Tag: Biking

Day 18 – Regina

Day 18 – Regina, SK (May 19, 2015)

This morning I was slow to get going. Some of the food that I had eaten yesterday wasn’t sitting so well. I forced myself to eat two slices of pizza from last night’s dinner.  If didn’t I’d be hungry at 10am.

Not much happened today. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the was only a mild head wind.

I made Moose Jaw at little after noon. Had a long easy break. Started out again before 2pm and arrived in Regina a bit before 5pm for the daily distance of 155km.

Tomorrow I will change course. Rather than heading north of Winnepeg I have decided to take “BigCalves” advise and travel south of Superior. Planning this route will be a bit of a challenge since I can’t download to my GPS without my computer. I heard that they have paper maps somewhere. Pretty novel, eh?

BikeTracking, BikeRoute

Day 17 – Chaplin

Day 17 – Chaplin, SK (May 18, 2015)

I had breakfast at the gas station by the transcanada and met Robin Edgar-Haworth, a native artist who had become another long distant traveler. He had set out from Penticton walking to Ottawa on a custom made three-wheel cart. He said that his kids had all grown up and he took this opportunity of a lifetime to protest against Steve Harper and to gather interest in his art. You can check out Robin’s facebook and article here…. Rogin’s Facebook Page and Robin’s Support Page.  His art is available here…. Robin’s Art.

Although the temperature had dropped to -7 at night the day looked perfect. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. I made up my mind to cover as much ground as possible. I had lunch at Swift Current at a little before noon and set my sites on Chaplin.

Although the day was uneventful the head wind subsided considerably and it continued to be a great day for biking.

I arrived in Chaplin a little after 6pm, ordered a 15 inch pizza (half of which I will save for breakfast) and a beer. The restaurant was run by an outstanding Chinese fellow who had immigrated to Canada with his family and had only been here for six months. He struggled with the language and was generally determined to find out what I was saying.

I rented a fully furnished flat from him for the night at 5 8th Street in Chaplin and crashed a little later than usual.

BikeTracking, BikeRoute

Day 16 – Gull Lake

Day 16 – Gull Lake, SK (May 17, 2015)

I got up and cleaned up camp while it was snowing lightly.      Nature couldn’t really decide whether to rain or snow so I ended up with a bit of both. It was miserable!

I was on my bike by about 6:20am and worked my way through the drizzle to the restaurant and the gas station on the Transcanada.   I was disappointed to discover that it didn’t open until 7am so I found refuge in the lobby of an old run down motel.

When the restaurant eventually opened I struck up a conversation with a talkative Korean waiter. He was an electrical engineer who quit his job to work in a restaurant in the middle of nowhere.  He explained but I couldn’t quite figure it out!  He mentioned that he had traveled across Korea and back on his bicycle and complained about chaffing. (luckily I’m probably too skinny to have his problems)

It was a miserable day; cold, windy and wet. The forecast called for a low of -3 which would put my sleeping bag to the test. I decided, given the wind it would too risky to count on making my destination at Swift Current. Instead I initially decided to stop a Tompkins.   Tompkins resembles a town out of a western movie.   I had lunch at a diner that appeared to be the “respectable” town hangout. Then at 3pm made my way down to the hotel.   The hotel had better days. In any respectable city it would have been torn down. There was an old pub down stairs and a sorry looking bar maid that also looked after the hotel.  Her kids apparently had been sleeping in rooms 1, 2 and 3 so she was forced to give me the suite.

I settled in, took a shower, and was taking precautions from bed bugs when the electricity went out and I decided that the next town may be a better bet.

So I thanked the lady, packed up my things and took off for Gull Lake 24km East. As it turned out the electricity had gone out in a large area of Saskatchewan and Gull Lake didn’t have power either. The town was only marginally better but I was happier in a small motel room.   Because there was no electricity the restaurants were closed and I had mixed nuts and beef jerky in my cold room before hitting the hay.

BikeTracking, BikeRoute

Day 15 – Eagle Valley

Day 15 – Eagle Valley Campgrounds, Maple Creek, SK (May 16, 2015)

I left Medicine Hat a little before 7am and like the previous day made good time for the first hour or so. It occurred to me that perhaps at last the forecast wind direction was wrong. I started making plans to go further that Eagle Valley. Alass before too long the wind picked up.

All I can really say about the day is that the wind was the worst yet. The wind gusts were well above 30km. There were no places to stop and eat along the way. At one time I stopped for a short break and was catching up on the texts to Michelle when the wind took my bike and rolled it right over so it was upsidedown momentarily. All the contents of my handlebar bag were left on the ground.

I made Eagle Valley about 2pm, setup my tent, had a shower, did the laundry and then relaxed over a good meal with salmon and shrimp. The campground was very well organized and well maintained. I likely should have gone further today given the time but the wind takes a lot out both mentally and physically and I couldn’t beat the spot.

BikeTracking, BikeRoute

Day 14 – Medicine Hat

Day 14 – Medicine Hat, AB (May 16, 2015)

I left Brooks with almost no wind and for the first hour or so made relatively good time.  After that the wind picked up but I managed to make the most of it with a good rhythm that kept me from getting too frustrated with the lack of speed; stand-up, sit down with my hand on the bars, sit down upright with the hands on the risers, and repeat every 15 minutes or so.

I decided I’d stop at Suffield.  I think it was the only stop between Brooks and Medicine Hat so it was a no-brainer. I almost missed it. I have to remember that if there is a clump of trees with a number of buildings that’s likely the town.

I had the worst burger for years in Suffield. As I was leaving the cook who was taking a smoke break asked me how the burger was. I lied and he smirked. I can say with some surprise that it didn’t make me sick.

The wind abated as I approached Medicine Hat. I think it may have reversed. It was as if Medicine Hat sucked me in to a vortex.   In the last hour I made very good time.

I stayed at Best Western in Medicine Hat. It was more than I wanted to pay but the campground looked a bit sketchy. The receptionists were nice. Not knowing whether the bike would fit in a normal room they gave me a suite for the same price.  I don’t fully appreciate a suite but I appreciated the place to shower and sleep. I would be happy with a place to

BikeTracking, BikeRoute