Regina to Calgary and Home

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Odometer: 43215 km

The day started with a promise of reaching Calgary today, but also the promise of some rain on the way.

I left Regina by 7am and had breakfast in Moose Jaw. The weather at this point was perfect for riding, but the sky in the west was threatening so I put on my rain gear in anticipation. I wasn’t disappointed. I hoped I could ride through the wet, but the lightning started and when a strike on a hill across the valley beside me resulted in an instant crash of thunder, I sought refuge in a little restaurant at Chaplin.

Some of the community was in for their morning break and I invited myself to join a farmer that was sitting on his own. He wasn’t critical of my dripping clothes. I never did ask him his name, but we had a good talk nevertheless. His farm was north of Chaplin and he figured this might be his last year of operating his full 23 sections. He said he was 68, but looked about my age, 62, and very fit. I asked him if he was going to retire then, and, if so, what would he do with his time.

“Oh, I’ll probably still keep some things going. I raise horses, so I’ll put more time into that and I’ll have some hay crops for feed, so I’ll need to tend those and swath them at the end of the season.”

I asked, “Will you do anything completely different, you know, to keep your brain challenged? I think that is one of the toughest things to do.” He never did answer this and I am not sure he had that worked out, but he did know he was going to stop his full blown operation.

“I wouldn’t expect you to answer this in detail, but, can you explain, in general, how you set up retirement finances after working a farm for your whole life?” I asked.

He was quick to answer. “Well, you keep putting something away regularly, but the real hope is you can sell some or all of your property. I own all my property, because it has been in the family forever, so I can get money out of that, less capital gains taxes of course. I just hope there is someone who will buy it.”

“Why are taxes a consideration? In the city, I can sell my principle residence and there are no capital gains on that.”

“I can sell the immediate property that my residence is on with no tax, but for the rest, I get capital gains tax on everything over $250,000. Mind you, it is a challenge to figure out the original price in a family situation like mine, where the property has been handed down, but I’m sure the government will figure out a way to get their slice. My other money will come from selling my larger machinery. I might lose some money from the original price, but it is still cash in hand and I won’t have to worry about the loan payments anymore.”

While we were talking his wife came in and sat down to join us. As she got a sense of the conversation, she joined in. “He might be retiring, but I started a catering business a couple of years ago and I’m having fun, so I’m going to keep on working for a while.” The guy smiled and softly said, “That will be a bit different, but she’s having fun so why not.”

Three more younger fellows came in a joined the table with greetings all around. I presumed they were other farmers from the area, but only one was. The others were his hired hands. After the first farmer explained to the newcomers what I was doing, I thought I would ask some more questions to satisfy my curiosity.

“I was going to pull off at Valjean back up the road, but I see everything is closed. I remember when that was a viable little place with a café, a garage and a general store. It doesn’t seem that long ago that it was like that.”

“Yah,” the older farmer replied, “it was a regular service garage for farm equipment for many years and was doing well. At one point it was a New Holland farm equipment dealership, but New Holland demanded that they build a larger facility with some storage buildings if they wanted to keep the dealership. The owner didn’t want to put that much money into it, so he let the dealership go and just set up as a repair shop. He found that most of his work was being done at peoples’ farms, so he just runs his business mobile now, and has a centre back at this own place. That happened about five years back and that was the end of Valjean."

He continued, "It is interesting that another guy at Swift Current met New Holland’s request and built up a larger centre for New Holland in Swift Current, but a couple of years ago New Holland pulled out of that and now you have to go to Moose Jaw to find a New Holland dealer. The dealer in Swift Current lost a lot on that.”

I recognized the new accounting based business model, and was surprised it had its tentacles out this far. I thought that farmers would demand more local support. Still, if the number of farmers is decreasing, and the farms getting bigger all the time, I guess a smaller centre wouldn’t be able to support the corporate business model. What a shame.

The older farmer and his wife had to leave, so we shook hands, wished each other well, and they left.

I was curious how the increasing fuel prices were affecting these guys, so I asked the younger farmer about it.

“I hurts alright,” he said. “As an example, I’m swathing right now, and going through about 800 litres of diesel per day. If I was threshing, it would be more like 1200 litres per day. So an increase of ten cents has an impact. You know, the margins are very small, that is why we need to work such large spreads to make a living. I’ve backed off on my farming and now raise and sell yearling cattle. That is a good business so far.”

I was astounded at the fuel usage, but I shouldn’t have been. It certainly made my 24 litre a day habit on the motorcycle seem insignificant, as it did me searching around to save a cent on a litre. I know the farmers buy fuel specially identified by colour for farm use, and, it is a bit cheaper, but any increase still impacts their profit, so it must hurt.

The rain had stopped and the sun was coming out. I was so involved in my conversations with the group that I hadn’t noticed. I took off my rain togs and got back on the highway, heading for my favourite bakery, Carrah’s, in Maple Creek for lunch.

As I turned off the TransCanada highway to Maple Creek I saw before me a road covered in what looked like white confetti, but this confetti moved about and flew on its own. I was looking at a recent hatching of the Cabbage White butterflies that are prevalent all over the prairies. What a sight that was. As I drove through them they parted like white sheers on a window, but they also made a mess of my windshield as I hit some a 100 kph.

As I drove into Maple Creek the wind was calm, and I thought back to the horrendous wind I dealt with on that first day of riding back in June. What a difference. Today the ride was a treat. While I was in for lunch that all changed and by the time I was driving the same secondary highway back out to the TransCanada the wind had started in earnest. All the way into Medicine Hat it got stronger and stronger, then, worst of all, it change direction and was blowing at me from the side.

Here I was, six weeks after my first windy ride out of Calgary, experiencing the same thing coming back in. The ride from Medicine Hat all the way to Calgary was not fun. I had to fight the bike the whole way and by the time I got home my neck had gone out again and I was in pain. I dreamed of a smooth leisurely ride into Calgary looking at a setting sun over the mountains; instead, I followed the only opening in the clouds, which created a sort of valley of weather leading right into the city. There was a huge, rotating cloud bank to the south and dark ominous clouds to the north of the highway. No doubt the rotating cloud bank could have spawned a tornado, but I never saw one. I’m sure it was the source of the strong side wind. The good news was that the car and truck drivers could see I was struggling with the bike and they all gave me a wide berth. I was thankful for that.

I got home about 7pm. I was so happy to see Les. We got my stuff off the bike and then put it away in the garage. Les and I settled down to a supper and lots of chat. I was home.

Odometer at the end of the day: 44030 km

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Photos

Barren Prairies near Irving
This is between Maple Creek and Medicine Hat and is some of the boring part of the prairie trip. There really is nothing to see around here.

Prairie sight
Given the unique gate, I imagine there is a nice house at the end of this road. There are some who love living in this country.

Alberta Bound
After so long away, it was hard to believe I was back to where I started. Still some riding to do, but almost there. My look of concern is because the wind was blowing so hard I was afraid it would blow my camera tripod over.