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| Welcome to Grassy Lake |
On the internet, I'd read that the prevailing winds from West to East are strongest in the morning. Hoping to catch a tailwind, I wanted to get off to an early start. Last evening, Jean-Pierre had bought the only bottle of wine stocked in the only store in town. In dire need of supplies for the morning, I had made the trip to the only store in town. Entering the store, I immediately recognized the owner was Korean. "An nyeoung ha seh yo," I greeted him in impeccably bad Korean. He was more than a little shocked. For the next hour, we talked a bit about life in Korea and Canada. After a while, I finally had to ask how did you end up here? Mr. Kim came to Canada in 1999 from Daegu, South Korea in search of a better future for his children. As a new immigrant, it was difficult for him to find suitable work, so he took out a loan and bought the business. You could really sense his pride. I ended up buying a few energy drinks and a granola bar and we talked a bit about my trip. Mr. Kim gave me a few ice cream bars. I had barely spent $5. What a nice guy!
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| Wet Hay Alberta |
My ride to Maple Creek started early. By 6:30am, I was packed and ready to hit the road. Jean-Pierre helped me check my tire pressure because my pump doesn't have a gauge. I was right at the limit, 70psi. Determined to push the limits, I added a few more psi. I told Jean-Pierre that with a little luck, I was going to be in Maple Creek by night. As a soloist, I ride alone and today I was leaving earlier and going further then his team. I shook hands with everyone and wished them all good luck. The last few days had been a lot of fun.
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| End of the Crowsnest |
The ride started off with massive disappointment. Instead of a tailwind, I was facing a stiff South West headwind that hit me from my front right. Prairie winds are powerful and I was fighting to keep strong gusts from pushing my bike from the shoulder on to the road. Barely averaging 15km/h, I limped into Bow Lake and grabbed a quick breakfast. Heading towards the town of Seven Persons, the winds persisted. However, from time to time, the winds would shift and hit me directly from the side. At the 60km mark, the wind shifted again and I now had an indirect South East tailwind blowing from my back right. At about this time, Suzette from the Montreal team pulled up in the RV to see how I was doing. Cava? She inquired with sincerity. Cava bien, I replied, le vent... I didn't know the French word for tailwind so I pointed straight ahead to indicate the winds had shifted. From an average of 15km/h, my bike surged to over 30km/h. I felt like a Tour De France rider who had just been given the world's best performance enhancing drugs. It took me about an hour to complete the remaining 35km to Medicine Hat for lunch.
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| Worlds Larges Tepee |
Medicine Hat is where the Crowsnest Highway ends. It's a relatively big city that serves as a junction for the Trans Canada and Crowsnest Highways. Just past the airport, I saw the sign indicating the end of the Crowsnest and directions to merge onto the Trans Canada Highway next to a cemetery. I had ridden the Crowsnest from start to finish. It really is a little jewel.
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| Massive Grain Elevator & Train Outside Medicine Hat |
After passing the world's largest Tepee, I left Medicine Hat and entered a part of the Badlands known as the Grayburn Coulee Valley. The Grayburn Coulee Valley was named after Constable Marmaduke Grayburn. Grayburn and 5 other officers manned a remote RCMP outpost in this part of Canada during the late 19th century. In 1879, Constable Grayburn was murdered. While a member of a local Indian band was arrested, he was acquitted of the crime due to a lack of evidence. Marmaduke Grayburn's murder was never solved but the valley has retained his name in his honor. Riding through the valley, I came across a massive grain elevator. A train that stretched as far as the eye could see was waiting to be filled. It was an amazing sight. On the prairies you feel exposed. There's nothing but fields for as far as the eye can see.
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| Wildlife Control & Hawk |
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| Dive Bombing Hawk |
A stiff cross wind made progress difficult through the valley. Eventually, I hit Irvine. Up next was Walsh, Alberta's bordertown. Saskatchewan was already visible on the horizon. I was pedalling hard. In the distance, I could see two trucks stopped beside the road. Thinking nothing of it I approached the men standing on the shoulder of the road. In the sky I could see a massive bird about the size of an eagle but not an eagle. She looked angry. Before I could react, this bird dive bombed me with its sharp claws coming within feet of my helmet. It might have hit me had I not ducked at the last possible second. Frazzled, I pulled up beside the truck and a conservation officer approached me. I asked him what the heck was that thing. He told me it was a hawk protecting its nest perched in the only tree visible on this part of the highway. Apparently the hawk had been doing this to cyclists and cars all day long. The conservation officer said they were trying to remove the threat because it had almost created several accidents. He also said the chicks in the nest would be raised in captivity. I'm not sure if removing the threat meant they are going to have to kill the hawk. It's unfortunate but it really was perturbing to have a massive bird flying straight at your head. As I left the area, the hawk made one more go at my head. This time I was ready. I pulled out my camera and took a picture as it started its dive bombing run.
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| In Alberta Wednesday, Out on Friday |
With thoughts of that hawk still in my head, I made it to Walsh. After reloading at the gas station, I moved on. Within minutes, I saw the sign. Welcome to Saskatchewan! I had made it. After entering Alberta on Wednesday morning, I was exiting on Friday afternoon. I had made good time even with the lack of a tailwind for most of the ride. To get to Maple Creek, I still had 48km left to go and it was late afternoon. I pushed forward and the headwind returned. If I was not careful, I would have to set up camp in the dark or even beside the road. Entering Saskatchewan, means you have to climb Cypress Hills. My odometer for the day was already at 140km. I was zapped of energy. The climb on tired legs was difficult even though it was a technically easy climb. After half an hour, I crested the summit. In the distance, I could see Maple Creek almost 30km away.
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| Flooded Grassland Saskatchewan |
I slogged on, keeping my head down and the pedals cranking. At 160km, I paused for a break. In cycling 100miles or 160km is called a century. I had officially done one on a loaded touring bike. At 170km, a car slowed down and pulled up beside me slowing to 20km/h on the Trans Canada. Two young guys were in it and one asked “Dude, you look tired, do you need a ride?” I told him I was fine and it was only a short distance to the campground. He asked me where I was going and we talked about the trip for nearly a minute. With cars approaching, he had to zoom off. In this part of Canada there are times when the Trans Canada Highway is not very busy and drivers will often stop if they suspect someone is in trouble. I made it to the campground on rubbery legs. After battling headwinds for more than half the day, I don't think a campground's ever looked so good!
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| Drier Saskatchewan Hay Fields |
Distance: 177km
Average Speed: 21.2km/h
Maximum Speed: 39km/h
Time: 8:19
Odometer: 1476km
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