Day 11, June 9th, Fort Macleod to Grassy Lake (140km)

Fort Macleod Alberta

Last night, the wind and rain pounded my tent. I had chosen a good spot to set up camp. A huge fence beside my tent was providing me shielding from the elements. Even though the outside of my tent was soaked, my sleeping bag remained dry inside. In the morning, I was surprised to see the rain had stopped. Using a towel to dry off my tent, I broke camp and prepared to hit the road. As I pulled on my wet shoes and glanced up at the threatening skies, I prayed for a break in the miserable weather.

Historic City Center

I quickly grabbed breakfast at a bakery in the deserted historic section of Fort Macleod.  Hitting the road at half past 8, I saw the RV of the Montreal team beside the road. Every 10km, they switch drivers and Guy was waiting for the cyclists to arrive. For the next 30km, their RV would pass me and pull to the side in 10km intervals while waiting for the cyclists to catch up. Eventually, I got far enough ahead of their team that the RV was stopping behind me. The amazing thing about the prairies is the land is so flat you can see for more than 10km in each direction in some places.

Train Bride Into Lethbridge

My first stop of the day was Lethbridge. I was flying. While I had no tailwind, the flat terrain was smooth and quick. For the first 60km, my average speed was 35km/h. Near Lethbridge, I saw a sign that indicated no cyclists were permitted on the highway ahead. I plugged on determined not to have to enter the city. Powering forward, the shoulder of the road disappeared and for the next few kilometers I was riding the white line like a train rides its rail while traffic zoomed by at 110km/h. My nerves were shot, and I quickly found the nearest exit. Ironically, the exit I chose took me by the Tourist Information Booth. The friendly lady quickly showed me a straight forward detour through the city. I ended up stopping for a snack and checking out the historic part of town.

Grain Elevators Near Tabe

Pushing past Lethbridge, I made my way towards Taber. I was surrounded by fields on either side. Modern grain elevators appeared beside the road. 10Km out, the city came into view. For 20 minutes, I pushed my bike towards the silhouette on the horizon. The prairies can be tough on a rider. Flat roads and long range visiblilty play games with your mind. It's important to establish a regular cadence to maintain consistent speeds. Arriving at Taber, I checked my Odometer. In just over 3 hours, I had made over 95km. The pace had seemed effortless. It was going to be a really good day.

Fields and Windmills

Safeway in Taber ended up being my lunch stop for the day. The clouds were getting really dark so I asked the clerk about the weather. She said it was supposed to rain. Rain storms on the prairies are nasty.  With a wet tent in my drybag, I wanted to set up camp before the rain arrived. Quickly looking at a map, I determined I would stop in 45km at Grassy Lake.

Jean-Pierre, Guy & Michel

Threatening Afternoon Weather

I ended up hanging around Taber for nearly an hour. Hitting the road towards Grassy Lake, I marveled at the cloud formations to my right. Huge cumulus clouds literally blocked out the sun. Between the clouds and the horizon was a small band of brilliant red sky that illuminated giant windmills in the distance. As I stopped to take more pictures Suzette pulled up in Team Montreal's RV. This time we both waited for the cyclists to arrive. Jean Pierre, who was riding with the group speaks the best English. Since we were both calling it a day at Grassy Lake, I rode the final 20km with them to the town. As it turns out, Jean Pierre, Guy, Michel and Suzette are all retired. They look much younger than their age. As we made our way into Grassy Lake, the campground looked abandoned and flooded. Tonight, I'm free camping. Showers cost a buck courtesy of the municipal hall. The guys from Montreal cooked an excellent dinner of spaghetti and acquired the only bottle of wine available at the only store in town. The rain that looked imminent never materialized. Life couldn't get any better at Grassy Lake.

Prairie Farm Scenes

Distance:140km

Average Speed: 24.2km/h

Maximum Speed: 58.9km/h

Time: 5:46

Odometer: 1299km