Saskatchewan

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Sat Jun 5 - 115 km - Kerrobert to Eston

Got up to a clear blue sky again. Went for breakfast at some restaurant on our way out of town where the owner asked us many questions about the trip. Headed south into a very stiff headwind which kept our speed down to about 12 km/h. Finally we reached Kindersley where we ate lunch on a picnic table outside of a Dairy Queen. We went in for some ice cream for dessert. Bought some groceries and then battled the wind for another couple of hours. Finally we turned east towards Eston and dealt with a beneficial crosswind which was quite a relief. We reached Eston at about 1830h and decided to take a cheap room in a motor inn. A pretty boring, but extremely tiring day. Hopefully the wind changes tomorrow as we must head south quite a long way again.

Sun Jun 6 - 132 km - Eston to Stewart Valley

Woke up to the wind howling again. Luckily, it was blowing from the west. Since we could not cook, we ate a quick breakfast of bagels, cheese, and fruit. Rode out with a howling tailwind. As we left, two old men talked to Wendy about our trip. They said that they met two women travelling to the east coast yesterday. We spent the first 90 km zig-zagging east then south towards Kyle. Going east was great fun as the wind pushed us along at 30 km/h. Going south was a little more difficult as we had to push against the crosswind. There were no trees or bushes anywhere, so luckily there was almost no traffic as we had to make nature calls at the side of the road. We came across the town of White Bear, hoping to find a place to eat lunch. There was nothing so we ended up eating more cheese and bagels along the side of the road. We hoped to find a restaurant in Kyle, but everything was closed except for a gas bar, so we bought some junk food and pigged out at a tiny park/campground. We considered staying as we had already travelled 90 km, but since it was only 1500h we decided to push on. Went through the provincial park at Saskatchewan landing. Seeing this was kind of neat. Flat prairie gave way to a huge crack in the ground, which we had to descend into and then climb out of onto flat prairie again. We got to Stewart Valley where we planned to camp. The map we have says that there is a campground, but we did not find one. We asked a couple men who we saw in town, but they were absolutely no help, so we headed back to some bushes which I had seen a couple km back. There is a place to pitch the tent which is sort of out of sight. Hopefully no one will find us, or care if they do.

Mon Jun 7 - 37 km - Stewart Valley to Swift Current

Today we awoke to find the sky overcast with a light south wind. We rode out slowly into the wind towards Swift Current. Most of the way was uphill, until we reached a bunch of radio broadcast towers, where we could see the entire city from a low flying birds-eye view. I commented that I felt there should have been a summit marker after having done so much climbing. Wendy was having some severe back problems, so we decided to check into a motel in town. I first went to the info center to inquire about campsites (there are 2) and got to spin a wheel of fortune, where I got two dollars off a meal at Humptys. We were going to eat there anyway, so this was an added bonus. Found a really cheap motel which also turns out to be one of the nicest we have stayed in on the trip.

Tue Jun 8 - 76 km - Swift Current to Vanguard

It was raining really hard when we first got up. Thankfully it stopped before we got going. Had a free muffin in the motel office while checking out and talked to some man who said there was a cyclist heading to Ontario in the room next to his. Headed south out of town on Hwy 4. We had a light tailwind which was nice as the terrain was pretty hilly. Not too steep, but it would climb for a few km and then descend for a few more. Turned east when we got to hwy 42 and stopped for a quick snack. Now the wind was slightly into our face, but it was not too strong, so we were able to keep moving. Stopped for another snack a while later and watched a short train go by. A little while later, the same two locomotives were going the other way without a load. The engineer waved and blew the horn as they passed, and someone in the rear loco was also waving. I then noticed that another cyclist was coming along the road behind us. We continued riding, but slowed down slightly so he could catch up. After a few km he did catch us and we rode along together into Vanguard. He was a university professor who was riding from Victoria to Nova Scotia where he lived. He had only six weeks left so he was thinking about taking a train through Northern Ontario. We stopped all together in a park in Vanguard and cooked up a hot lunch, while chatting about our different adventures. Since we were planning to stay and he wanted to push on to Gravelbourg, we finally said goodbye and he rode on his way. I went over to the store across the street to pick up some food. It was run by a nice man who was really interested in our trip. He even gave me some free food. Set up camp in an overgrown trailer park and went over to the town pub to warm up, kill time, and enjoy a couple beers. I guess word of our arrival spread across town quickly because a couple women came into the bar and said to us, 'You must be the cyclists!'. The bar tender tried to get us to give him some weed, but as if we would have any. After dinner we walked out to the grain elevators and looked at the rail cars. Took some photos too!

Wen Jun 9 - 75 km - Vanguard to Palmer

After writing yesterdays events, we went back to the bar to use the washroom before crashing out. A bunch of the patrons begged us to stay for another beer so we sat and talked to a bunch of them. Two of the guys were Hudderites, which was explained to us as some colony from Germany who live a primitive farming existence. They really were not supposed to be in the bar drinking, but I guess every society has to have a few bad asses! We finished our beer and went to bed. Sleep was difficult until the bar closed as there was constant traffic and some guy kept honking on his horn. Finally things quieted down and we slept. In the morning I went over to the store to get some water from the owner. His name was Guy. He said that if he had known we would have been up so early, he would have taken us out for breakfast! Some people are just too nice. We packed up and left town, stopping at the store once more to say goodbye to Guy. He wished us luck. We had a nice strong tailwind, the sun was shining and there was storm clouds completely surrounding us. We biked along for a ways and I looked over at the storm cloud in front of us and saw a funnel cloud forming. We said 'Uh oh!' and headed for the nearest farm up the road. We stopped and watched as the funnel touched down and became a tornado, but it only lasted a few seconds before dissipating. Since that storm was in front of us and moving away, we decided it would be safe to push on. We were still in the sunshine, but another storm was quickly approaching from the rear. We stopped and turned down a grid road for a nature call. This was a huge mistake. Our bikes sank into the mud, and the tires quickly jammed with mud in the fenders. They would not roll at all so we had to carry/drag our bikes out to the highway. We spent the next 15 minutes cleaning mud from our shoes so cleats could engage etc. The stuff was like cement! We were unable to clean the fenders out, so we rode on with scraping noises coming from the wheels. This annoyed the heck out of us all the way to Palmer. We reached Gravelbourg and decided to eat lunch in a restaurant as the storm was just beginning to break. It passed over as we ate. I overheard several people talking about the tornado. The sun was shining again as we left to ride the final 15 km to Palmer. Another storm was on its way, but we made it in time. My grandfather drove us back to Gravelbourg to pick up some groceries. When we got out of the van, the first person we saw was the cyclist we met yesterday. He said that he had decided to take a rest day because of the storms and tornado warnings. This was a relief for us because we were a little worried about him earlier. Picked up some food and then visited my great great uncle Percy who is almost 99. Went back to the house, made supper, did some laundry and went to bed.

Thu Jun 10 - 0 km - Rest Day

Went to Moose Jaw for breakfast with my grandfather and his friend. Had lunch in Moose Jaw with some other family before driving back. We hit a duck on the way, poor thing. Took Wendy to Gravelbourg to see a doctor about her back who gave her some pills. Ate dinner in Gravelbourg at the Chinese restaurant. Wendy and I went swimming over at Eddie's house, but Ed was not there.

Fri Jun 11 - 0 km - Rest Day

Rotated the tires on the bikes as the rear ones were showing considerable wear while the front ones still look new. Discovered two more broken spokes on Wendy's rear wheel, so I replaced these. Chiselled the mud out of the fenders and pedals. Went for another swim over at Eddie's. It did not last long as an electrical storm hit, so we got out of the pool. It hailed a lot as well, so we sat and talked to Eddie and drank some beer. Went over to the community hall to shoot some pool and shuffleboard in the evening with Grandpa. We also saw the most amazing rainbow of our lives today.

Sat Jun 12 - 0 km - Rest Day

Wendy, Grandpa and I drove out to the farm yard to cut the lawns. Spent the afternoon on a ride-on lawnmower. Went to supper in Gravelbourg where I also purchased some fuel for the stove. Went for a final swim at Eddie's in the evening.

Sun Jun 13 - 65 km - Palmer to Assiniboia

The wind was against us as we road east out of Palmer. We had a tailwind as we headed south towards Assiniboia. Stopped for lunch of grilled cheese and fries at a local restaurant in town. Since there would be nowhere to stop for another 80 to 90 km, and we would be fighting the wind the whole way, we decided to stay at the campground in Assiniboia. While we ate supper, some guy came over and gave us a big tourism package for the town. After leafing through it, the whole thing hit the trash with the exception of a stupid refrigerator magnet which we carried home. We were pretty tired so we went to bed early.

Mon Jun 14 - 108 km - Assiniboia to Pangman

Warm and sunny when we got up. The wind was actually calm, and it remained that way. Ate beaners for breakfast and got on the road. Stopped at the grocery store on the way out of Assiniboia to pick up some food. Road east on hwy 13 which turned out to be just as Jordan described it, 'The worst highway I have ever driven on'. The pavement was pretty bad, however some sections were OK. There was next to no traffic, so we could slalom around the ruts. Stopped in the ditch for lunch as there were no towns or nothing where we could stop. Went into a cafe in Ogema, where we had a snack. Asked the waitress about accommodations in Pangman and she said that there was a campground, so we decided to keep going. Asked at the gas station in Pangman about the campground and they gave some crappy directions. After biking around a bit, we asked some lady who was working in her garden. Even with her directions, it took us a while to find it, as it is hidden between a whole pile of baseball fields. The campground is simply a field with three picnic tables and a fire pit. No bathrooms or water. Oh well, it is quite away from the town and there is some bushes so we can relieve ourselves behind them. It does not look like we will have to pay anything either, so we cannot complain. We watched a hawk fly around us as we ate dinner and Wendy managed to get close enough for some photos.

Tue Jun 15 - 67 km - Pangman to Weyburn

Today was nice and sunny, but there was a strong east wind. We had not gone far before deciding that there was no way that we would make it to our intended destination of Stoughton, 120 km away. Unfortunately the only other option was a short days ride to Weyburn which we decided would be the destination. The road went from bad as it was yesterday, to even worse. Potholes everywhere, washboard pavement, and general bumpiness caused much grief in our posteriors. Some parts were gravel patches which stretched part way across the road. Luckily traffic remained light. Passed a few cow fields, but we could not get the cows to stampede. Boring east Sask cows! Ate lunch along the side of the road. Got to Weyburn about 1400h and decided to spend $40 my grandfather had given us on a motel room. Checked in and then walked into town. Went to the Soo Line museum. Unfortunately this had nothing to do with trains, but they did have a lot of neat stuff. There was also an old CP caboose outside which you could go inside and climb up to the cupola. We bought some groceries and then went to dinner in some junky Chinese/Canadian restaurant.

Wed Jun 16 - 103 km - Weyburn to Arcola

I could not sleep last night because of noise in the motel from the plumbing and big trucks running outside, so I decided to go for a walk. Ended up at a bar down the street which served me a little tiny glass of beer when I asked for a pint. Can they legally do that? I drank up quickly and found another pub which served a real pint. Went back to the motel where Wendy was complaining about not being able to sleep either, so we both went back to the bar and had a couple more drinks. Finally got to bed at 0230h and slept until 0830h. Got on the road at 1000h to a very light tailwind and blue sky. The road was even half descent. That was not going to last too long, as by lunch our good old friend Mr. East Wind was blowing nice and strong and the road surface was back to the usual. Traffic got a little heavier too, but still not overly a problem. Stopped at Stoughton where we found a picnic table to eat at. As we left town, we caused three guys in a black tinted truck to have to slow down before passing us. This must have been unacceptable because they gave us the universal salute. It has been a while! Decided to stop in Arcola where there was a junky campground next to a playground. It has a bathroom and running water though! While we were finishing supper, three kids, James, Jordan, and Jessica, came over to talk to us. The oldest, James, asked many questions and told us about his camping experiences. He said that he wants to do some bike touring some day. They hung around for a few hours and we played with them on the playground. James said he would drop by on his way to school in the morning. Pretty tired tonight so hopefully we can sleep a little better.

Thu Jun 17 - 66 km - Arcola to Redvers

The wind was still howling from the east when we got up. James came to visit on his way to school and talked to us while we were packing up. He recommended a way out of town, but we decided to go out Main St because it looked like the road was turning to gravel. The road got a little better, but not by much. Stopped in Carlysle for some groceries. Wendy went in the store as I compensated some spokes on her rear wheel for yet another broken spoke. Will have to buy some more spares in Winnipeg. Ate some lunch beside the railroad tracks. Got to Redvers around 1430h and went into the tourist info place to inquire about potential accommodations down the road. Turns out there is nothing for another 50 km, which would not be a problem if we did not have the wind to fight, so we decided to stay at the campground adjoining the info center. We had some coffee and saskatoon berry pie (something I have been trying to find ever since we got to Saskatchewan) and talked to some others in the center. After setting up camp, we rode into town, picked up some more groceries, and scouted out a place to eat breakfast tomorrow. After dinner I heard a train, so I quickly jumped on my bike and rode down to the grain elevators. Two locomotives had pulled into town and were picking up five rows of cars. I sat and watched them build up the train and then leave. It was kinda neat.

Fri Jun 18 - 113 km - Redvers to Souris, MB

The wind blew all night. It rained really hard at one point, but we stayed dry in the tent. The wind was still blowing in the morning, but at least the intensity had diminished somewhat. Went to breakfast at a restaurant in Redvers which had really good homemade bread. Then we set out. It was hot and sunny, a really nice day except for the wind. After 20 km we crossed into Manitoba. Luckily the wind shifted to the south slightly, so we were able to keep our speed just under 20 km/h and made the intended distance. We pulled into the town of Pipestone, where we planned to buy some groceries and eat lunch. The entire town was jam packed with parked cars. We passed more and more until we finally found the reason. There was a funeral going on in the community hall. Must have been some important person. The grocery store was closed for the funeral, so we just ate lunch at a broken picnic table in a very run-down campground. The road has much improved since we entered Manitoba. It is so nice to not have the constant jarring of potholes and cracks. They also have discovered the steam roller in this province! Traffic is relatively light with a few trucks, and almost everyone gives us a full lane while passing. Finally reached Souris, which is not pronounced as the French would say 'mouse', but more like 'circus', at around 1700h. Got stopped at a railroad crossing in town as a long train of empty intermodal flat cars rumbled by. Bought a few things at the grocery store, and then went into the campground. It is completely packed with RVs. We found a semi-private spot by the river, but we are completely surrounded by people. I really hope we can sleep. After setting up and eating supper, we hiked some of the 6 km trail network (cut naturally into the 20 acre park!) and climbed a lookout tower from which you can see the whole town. We then went over to 'Canada's longest suspended bridge'. We crossed it, which was fun as it bounced and swayed. I have a hard time believing that it is the longest anymore. It might have been when it was built in 1906, but it had to be rebuilt in the 1970's when it got swept away by the river. There are supports along most of its length into the ground, so the actual suspended part is rather short. Mosquitos were bad and we were tired so we then headed to bed, as RV goofs gab away all around us.
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