Day 16, June 14th, Regina to Melville (149km)

Regina Sunset

Heads or tails, a decision needed to be made. Cyclists say the Trans Canada Highway through Manitoba has a dodgy shoulder. As a cyclist, you ride the white line like a rail. Screw it up, and your bike joins traffic or crashes onto the loose gravel shoulder. Either way, the outcomes could be nasty. Approaching Manitoba, I had reached the junction with Highway 10. Highway 10 swings up north before hitting Highway 15.  Follow Highway 15 and you hit the Yellowhead Highway. It's a longer route, but passes through some interesting towns. Checking over my left shoulder, I didn't see any traffic. In a split second decision, I decided to say bye to Highway 1 and cut across to merge onto Highway 10.

Beaver Dam Qu'Appelle Valley

Initially, I regretted the decision. The shoulder on Highway 10 is rough, really rough. Pothole after pothole jarred my bike. I could only hope this didn't last too long. Nearing Fort Qu'Appelle, the road improved.  With a true tailwind at my back, I sailed past the wetlands and beaver dams.  Hundreds of years ago, this was fur trade country and the Hudsons Bay Company played a large role in influencing the development of this area.  A steep descent into a valley and I was at Fort Qu'Appelle, my first stop of the day.

Fort Qu'Appelle

Fort Qu'appelle was built by the Hudson Bay Company in 1864 at a confluence of prairie trails. This fort played was an important center for the fur trade industry. Also of importance was the manufacturing and trade of Pemican.  Pemican was made from buffalo meat and prairie berries. It was an important food source for traders and travelers in their long journey across the prairies.  Later, the Hudson Bay Company would build a store at the fort marking for the first time in its history the transition from a trading company into a retailer.  Today, Fort Qu'Appelle retains its historical role as a transportation hub.  Just like the old prairie trails, several highways intersect each other at this junction.

Flooded Fields Entering Melville

Climbing out of Fort Qu'Appelle, I continued on toward Melville. The trip was quick, tailwinds made it effortless. Melville is one of only 2 railway towns in the West. Originally, it served as a divisional center for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. The town was named after Charles Melville, the president of the railway.  Charles Melville would later perish on the Titanic. Today it's key geographical location makes Melville an important center for transportation of commodities, specifically potash. It is a thriving community with a full range of services. Tonight, I camped in a park near the swimming pool.  While there's no internet, I was able to use the showers at the pool free of charge. The campground was closed and no one could find the number of the person who opens it.  Like most small towns, everyone here is extremely friendly. Even the RCMP doesn't mind me squatting in the public park... they suggested it!

Looking Back at Fort Qu'Appelle

Distance: 149km
Average Speed: 24.5km/h
Maximum Speed: 45.8km/h
Time: 6:05
Odometer: 2035km

Day 15, June 13th, Moose Jaw to Regina (87km)

The Moose in Moose Jaw

After a few long days on the road, today was a day to take care of a few nagging problems with my bike.  Currently, my handle bars are slightly raised and angled up.  While this had been great for the climbs in B.C., the shorter length from my shoulder to bars was putting a lot of pressure on my hands causing them to numb up during longer rides.  Exploring Moose Jaw, I found a bike shop.  Unfortunately, they did not have the correct size for my bike.  I would have to go to Regina or perhaps Winnipeg to find the part.  Regina was my destination for the day.  After loading up with supplies, I set off for Saskatchewan's capital city.

Storm of the Day

The road from Moose Jaw to Regina is about as straight and flat as a road can get.  Today I was lucky to hit a prevailing tail wind and the ride seemed effortless.   Once again mother nature had other plans.  20km out of Moose Jaw, I hit a hail and lightning storm.  This time there was no avoiding it.  The winds intensified and shifted to the side.  Battling the crosswinds, I pushed into the storm.  Because of the intensity of the winds, the hail hit so hard that it actually hurt.  Lightning bolts were cracking all around me.  For a moment, I was awed by the ferocity of the display.  I slowed to find shelter but there was nowhere to hide on the open prairie.  5 more minutes of riding and I came across an overpass that clears the railway tracks.  I had, had enough!  Pulling my bike off the road, I took shelter underneath the overpass.  Setting up my camp stove, I made a quick lunch.  Half an hour later, the storm was gone and I could continue on my way.

The Legislature Building Saskatchewan

Looking behind me, I noticed another storm in the distance.  I pushed hard.  Regina was only 60 kilometers away.  After an hour of hard riding, I noticed the rain and hail bands had shifted to the northern side of the road.  While the storm was gaining fast, the brunt of it would probably miss me or so I thought.  Pulling into Regina, I quickly realized that Albert street runs directly North.  Once again, I was heading into the heart of a storm.  I quickly got into the city, snapped a few pictures of the legislature and took refuge in McDonalds.  The storm hit in full force a few minutes later.  The rain was so intense.  After 20 minutes, the storm passed to the east.  Blue sky and sunshine peaked through the clouds in its wake.  Saskatchewan really is "The Land of Living Skies."  It seems beautiful days can turn ugly within a matter of minutes out here.  

Late Growing Season on the Prairies

Regina is Saskatchewan's capital.  Over 100 years ago, the Dominion Act encouraged homesteaders to settle here.  For $10, a homesteader could purchase 160 acres of land.  Later, Regina would also become the territorial headquarters for the RCMP and a major stop on Canada's trans continental railway.  Louis Riel was put on trial here when his rebellion failed.  Today Regina is a major metropolis in the heart of the Canadian wheat belt.  While the cities economy still depends heavily on the agricultural industry, financial, telecommunication and light industrial industries have helped diversify the economy.  For me, it's a refuge from the endless grasslands of the prairie and as good of a place as any to watch the hockey game.  

Historic Downtown MooseJaw

Distance: 87km

Average Speed: 23.3km/h

Maximum Speed: 39km/h

Time: 3:42

Odometer: 1886km

Day 14, June 12th, Swift Current to Moose Jaw (181km)

Hay Field Outside of Swift Current

He had made it!  As I pulled into the Mcdonalds on the service road that exits Swift Current, I bumped into John. "Heck of a storm last night," I said, fishing for a reply.  John went on to tell me he had gotten lucky.  A local had seen him caught out in the storm and invited him to set up camp in his backyard.  We both wondered about Alain.  John had met him too.  He told me Alain isn't carrying a tent, sleeps under tables or rocks and sometimes in ditches.  I told John, that's unbelievable the guy's 62.  Shaking my head with disbelief at the type of characters you meet out here, we finished breakfast and wished each other good luck.  John is going at a slower pace than me.  80km or so seems to be his typical pace.

Modern Grain Elevator

Today started off with the appearance of the prevailing winds.  Out of Swift Current, my bike flew down the flat terrain.  At about the 10m mark, my shifter cable came loose.  I cursed my luck.  I had been going 40km an hour and now I was stuck in the granny gear.  Pulling over to the side, I realized it wasn't serious.  The vibration from close to 1500km of highway travel must have loosened the bolt that locks the cable.  Not wanting to lose the tail wind, I quickly fixed the problem.  Temporarily fixed, I got 2 out 3 front gears working.

The first major town on todays leg was Herbert. Still riding a strong tailwind, I passed without stopping.  Continuing on, I saw Reed Lake to the right.  Reed Lake is famous for its birds.  Often times, people think the prairies is devoid of wildlife.  The wildlife is hidden in the grass and lakes.  Over the last few days, I have seen hundreds of prairie marmots scurrying along beside the road.  Sadly, they seem unable to avoid the cars and today I would see dozens of dead ones run over by cars.  Halfway along Reed Lake is a massive modern grain elevator that services farms in this area.

Old Grain Elevator

Pushing on, I came upon Morse.  I had made good time and needed more water for my bottles.  The beauty of 2 old wooden grain elevators drew me into town.  Traveling up the main road, everything looked either closed or abandoned.  I came across 2 boys on bikes and asked them if anything was open.  Nothing till noon on Sunday was the reply I got.  Heading back towards the highway, I noticed the convenience store in an abandoned gas station was open for business.  When I talk to the owner and casually mentioned nothing seems to be open, he blurted out, the town is dieing.  He told me the town had lost it's school and the grocery store was barely stocked.  The only thing keeping people here were the two old grain elevators.  Inefficient, and needing repairs, if those shut down there'll be nothing left out here.  At one time, wooden grain elevators used to dot the landscape of prairie towns.  Hundreds of wooden grain elevators have been replaced by dozens of modern grain elevators affecting the culture and way of life along this stretch of highway.

Salt Flats Chaplin Lake

Contemplating what I'd heard, I made my way towards Chaplin for lunch.  Chaplin sits on the edge of Chaplin Lake.  Approaching the lake flats, I noticed they were white and devoid of the grass that covers all the land around here.  Entering into town, I realized I was seeing salt.  Chaplin's reason to be is its salt mine.  Sitting down for lunch, a man and his kid started talking to me.  I found out Martin was the pastor for all the small towns along this stretch of road.  Martin told me that in a few years, all that will be left is the town of  Chaplin.  The new modern grain elevators have consolidated farming operations and were quickly wiping the small towns around here off the map.

Leaving Chaplin, I entered a 100km stretch of highway with little in the way of services.  Time slowly rolled by.  I passed grass fields, cattle fields and hay fields.  Climbing a soft rolling hill for almost 25km brought me up to a plateau where you could an endless highway for almost 20km in front of you.  Perseverance is the name of the game.  Sometimes it feels like you'll never get there.

The Storm That Almost Caught Me.

With 50km left to Moose Jaw, I noticed the thunder clouds behind me to my right.  Great, I was in a race with mother nature once again.  I pedaled frantically, glancing at the lightning in the distance every kilometer or so.  It was going to be close.  The clouds were gaining and the winds had turned.  Battling a stiff headwind, I had trouble keeping the bike going at 20km/h.  Others must have noticed the storm too.  I could hear cars honking.  As I pulled into Moose Jaw, I turned around and snapped a picture of the storm.  I quickly set up my tent then it started to rain.  The storm had arrived 5 minutes after I had set up camp.  Sitting in Tim Hortons, the storm ravaged the city.  Luck was with me again.  These are the types of storms you don't want to ride through.

Snowbird Plane at the Information Center

Distance: 181km
Average Speed: 23.6km/h
Maximum Speed: 48km/h
Time: 7:38
Odometer: 1799km

Day 13, June 11th, Maple Creek to Swift Current (142km)

Typical Saskatchewan Landscape

On the prairies, some country towns seem to be situated well off the highway.  To get to Maple Creek, you have to travel almost 10km south of its junction with Highway 1.  While its nothing by car, this can be quite the detour for someone on a bike.  Last night I was hungry.  Eagle campground is situated next to Highway 1 just before the Maple Creek Junction.  It's a beautiful campground but they have hardly any supplies.  Making a dinner out of canned soup, I was famished by morning.  I figure that yesterdays 8 hour ride must have burned in excess of 5000 calories.  It doesn't seem to matter how much you eat, your body just wants more.  Luckily, in towns like Maple Creek, there is a service road beside the highway with a restaurant, gas station and auto repair shop for those who don't want to go into town for full services.  Breakfast at the gas station restaurant was pretty good.  For $9 I got a 4 egg omelet loaded with the works on top of Tupperware dish filled with hashbrowns.  Add in 2 slices of 1" toast and you've got yourself a real country breakfast.

Flooded Prairie Farmland

Fueled up, I hit the road.  Todays ride was going to be pretty straight forward.  Flat grassland followed by more flat grassland and the occasional town on route to Swift Current.  Charging through the countryside, I had the wind at my back.  This really helped.  My legs had not recovered from yesterdays long ride and needed a break.  All around me, I could see flooded fields that were the result of an unusually cold wet spring.  Mosquito eggs hatch when they are immersed in flood water.  Today, the mosquitoes started to appear.  On the prairies it's impossible to be a vegetarian.  With my mouth hanging open sucking in air, I was swallowing a lot of mosquitoes.  After a while, you can start to tell the difference in taste between mosquitoes and flies.  Stop and you get attacked.  I'm finding if you maintain speeds over 20km/h you can stay relatively bite free. 

Steam Engine & Carriage Cars Full of Tourists

Piapot, Tomkins, the towns flew by.  As I made my way towards Gull Lake, A massive grain elevator appeared beside the road.  It looked like a train was being loaded for export.  Only 7 countries in the world are net exporters of food.  While the scenery on the prairies can be boring, traveling across by bike really makes you realize how gigantic the scale of the farming operations are out here.  The prairies are the bread basket of the world.  Across this landscape an old steam engine carrying tourists blew its whistles.  I looked to my right to see dozens of people waving at me from the carriage cars.  

Alain & I Gull Lake

Nearing Gull Lake, I came across a French cyclist.  Alain spoke a bit of English so we had a chat.  He is 62 years old and riding a fully loaded touring bike.  Alain loves to talk and talks to everyone he meets along the way.  After talking for half an hour, he suggested we get a picture together at Gull Lake.  We crossed the tracks and posed by the sign.  While trying to set up the cameras so we could get both of us in the shot, a fellow came by offering to take the picture for us.  The amazing thing was, this guy used to build bikes for Greg Lemond, a 3 time winner of the Tour De France.  He spent the next 15 minutes talking about bikes.  Meeting someone like him in such a random place really makes you wonder how people end up where they are.  Alain is traveling at a much slower pace than me.  At 62, I'm impressed he can tour the country fully loaded.  Heck, his kids are older than me.  We shook hands and parted ways.  The delay had made me anxious.  

Thunder Clouds Closing In on Me

Saskatchewan is known as "The Land of Living Skies."  While the day started off with bright blue skies, cumulus clouds were appearing to my left, right, front and back.  The clouds that scared me most were the ones behind me and to my right.  The prevailing winds were taking them straight towards me.  In the distance, I could see the lightning bolts flying.  Darker swats between the clouds and the land indicated severe rain bands.  If I was going to beat this storm to Swift Current, I would have to find an extra gear.  With 50km left to go, I floored it.  The maximum average speed I can seem to maintain is about 35km/h on flat terrain.  On route, I came across John, a Canadian soloist on his way to Newfoundland.  With the weather closing in, we talked on the fly.  We were both aware of the impending storm.  The light show behind us was spectacular.  The bolts were so bright, you didn't need to turn around to see them.  You could definitely hear them.  I kept gunning it for the city.  My legs were in pain and my water bottles dry.  It was a race to get away from mother nature's fury.  Hitting Swift Current, I quickly found a campground.  I set up my tent and watched the fury of the storm safely from the laundry room while updating my blog!  I hope John found shelter.  The lightning was spectacular but the rain never got too bad.

Downtown Swift Current

Distance: 142km

Average Speed: 22.5km/h

Maximum Speed: 48.4km/h

Time: 6:18

Odometer: 1618km

Day 12, June 10th, Grassy Lake to Maple Creek Saskatchewan! (177km)

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!

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. 

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.

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.

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 19^th 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.

Wildlife Control & Hawk

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.

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.

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!

Drier Saskatchewan Hay Fields

Distance: 177km

Average Speed: 21.2km/h

Maximum Speed: 39km/h

Time: 8:19

Odometer: 1476km

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

Day 10, June 8th, Sparwood to Fort Macleod Alberta! (133km)

Entering Alberta Today

As darkness descended on Mountain Shadow Campground in Sparwood, a stranger popped by.  Ellick had set up his tent exposed to the wicked rain storm and had come by to check out the pagoda I had camped under.  Like a few of the campers here, Ellick is working as a contractor at one of the local coal mines near Sparwood.  Earlier on, I had met Drayer.  Drayer is an industrial electrician in his early fifties also working on a contract at a mine.  Both of these guys are tough.  Like a lot of contractors around here, they live in a tent during the duration of their contracts.  Ellick's car had broken down near Fernie and now without money, he couldn't afford a sleeping pad and was roughing it. Luckily for both of us, Drayer had bought a case of beer that he was more than willing to share.  Drayer says some of the finest coal in the world is in these mountains.  There's big money for contractors willing to work here but most of it is lost as quickly as its made.  Drayer's work has taken him all over the world.  Like most guys who have seen too much of one thing, he's looking for new opportunities.  Recently, he's gotten into nature photography and was more than happy to show me some of his work.  The case of beer empty, we all wished each other the best of luck on our different journeys.

Snow Plow Holding Up Traffic

Squawking crows in the morning woke me up at first light.  It was still pissing rain. I knew my gear wouldn't be dry for too much longer.  The team from Montreal had left earlier than me.  The weather was miserable but it was apparent this was the type of storm that you couldn't wait out.  Stepping into the rain, I started off towards the Crowsnest Pass.  It was going to be a dreary day.  Not too long ago, it was Winter up here.  Passing trucks threw up the muddy sand and salt from the road onto me and my bike.  At a construction site, I passed a snow plow stopped beside the road.  Could there really be fresh snow up on the Crowsnest this time of year?  I stopped to ask the driver.  The driver assured me that the road was clear of snow.  His job today was to push all the sand from the winter salting off to the side of the road.  He suggested I wait until he started his run.  After fighting my way through highway shoulders stacked with inches of sand, I was more than happy to wait for him to clear the road before continuing the climb.

The Crowsnest Pass is a gradual hill.  Its not a technically difficult climb and would have been beautiful except for the weather.  Near the top of the pass, trees lean to the east.  Winds can be so strong up here that their ferocity closes the pass during powerful storms that pass through at certain times of the year.  Today, I made the summit quickly.  It wasn't long before I saw the British Columbia & Alberta boundary.  Not in the mood, I stopped for a quick picture.  It was freezing up there.  When I started the trip, I hadn't brought any long cycling pants.  Here I was on top of the Crowsnest Pass in shorts and it was 5 degrees.  To make things worst, I was battling a massive headwind.  On one descent, the headwind slowed me down to under 10km an hour.  I would estimate that some of the gusts were 80km/h to 100km/h.  At one point, I was worried of being blown off my bike.

First View of Alberta

The scenery was beautiful, but the howling wind and low temperatures were freezing me to the bone.  I popped into the visitor information center to warm my hands and borrow some plastic bags.  In lieu of full length gloves, I wrapped my hands with plastic bags and continued on my trip.  I was ecstatic to be in Alberta.  While the foothills were rolling, I knew it was only a matter of time before I hit flat prairie.  

Frank Slide

Battling a headwind, I slowly worked my way to the site of Frank Slide.  In the early 1900's a huge chunk of limestone broke away from the mountain here.  As the village slept, homes were crushed and lives destroyed.  Even the entrance to the undeground mine was covered with rock.  The miners were able to dig themselves out but 70 people in the village perished in the slide never to be found.  

Wind Mills Pincher Creek

Weaving my way through rolling hills, I soon made Pincher Creek.   Pincher Creek is famous for having some of the strongest sustained winds in the world.  Some of the trees around here grow on a 30 degree angle towards the east.  The force of the wind is perturbing.  Ironically, it was at Pincher Creek that the headwind suddenly reversed and became a tailwind.  Almost instantly, I went from averaging 15km/h to over 30km/h.  On the hills around Pincher Creek are modern windmills that harness the wind to generate electricity.  Some ridges here have so many windmills that they disappear into the horizon.  It was a phenomenal sight.

Oh Alberta!

The trip from Pincher Creek to Fort Macleod was flat and fast.  With a tailwind blowing me over flat pavement, it was easy to sustain speeds in excess of 30km/h.  About 20km outside of Fort Macleod, I spotted the RV being used by the Montreal team parked beside the road.  With a quick wave, I zoomed past the RV.  After stopping for lunch in Fort Macleod, I decided to call it a night and asked for directions to the campground.  Arriving at the campground, I found the team from Montreal.  We shared a good laugh about the crazy ride today.  It's too bad that only one of the guys speaks good English.  We've stayed at the same campground for 3 days now by coincidence.  As a soloist, I ride alone.  We're riding the same distances but our pace is different. 

Looking Towards the Crowsnest Pass

Distance: 133km

Average Speed: 20.3km/h

Maximum Speed: 48.7km/h

Time: 6:33

Odometer: 1159km