The Bacons

Aug 14 2007

51 47.876 N

108 49.677 W

Today 141.2 Total 2701.0 Km

The day started nasty with strong headwinds blowing south to north. It took me 2 and a half hours to go 24 Km to Macklin. Well I'm in Saskatchewan there was no sign so I didn't get a picture. Oh well after losing my BC pictures I'm less worried about it. I stopped and lunch just south of Salvador. It was a very pretty spot tons of butterflies. I had trouble getting photos of them they were camera shy.

I used the time to dry everything I own out. Everything was sopping wet from the continuous misting from the day before. The condensation had even worked its way into my telephoto lens and I've been very careful with it. My good luck with roads ran out when I hit Hwy 31. The road to Dodsland has been a mess of potholes, roughness and gravel. I pulled into Dodsland exhausted.

Sage antelope on the side of the road.

When I got to the campsite I was underwhelmed. No showers, no picnic tables, no trees not even an outhouse. Oh well beggars can't be choosers. One of the local gentlemen came by and talked to me a bit and said if I needed to use the washroom I could come to his house. I thanked him and he left. five minutes later he was back. "Why don't you come camp in my backyard?" By the time I had followed him to his house he had me set in his travel van. His name is Weldon Bacon his wife's name is Doreen. So I have had a shower, I have a roof over my head and I feel great.

On a side note I thought of Frank today as I dodged fuzzy caterpillars all day. There were hundreds of them crossing the road.

Last Alberta Day

Aug 13 2007
52 35.083N
110 00.564W
Today 129.9 Km total 2559.8
Not much to comment on today. I took hwy 14 from just outside Kinsella after wainwright I turned off on hwy 621 a very quiet picturesque road. Then I turned onto hwy 17 until I reached Dillberry Lake Prov. Park. Everything and I mean everything is terrified of me. I started two stampedes today. One cow started running and then the whole herd took off.

The same thing happens when I pass a duck pond. They half drown each other in their haste to get away. I don't think the animals around here see many cyclists. On the up side after riding under overcast drizzly skies the clouds have cleared of so I should be able to see the Percieds tonight. I brought the star map the kids gave me for my birthday last year so I'm going to pull that out as well.

Flat

Aug 12 2007
52 57.582 N
111 25.953 W
Today 151.3 Km total 2429.9 Km
I took a side road from Mom's straight down to hwy 14 form there I just followed Hwy 14 east. It is a great road. Lower traffic volume with nice wide smooth shoulders. It was a great day for biking high overcast skies. The only draw back was the headwind. it wasn't strong but it was relentless. its amazing how just that bit of wind can make such a difference in a day. I had my first flat today which was instrumental in picking my campsite. I ended up just east of Kinsella. I just rode off the road down a grassy lane, set up camp then dealt with the flat. I can't thank Merrilea enough for the camp chair. It was some thing I never would have purchased for myself but little stealth spot is almost homey with it.

Just the Facts

I don't have time for a full update. I'm well and in Rosetown Sask. I will blog more later in the week.

Mom's

53 30'52.33" N 113 16'52.57" W Today 165 Km Total 2278.6 It was a long day for only being my second day back. My hind end feels like I was using 35 grit sandpaper as undies. Other than that I feel a little sore but not too bad. I am slowly learning that you can't judge a restaurant by the number of cars outside. I stopped at a little roadside cafe for a quick burger. Quick being the operative word. An hour later I was just receiving my meal and I still hadn't had a single refill of coffee. I realized the cars were all there because everyone was being held hostage hoping their meals were on there way. The two women who had arrive 5 min after I had still didn't have their meal by the time I finished mine. I was trying to pay so I could escape after waiting by the till for a while I finally went into the kitchen to hunt someone down. I stuck my head in, the sole person in there, our waitress/cashier/cook was washing a pot at the sink. There was nothing...NOTHING cooking on the grill. Four tables of people waiting for food and she's doing the dishes. So feeling very grateful that I got served at all I paid and got the heck out of there.I took Hwy 43 until it split and then I took Hwy 37 East and then I turned south at Fort Saskatchewan onto Hwy 21 to Sherwood Park.I'm taking a couple days to visit mom as this is my last family stop on my trip.Back on the road again on Sunday.

Back in the Saddle

53 53.428N 114 54.882W Today 65.7 Km Total 2113.6 It was a very emotional day today as it was my first day back on the road. We had company all weekend so Phil and I wanted to spend as much time to together as possible before I left. The first leg of the journey I was very excited. This time I was depressed and didn’t want to go. Petty things that I wouldn’t have batted an eyelash at before were very annoying. Phil drove me to Whitecourt and we said our good-byes there. The first couple of Km were very tough, with a big lump sitting in the back of my throat. Then suddenly I was right back where I was six weeks ago, excited again and raring to go. I left Whitecourt at 4:45 pm. I had planned on staying in Mayerthorpe but I felt strong and pushed on to Sangudo. The Lion’s campsite was only $6.00 and that included a hot shower. It was very picturesque but very loud. I couldn't rotate this image on Mom's computer it anyone knows how to do it once its on Blogger could you let me know. My camp hosts were half pickled by the time I got there and fully in the jar by the time I had finished setting up camp, showering, and having a meal. I went up to their site to find out what kind of critters were in the area. Bear bagging for a raccoon is a whole different degree of difficulty than it is for rodents. (Feel free to start imagining the banjo music from Deliverance about now.) I asked the camp host who was seated outside of his trailer, “Do you have any critters around here?” Out came a torrent of sounds that I could not decipher as his lips were moving at a completely different tempo than the rest of his mouth. “Pardon?” I said. “We sure do." he said very slowly and loudly. "Why?” he asked. “I just want to know how to hang my food.” Out came another torrent of indecipherable words. “Pardon?” “Just put it in your car.” Yes he was there when I pulled in and not only did his site over looked mine, he had been watching me for most of the last hour. “I’m on a bike.” He's now looking at me like I'm a little thick. (I'm sure it mirrored the expression on my face.) Again speaking very slowly and loudly he said, “Well take it in the tent with you.” ‘Great,’ I’m thinking to myself, ‘you got a ham hock I can snuggle with too?’ What I actually said was, “I’m in a hammock.” At this point he broke into a great half toothed grin and beamed up at me, “You’re cute.” He was drunker than I thought. His wife at this statement came out of the travel trailer to rescue me. “He’s drunk.” No kidding. “There’s a fox and four kittens that have been getting into people’s stuff you can put your food in our beer fridge.” I thanked her. I made sure when I went to bed that I took my bear spray in case I became a radiant (although slightly slow) goddess before Jethro passed out. So as I was saying it was a noisy site. Jethro had a friend show up and they slurred very loudly at each other until 1 am. I wasn’t about to go shush them for fear my woolen long undies would excite them. The campsite was geographically close to the highway in a river valley. So the trucks added to the noise jake breaking down the hill and gearing down to go up. I was just fading off when the first of two trains pulled through, rocking and knocking their way across the creaky trestle bridge. Yea it was very picturesque but very loud.

Itching

I am just itching to get going again. The last few days have been solid with strong winds that would sail me straight to Ontario while I stare wistfully out the window. I've been busy around the house getting food dehydrated for my hiking trips, visiting, cleaning and (gasp) even cooking. (Now you know I've got it bad.) I know the family is happy to have me home but they all work so much that it is me at home with drop in visits from every one else. I wish I had just kept on going. 35 days till I'm on the road again. Sigh.