I did not sleep well, so when the crows outside my tent woke me up at 5:45am I packed it in and got ready to leave. Was about 11 C but the sun was already shining. I headed eastbound along the #3 for the first chunk of time. Tailwind which turned into a crosswind. Basically I had four right hand turns on my route.
I was glad for the wide shoulders and the vehicles giving me wide berth.
The short section of the TransCanada was the hardest part. Busy and slow going. I was relieved to turn onto 41 headed south. It was quite hilly, but at least I had a tailwind! There was little to no shoulder to ride on but it was quieter than the other roads. The beef cows all stare at me as I ride by. They must think I'm the strangest creature. I love seeing the little calves and the massive bulls mixed in the herds.
I'm nearing the end of the cycling portion of my trip now.
I reached the Cypress Hills Provincial/inter provincial Park. There were 5 campground areas. I chose the cheapest "Ferguson Hill"...which I should've realized was up a hill. And what a hill it was! Wish I'd have thought to check where the showers were located before going up the 750 meter of climbing, with upwards 16% grades. To put that in perspective, none of the climbing I did while in the rockies was that steep for that long!
I wanted a shower so bad...but I didn't feel I had the energy to do that hill again after 120 kms of riding.
I ate a good lunch of bagel and a juicy apple slathered in peanut butter.
My solution was to unload my bike, ride 2 minutes down the hill, take my shower, then walk my bike up the hill. Worth it.
So my tent is set up and I'm exhausted from the day.
Tomorrow I have a short cycle over to Saskatchewan (which I'm right next to), to the Ranch where I'll meet my family (when they arrive Sunday).
What a wonderful trip you're having! Cypress Hills is so beautiful! Old volcano! Say hi to your family when you see them! Glad that you were kept safe and sound. May God continue to watch over you.
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