Day 27: 88.89 km

June 2, 2012

Moosomin- Oak Lake

Today was incredible! I woke up to a very warm morning. I had a late start and ate breakfast in the campground. 

My gopher friend that joined me for breakfast. I was definitely more scared of him than he was of me.

Goodbye Saskachewan!

By noon I crossed the Manitoba border. Literally as soon as I crossed the border I felt as if the bugs attacked me! I got a bee stuck in my helmet (a very friendly bee that didn't sting me thank goodness) and flies and wasps were circling me as I went. I lost my mind at one that kept doing circles and went to swat it away and went biking into the ditch! It won that battle. It was so sunny and hot. Yesterday at some point I had passed the 2,000 km mark! So I'm about a third of the way there! It was so hot today it was crazy. I was biking in my bathing suit top and loaded on the sunscreen.

I stopped for a quick snack to cool off.

I had talked to Maryann's sister-in-law letting her know that I wouldn't need a place to stay and she warned me about the highways around Elkhorn, a town I was close to. I guess a few cyclists have died biking around the turns and getting hit by cars there. But I made it through safe and sound. As I was biking, a semi pulled in front of me. I got a little nervous wondering what this guy was doing so I took a picture of the back of his truck and plates to send to my dad. As I was sending the picture, Carl, the truck driver I met in Chaplin, got out of the truck!! I was so happy to see him again! He was on his way back home. We chatted a bit, and he gave more money to the cause! He also gave me dates. He had looked into it since the last time we had chatted and found out professional bikers eat dates as snacks to keep going, so he had bought a fresh package of dates for me! Very nice man, then we parted ways and kept going.

Just outside of Elkhorn (in a safe spot) I had another flat! This was the worlds easiest flat compared to the last one I had! I sat in my little chair and sang as I changed it. A fellow stopped and asked if I needed help, and we chatted for a bit as well, then I kept going.

By the time I was nearing Oak Lake, I got absolutely frustrated with the bugs. I looked like a human windshield! They we're stuck to my face and chest and it was so hot and sticky out I felt disgusting. They were so annoying and I could feel them in my hair and crawling everywhere! I had to stop and shower! My plan was to stop and shower in Oak Lake and push on 40 km to Brandon. I found a tiny little campground and went to shower there. The shower didn't work!! So I put my clothes back on as someone pounded on the door to get in. I had my bike in the washroom with me. It was a big washroom with 2 sinks but not a very private shower and it was for girls and guys and had a lock on the door so I had assumed it was a personal shower. I felt terrible assuming this so I ran to answer the door. These kids were on the other side and one really had to go to the washroom. We ended up chatting for over an hour in the washroom. The kids ranged from 6 years old to 12 years old and they had so many questions about everything! They were so excited about my trip! They told every adult that came into the area about it. The young girl, Zoe, helped me wash my hair in the sink, and they all helped me set up my tent. I guess I'm not going to Brandon!

We had an awesome time! These kids never stopped talking. It was so refreshing after being so alone all day! 

They unpacked me and set up my tent!

They biked with me in town and showed me their houses, and introduced me to their neighbors, and took me to the "cream" for dinner. Zoe's dad ended up buying dinner (thank you again!) and we all went back to the camp ground.

On our way back from dinner with fried chicken

They were continuing the celebrations for a wedding! We all ate and had a few beers and chatted. The kids and I played in the park, and I got to know a lot of the adults. It was an amazing time! So many of them donated, and they were all so supportive of my cause. I even got to camp there for free! I can't even explain to you how open hearted these people are! It is incredible here!!

Each of the kids took a turn riding my bike. They put 10km on it!

I guess Brandon plus some is the plan for tomorrow now instead of today!!! But it was SO worth every moment of it!

Saskatchewan stats

Saskatchewan stats: 
 
-568.1 km
-8 days total
- 6.5 days riding
-87.4 km/day
-by far the hardest province yet because of the wind
- 2 days of terrible weather
-2.5 days of head winds but good weather
- 2 days of good tail wind
-song of the province: When I'm up (I can't get down) by Great Big Sea

Day 26: 128.22 km

June 1, 2012

Wolseley- Moosomin

Today was so beautiful! Maybe it was the sun, or the blue sky, or the lake in the middle of the town, or the awesome sleep, but I fell in love with Wolseley too! This morning I left the bed and breakfast at 8:15 after giving my bike a good tuning. I didn't end up leaving the town until 9:15 because I was exploring. 

Wolseley has this swing bridge over top of this very peaceful lake with a water fountain in it. It was so beautiful, green, and sunny there! It was a very peaceful, friendly town. Everyone waved at me. It was such a cute, caring town.

 

Today went by fast. I had a tail wind and averaged 30 km/hr. The sun was so warm, and the sky the traffic was calm. Along the way I stopped in almost every town to try to find a Map for Manitoba tomorrow but I could not hunt one down for the life of me!

I stopped in Whitewood for lunch. I have never been a pop drinker, but I was craving root beer and chugged two giant glasses of it! My throat was so dry and gross and it scrubbed it clean it felt so good! I sat there and read my book for a while, and then carried on to Moosomin.

Just as I was getting close to Moosomin it started pouring, which was amazing! It was so hot, and the sun was still shining, but it was raining pretty heavy! Sun showers! There was a big thunder cloud close behind me, and the rain was getting pushed by the wind. I made it to DQ and ordered a skor blizzard with extra skor and sat down in the sun room to watch the cloud pass over head. 

It passed quickly, and then the ground dried up so fast! I debated whether or not to use the wind and get to the next town in Manitoba tonight, but then decided that I would stay in Moosomin for the night. I found an awesome little campground (fieldstone park) and got to do laundry, finished my book and got a new one for free! What a great day!!!

Day 25: 97.13 km

May 31, 2012

Regina - Wolseley

Today was awesome! I woke up with the full intention to start early because there was supposed to be thunder showers in the afternoon. I woke up at 6am, and was ready to go by 6:45am, but my tent was wet, and the sun was out, so I dried it on the picnic tables. I read my book, sitting on my little orange chair with the sun in my face as they dried. Perfect!!!! I ate all the delicious fruit and bars that Megan had put in the care package. I didn't end up leaving until 8am! But it was so enjoyable!

Then I biked to Indian head by about noon. What a lovely town!!!!

It is where Little Mosque on the Prairie is filmed! I tried to find the mosque, but then I found a bakery instead!

They served food so I went in. Just a little background story, Travis, a good friend from Saskatoon, was going to bike with me for a day when I left Regina. I ended up not being able to tell him my plan until it was too late for him to get it off work. But he had family in Indian Head and offered me their place to stay. So here I am in line at the bakery, and this lady beside me said "Kieren?". I was so confused, in my head thinking, whoa I am talking in third person! Because that made more sense than running into Travis's sister at the bakery for lunch!!!! Tricia, a couple of her coworkers, and I all had lunch together. I had a delicious half sandwich and soup. I was kicking myself after for not getting a whole sandwich, even though I was full, because it was that delicious! Tricia and her coworkers went back to work, and I sat by the window in the sun/shade waiting for this thunderstorm to pass. There were some pretty big grey clouds over the town, but for some reason we would still get sun peaking through and the rain never hit. So after 3 hours of waiting, I decided to keep on going.

Just before I left the bakery, I started chatting with Barbra. Barbra had met a girl biking across Canada 3 years ago going the other way! We were chatting and it turns out that she was originally from Vancouver, and she was on a road trip just traveling when she came to Indian head. She fell absolutely in love with the town and bought a house 2 weeks later!!! I'm telling you, there is something about that town! I could have sat at that bakery window and just watched the happenings of the town all day, and I almost did!!!

I left Indian Head at 3, and biked to Wolseley. If you can saunter on a bike, I sauntered there. Not going to lie, I was singing, and trying to dance, and snacking, and texting, and just enjoying it. I got into Wolseley at 4:50pm and my first stop was ice cream. I saw the storm that was predicted coming towards me. My original plan was to go to Grenfell for the night, but tomorrow the winds are suuupppooosssed to be at my back. Says the weatherman... So I decided with those winds I can make up the 30 km tomorrow and I stayed in Wolseley. I started setting up my tent in the campground and chatted with mom. I realized that the campground didn't have showers, and last night I was having too good of a time to go shower. So I was gross! I asked mom if she could look into a shower opportunity in the town. 5 mins later she called saying that this expensive bed and breakfast was going to give me a HUGE deal on a room for the night!!! So tonight I am at the Banbury house inn, which was Saskatchewan's first European style bed and breakfast. I had a delicious steak dinner here, they have packed me a breakfast for tomorrow, and charged me about as much as a regular dinner for it all!!!!!!! I am so excited and happy to be in a room! And to have a shower! And to have a steak dinner! Today couldn't have been better!!!!!

Day 24: 81.17 km

May 30, 2012

Saskatoon - Moose Jaw - Regina

Today was sad, but good. I woke up in a rush from a late night the night before. The firehall and news reporter would be at the fire hall at 9:30am, and I woke up at 7:15am!! So I rushed getting ready, said goodbyes (so sad) and went to pick up dad. We had a great drive down, and the guys in Moose Jaw re-arranged for 10:30am. Then I had an interview with the Moose Jaw Times Herald (http://www.mjtimes.sk.ca/Local/News/2012-05-30/article-2992163/Coasttocoast-tour-to-put-prostate-cancer-on-the-map/1 ) and then I was off! Thank you again so much to the Moose Jaw firefighters for keeping my bike, and Steve, safe and sound!!

About 5 km out of Moose Jaw, I began missing my dad because a song came on that we were talking about. Then, maybe one song after that song had finished, dad pulls up!!!! I thought he had left! I was so happy to see him again!!! He brought me a sandwich, and then left for real.

Man, driving that highway with mom on Sunday was SO much faster than biking it. It was crazy to have just recently been on it to compare speeds. And being back on the bike, it felt weird not wearing a seat belt! The wind was in my face a little, but the sun was so warm and it was good to get going again.

Once in Regina I met up with Megan Doyle for dinner. We had such a good time catching up! I hadn't seen her since gr 11 when she moved to Regina!!! We chatted until the restaurant was closing, and then I went to the campsite and set up my tent while she grabbed a jacket, and then she came to the campsite and we hid in the tent and chatted even more!!! It was so much fun to see her again. And this girl is possibly the biggest sweetheart ever. She paid for my dinner, her mom made me a care package, and then on top of all that, she stuffed a donation in my pocket and ran away. So glad we could catch up. Perfect day!!!