Winnipeg to Brandon

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Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement. We are now in Brandon at the Meadowlark Campground where we are feeling decidedly outclassed by our fellow campers in their pricey RVs. We laid out $65 for our tent at walmart. Michele makes into a home that is just as nice (if not quite as comfortable) as any of the $100,000 beauties that surround us.

We have now reached the point in our trip where we have to drive to Calgary in order to be able to connect with friends who are only going to be there on June 6th. We put Allan (my Fuji touring bike named in honour of Allan Turing) in his rack on top of the car. We have both made solemn pledges to warn each other about going under anything low - like Mcdonald's drive throughs for example. My brother Peter once lost a bike to his garage that way. Allan, who is 12 years old and has had quite a few thousand kms pass under his wheels, has been emitting some disturbing squeaking sounds from his rear hub for the last while. I will have to check that out in Vancouver - when we get there.

Speaking of rear hubs, mine is killing me. My butt is exquisite...ly painful. My beautiful leather Brooks saddle (one of my favourite things that my son gave me) has made my ass ragged. Let's just leave that as enough description. The theory of bike saddles as I understand it is they are not things you sit on: they are things you put between your legs to remind you to push down on the pedals to relieve pressure from your ass. Your weight should be carried mostly by you feet on the pedals and your hands on the handlebars. Real cyclists ( as opposed to artificial ones like myself) are actually pulling themselves down against the push of their massive, drug enhanced thigh muscles - their asses have only the most fleeting casual contact with their saddles. Well that's the theory and every real cyclist will tell you the only solution to a sore ass is getting strong legs. Why is it always so complicated? Am I an idiot to think it is reasonable for a fairly unfit 61 year old to ride cross country?

Speaking of idiots - what kind of idiot would choose to ride the prairies from East to West, against the prevailing winds. Let's talk about headwinds. The steepest longest hill is better than a strong headwind. That is because you know there will be an end to it. Sooner or later you will summit and then you can get off your bike and admire the view. A headwind is just an energy sapping test of your will/commitment/mental health that drags on and on till you just want to get off and curl up in the ditch. Yesterday I rode 100 kms from Headingly to Macgregor against a strong wind and it was all I could do. It was such a joy to arrive at the wonderful campsite Michele had set up in the Macgregor Lions club campground (a very nice friendly town by the way and a nice campsite except for the level crossing nearby from whence came the prolonged blast of train horns as they roared through all night long!).

I will sign off for now. We are posting these where we can when wi-fi is available. Michele will be posting her thoughts soon. We are having a wonderful time (despite my complaining).

P.S. Good Stuff Salvaged from the Verge: 4 good bungee straps (chosen from about a million I have a passed), a pair of vice grips, the head off a ball peen hammer and a nearly new tarp. I have got to think of a use for broken bungee straps.

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Photos

Home Sweet Home MacGregor
Lions Club campground - had it all to ourselves! Very friendly community.

Brandon
Meadowlark campground - Allan is on the roof ready to drive to Swift Current tomorrow and then Calgary the next day.

Comments

[Robin and Bill]

Hello
Hi You two Just want to say how much we enjoyed our time with you. If I understand correctly you are back on the road. Bill and I are heading back to the lake tomorrow. Hope all is well and your travel is going well. We will be in touch again when we return to civilization.