passed another two support vans on the way to Regina, and the first of the cyclists passed us just outside Regina too. It's amazing seeing the speed differential between a loaded touring bike and an unloaded racing bike! A bit disheartening too.

I reached my turnoff and gave Jim a big hug and a thank you, he had certainly made the road a happier place for me over the last day and a half. 

I turned up Lewvan Drive and cycled up to the Whipplers, the sister of the family I had stayed with in Calgary.

What a welcome sight they were!

With very tired and sore legs, I parked my bike in the garage and went in for a lovely shower and a hotdog lunch...

Dinner was a lovely cedar plank salmon...sleep soon followed.

Distance: 81.8 km
Time: 4:13:00
Height gained/lost: 244m /-188m
Calories: 2154

Day 44: Swift Current to Moose Jaw

I headed out of camp at 0745 this morning, planning to take full advantage of the substantial tailwind that had picked up during the night.
This would be ideal for the long shot to Moose Jaw, 176km away.

Legs are still a bit sore, and I can feel a saddle sore building.

Not long after leaving town, a bike bell trills behind me. I slow down and say good morning to Jim Isaak.
He is riding across country too, aiming to finish in St John's in mid-October. It was a blessing to have met him as the road was long and uneventful today. We talked about bikes, trains, bike touring, trains, blogs, faulty phone covers, trains and the tailwind. Having him to talk to was brilliant, the time passed quite quickly and before we knew it we were nearing Chaplin, just in time for lunch.

Today was HOT so the shade and fresh water was very welcome. Chaplin sits on the second largest salt lake in Canada, from which salt and brine shrimp are harvested. The bird sanctuaries are also prolific along this stretch of road. I have seen quite a few pelicans soaring by in the last couple of days.

Caronport in the heat

The next stop was Caronport, not for food but for a cold drink. The temperature was climbing and the salt was collecting on our cycling tops. Hydration is key in this heat!
Jim measured 42 degrees C when we came out of the cafe!

Moose Jaw was less than 20km away now, less than an hour of cycling left in the day. Nice.
Jim and I decided to share a motel room in town, and we settled on Capone's Hideaway, right at the bottom of Main Street.

Beer and Le Tour

It did the job for us. It had air-conditioning, a working shower and comfortable beds.

Dinner was at Boston Pizza. Jim shared the secret that the meatballs and spaghetti here are massive, just perfect for a touring cyclist.
We both ordered a beer and the spag and watched a bit of Canadian Football League (CFL).

We were both exhausted and full of good food, so conversation was soon replaced by snoring when we got back to the room.

Distance: 176.4 km
Time: 6:56:40
Height gained/lost: 431m /-659m
Calories: 5468

Day 43: Maple Creek to Swift Current

Trains

The goods trains kept me awake in the early hours of this morning. They sound their horns when they come through town, warning the 2 level crossings that there is a mile-long train approaching.

Maple Creek

The wind picked up in the night and was blowing quite hard this morning.

I worked my way through to Tompkins in time for morning tea, where I met another 2 cyclists heading eastwards as well. They are only cycling through Sask. this trip, having done BC and Alberta on a previous trip.
We rode through to Gull Lake, the wind switching all the time, sometimes behind us and pushing, then blowing onto our right shoulder at other times.

Gull Lake flat tyre

Lunch in Gull Lake was tasty, and refreshing. We must have looked a sight walking into the cafe, all hot and sweaty. The other patrons eyed us with suspicion for a while.
With lunch done, Dave discovered that his rear wheel was completely flat. I helped him change it and topped my rear wheel, which was looking a little low too.

I headed for Swift Current with the wind at my back and the sun above me. I was cruising now, the wind settled into a SW direction and pushed me all the way into the campsite.

The afternoon heat kicks in at about 4pm, usually the time I roll into campsite. Today was no different. I was parched, poached and pooped.

I setup camp in the shade and set about fixing my rear wheel. For the third time!
Once again, little slivers of wire are sticking through.

Grr...

Distance: 138 km
Time: 6:34:28
Height gained/lost: 563m /-549m
Calories: 3999

Little wires

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