Day 24: Outlook to Davidson 94km

The plan for today was to make it to the town of Craik, which is 30km after Davidson but due to crazy weather that wasn't possible. We got up at the usual time of 4.30am and were ready by 6.00am. Today though we decided to go to the restaurant in Outlook for breakfast part 1. Breakfast part 1 is usually fruit and whatever else we have in the cooler. After yesterdays hard ride we treated ourselves to a small breakfast. We hit the road at 7.30am and experienced for me anyway the hardest bit of riding so far.
The wind was directly in our faces and the rain was coming down, not the greatest of combinations. It took us 4 hours to cover 55km and it was the hardest 55km ever. We arrived in the town of Kenaston and of course found a great little restaurant run by a friendly Chinese couple. This may sound like it is becoming repetitive but everyday is so different and each small town has its own character, it is just that all the restaurants are the same and run by Chinese couples.
Anyway after this we waited and waited for the rain to stop but it didn't so we just plugged on and just made it to Davidson soaked to the bone so we stayed in a Inn and dried out for the night. In the restaurant in Davidson an interesting old chap named Elmer gave us 20 dollars for our dinner and is planning to write about us in the local paper. He also owns an organic farm and gave us some information about it. He also told me about his time in England and Germany in the War, which for me was great banter not sure Agnes was to interested though.

Day 23: Kindersley to Outlook 156km

After such a great day we wanted another one but that was not to be. Saskatchewan is not flat, well not yet anyhow or in the area we are in. Many, many people have been telling me how table top flat it is but they haven't tried cycling. The land is flat compared to the mountains obviously but there is always a slight uphill or downhill and sometimes not so slight. The wind was not our friend today and that most certainly didn't help the cause. We were both trying very hard to stay awake and battle with our minds. For me it wasn't the physical part that was hard but the mental part as it was very tough to keep thinking positive thoughts. We got through it in the end and the small town of Outlook was very nice and when I can upload some pictures you can see how nice. The propane we bought back in Drumheller was the wrong sized bottle and we haven't been able to find the right size anywhere since as the towns we are going through are very small and don't have camping shops. So for this reason we are mainly eating in the small gas station restaurants, which are cheap and surprisingly good. The restaurant in Outlook was no different except it wasn't run by a friendly Chinese couple. Our new favourite thing to do on our rides is to have a breakfast part 2 and these types of restaurants have been fantastic and seem to be in every little town.

Day 22: Youngstown to Kindersley 154km

Last night we came to the scary decision that we would get up at 4.30am, yes that is correct 4.30am. Mainly for heat reasons as it has been getting too hot for cycling in the afternoon. I managed to get up just fine and we were ready by 5.50am and on the road. The wind was at our backs and the terrain seemed to be mostly just slightly downhill so we were flying. In just under 2 hours we had already covered 55km which is excellent. We planned to stop at 90km at a town on the border of Alberta and Saskatchewan fittingly named Alsask. This part of the ride went even faster and we were flying, probably the most fun bit of riding so far. We arrived at Alsask at 9.30ish and went to a gas station restaurant of course run by a Chinese couple for breakfast part 2. The breakfast was fantastic and we were raring to go an hour later.
The remainder of the ride was just as swift and we arrived in Kindersley at 1.30pm. A very pleasing day with no complications or bad weather just very fast cycling which was so satisfying. We pitched our tent in the only campsite, which was more of an RV park but nothing could wipe the smiles from our faces today. After beers and food we were ready for bed at 8.30pm. I fell asleep straight away of course as we were up at the crazy time of 4.30am but Agnes couldn't sleep as the sun was still shinning and there were a large group of teenage girls shouting and listening to the Backstreet Boys till midnight.

Day 21: Drumheller to Youngstown 129km

After another great day off we got up early at around 5.00am and hit the road by around 7.00am, which was fairly good going. The prairies aren't completely flat yet but the landscape isn't changing much and today's ride was quite boring. We made it to a town called Hanna by 12ish and sat down for lunch and then went to a little greasy spoon for a cup of tea. We didn't take too long for lunch this time but by the time we were ready to set off it was very hot.
We arrived in the very small town of Youngstown at around 4.00pm. From first impressions I thought we were going to have to carry on riding and find another town. It is a very small town with a population of 170 and a lot of very run down houses and an old freaky looking hotel.
We found the village store and after that we were very glad we stayed. The lady running the store Greta was a legend and also Betty her friend who was in there. Greta told us where the campsite was and took our laundry from us to take to her house and bring it back to us later. Betty drove us to her house so that we could use the shower as the campsite didn't have any showers. After this we set up the tent and trotted along to the restaurant, which was run by a very nice Chinese couple as are most restaurants in small towns in Canada. We wolfed down our food and sat around for a while as back at the campsite we would be getting eaten by the mosquito's. When we got back to the tent Greta came round with our laundry washed and folded up smelling like a summers day. this was such a great help and we were so thankful to Greta and Betty. Greta said to us that they might all look like a bunch of hicks but they are a good bunch and that they were.

Day 20: Day off, hahaha

Yes another one but why the hell not. As we planned to go to the museum today we didn't get up until 8.00am as the museum doesn't open till 9.00am. By the time we had everything gathered together it was about 10.00am. Propane was needed so we went to Canadian Tire to buy some which was no bother until we stepped outside of the shop and Agnes' front tire suddenly popped. That is puncture number 4 for Agnes. The sun was already beating down so we pushed the bikes to the other side of town to find some shade outside the tourist information centre. By the time Agnes had fixed it and we had been to a shop to get the correct air pressure put into the tire it was lunch time. We went to a tea shop for sandwiches and cake and as the day was getting later and hotter we thought what the hey another day off it is.
We booked back into the campsite and headed off to the museum. We left our bikes at the campsite and decided to hitch a ride to the museum as it was 6km out of town. We walked 2km and then a family who were on there way to the museum picked us up, result. The museum was great, one of the best museums I think I have been to. I have plenty of pictures which i will put on when we finally get to a internet cafe or library that will allow us to upload pictures. We managed to hitch a ride back to the campsite as a family driving by recognised us from the site, bonus. After that we hit the municipal outdoor pool that a lot of Canadian towns have. Wasn't as refreshing as a cold lake but it did the trick.
I'm very happy we have gone from rain everyday to boiling hot sunshine. My farmers tan is coming on a treat now.

Day 19: Calgary to Drumheller 149km

We woke around 5.00am to get a good start and try and miss the traffic out of Calgary. Basia and Leszek were both already up cooking us breakfast and making sandwiches for our lunch. This was so great I can't express how happy I was at this sight. Again we were fed amazing pancakes and sandwich meats and fruit, fantastic.
Leszeks' brother in law had given us a bike route out of Calgary so that we wouldn't have to go on the highways. The route was perfect and we were flying out of Calgary. The mornings ride went very well and we were at our lunch destination at 11.30, which was in great time. We had lunch in a small town called Beiseker. We settled down in a little picnic spot and devoured the sandwiches Leszek had made for us, it would be great to have sandwiches like that everyday. I decided as we still had plenty of time to phone home and speak to my parents for an hour and Agnes had a sleep. By the time we were ready to hit the road again we had taken 3 hours for lunch, whoops.
The rest of the ride was only 60ishkm so we thought we would be there in no time but how wrong we were. The second part of the day was a nightmare as there was a headwind and roadworks for a stretch of 20km. This stretch must have taken 2 hours as the road surface had been ripped off for the 20km and it was up and down hills.
We finally arrived in Drumheller at around 7ish very tired and very sun burnt. Even setting off at 7.00am wasn't early enough to miss the afternoon heat. Also though we won't always have as crazy roads and winds to deal with I hope.
We found a great place for a burger before we went to the campsite as we just had to eat. I ordered a double burger thinking it would be just the right size but it was huge. I managed it all and we both decided that it was they were the greatest burgers of all time. After the greatest burgers of all time were sunk we set up camp for the night. We are officially in mosquito country now, Agnes is getting bitten everywhere. I'm to busy with my hay fever to pestered with them.
We got talking to a couple at the campsite who were travelling across Canada with their kids in a camper van. As it turned out they have cycled across Canada a couple of years ago so they invited us to the van for a spot of wine followed by a dabble of whiskey. Their names are Cory and Jim and we enjoyed our drinks and chat a lot. Before we went to bed they gave us 20 dollars to go to the museum of paleontology in Drumheller before we left the next day. Drumheller is an old coal mining town now living off tourism and the fact that lots of dinosaur remains have been found in the area. The museum is meant to be well worth a visit.

Day 18: Day off in Calgary

Calgary is the first large city we have been in since leaving Vancouver so we decided a day off would be very useful. The other reason was that we were staying at Leszek Raciborski's house where he lives with his two daughters Basia and Monika and also his wife who was away. They are family friends of Agnes' family and I would like to thank them for their amazing hospitality. They all made sure we had everything we needed at all times, and Basia took us around the city and out for Beers and a game of pool. Also Basia made possibly the best pancakes that I have ever had. They had yogurt, nectarines, cherries and maple syrup in them and were a taste sensation. It was a great day off as I didn't have any hayfever problems which was nice for a change.