Bike Touring Canada. Cycling across Canada from Vancouver to Toronto.: Day 18, June 16th, Binscarth to Minnedosa (125km)

Leaving Binscarth on a Cloudy Day

Today's journey from Binscarth to Minnedosa got off to a late start. For some reason, I'm feeling a bit tired these days. Perhaps all the miles are catching up. After breaking camp, I began the steep climb out of the small valley in which the campground's situated. A minute later, I heard a loud pop and felt no tension on the chain. Looking down, I quickly realized the chain had snapped. Digging through my tool bag, I tried to recall how to repair a chain. I vaguely remembered doing it once over ten years ago. Luckily, I had the right tool for the job. Within half an hour, I had removed the broken link and repaired the chain. Already behind, I would have to limit my breaks to ensure i didn't get to my destination in the dark.

Tricky Riding Conditions

Battling strong headwinds, I got the feeling it was going to be one of those days. It was a struggle to keep the bike going 20km/h on flat prairie roads. Just when I thought things couldn't get worst, the shoulder on the Yellowhead disappeared. To my right lay lose gravel. At times, freeze thawing had even broken up the pavement along the white line. The Yellowhead is a fairly busy highway so I had to concentrate to stay as close to the white line as possible.

Birds in a Frenzy

After a while, things started to look better. The sun was shining. Descending into a valley created by the Birdfall River, I was greeted by the music of hundreds of birds. For some reason, this type of bird seems to nest on the bridges that cross the river. Stopping for a picture, the birds wailed in a frenzy while flying circles around my head. I had seen this show yesterday, and todays performance was just as spectacular.

At the 3 hour mark, I hit Shoal Lake. The headwinds had been fierce all morning. I stopped at the Co-Op to grab some lunch and ended up getting some useful advice from a local biker who frequents these roads. Shoal Lake is one of the few towns along this stretch of highway. It was a 65km ride to the next town with amenities. I stocked up and set off for Minnedosa.

Flooded Fields Beside the Yellowhead Highway

On route to Minnedosa, I came across some dramatic flooding. In one area, water surrounded the Yellowhead Highway. Had the water been just a foot higher, the highway would have been flooded. The deeper I get into Manitoba, the worst the flooding seems to get. It has not been a good year for planting which is sure to cause already high wheat prices to go higher later in the year. Contemplating what that means to people in poorer countries, I pushed on to Minnedosa.

Minnedosa is just off the Yellowhead highway. After more than 6 hours of battling headwinds, I was throwing in the towel and calling it a day. Taking a 5km detour, I descended into a beautiful valley that houses the town. This town is beautiful. The surrounding valley features hills of lush, green, grassy meadows interspersed by clumps of trees. The old buildings and beautiful scenery make the atmosphere around the town special. Everyone is friendly and people stop to talk to you on the streets.

Historic Part of Minnedosa

Entering the bakery, the baker asked where I was going. After talking about my trip, he pointed to a package of 6 donuts and said I could have them for 75 cents. I told him 6 was probably too many and I didn't want them to go to waste. He said, just give them away, so I took the package. Sitting outside, chomping down on donuts, I met Bill Simmons. Bill's an old timer who rents a place in town of under $300 a month. I told Bill about all the flooded fields and he said 2.5 million acres haven't been planted this year. It's been a disaster for the local farmers. Bill was able to recommend a really nice campsite by the lake. With the exception of Nelson, this town has been my favorite stop on this trip.