I GUESS SASKATCHEWAN DOES HAVE HILLS!

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I GUESS SASKATCHEWAN DOES HAVE HILLS!

Tuesday, 19 June ‘07

Well, today was the starting day for the Super60 Cycle Tour. Up to now we’d been planning, getting stuff ready and travelling to the start-off point (Moose Jaw). Today would be Day 1 - FINALLY!!

Last night Bob & I discussed the routes I might take. Bob really wants to know where I’ll be in case there’s a problem. At home I’d mapped out a route which would have avoided the principal roads, but they don’t seem to be as busy as around Ottawa, so I decided I’d rather use the paved primary roads, as opposed to the secondary roads, which are mostly dirt or gravel. We also tried out the satellite phones, but Bob’s seems to be unable to pick up a signal, whereas mine can. We may have to call FirstComm to see what’s what.

Anyway, the day was clear & sunny, little or no wind, and the roads we took to Douglas Provincial Park (DPP) were lightly travelled, so everything seemed to be in our favour. At the park we purchased a year-long park pass, as we’ll probably go to enough provincial parks in each province to make it worth while. It took a bit longer than ideal to get me set up - but by 1115 AM I was on the road & Bob & Panna went off to enjoy the park a bit. Then he was going back to Moose Jaw with the intention to pick me up in about 5 hours at a town called Tugaske.

Douglas PP is at the southeast end of the Gordon McKenzie “arm” of Lake Diefenbaker, which has been formed from the damming up of parts of the Saskatchewan & the Qu’Appelle Rivers. The lake itself is a major source of outdoor activities for residents & tourists alike. As with many areas which are immediately around or near to river valleys, there are hills. Nothing like in Ontario, north of Lake Superior, more like in the Ottawa Valley, although one in particular was pretty long.

But aside from those hills, mostly at the beginning of my ride, it was a very easy ride - decently paved roads (although I did hit a recently, that morning, re-surfaced patch, which was still hot & caked my tires & clothes with tarry bits), not much traffic, and lovely sights, sounds, and smells from the surrounding farmland.

I stopped in Tugaske for lunch, at about halfway to 60 km - had no idea how I’d come up with the idea that Bob should meet me there, as it was nowhere near where I thought I should finish for the day. So I called his cellphone (fortunately they seem to work nearly everywhere there is a major highway) & left him a message to meet me somewhere south of there.

The 60 km was accomplished in about three hours of riding. I could have kept going, but didn’t want to “burn out” at the beginning of my venture, so I stopped at Keeler, a teeny tiny place along the road. I’d spoken with Bob & he said he’d pick me up there, as there was a nice little road where we could take the time to load my bike & I could say hello to Panna.

As it wasn’t overly hot that evening we “celebrated” by eating out (rather than bringing the food to our rooms), leaving Panna in the van - and there were no rainstorms either.

DAY 1: DPP to Keeler, 64.6 km, in 2:57 hours, ave. speed 21.8/km/hr, max speed 40.6 km/hr - a great start.

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