Qu'appelle Valley is GORGEOUS. I mean this valley is really really beautiful. And was a nice welcome change of scenery. If ever you are in the area - you MUST MUST MUST take the scenic route through it. And it is HUGE as we rode quite a ways down the valley before we turned off.
While the climb out of the valley wasn't that difficult, it felt like we were climbing a huge mountain!!!!! Mostly because my legs were tired from the long hard ride of the day before.
Yes - we stopped for chocolate milk again. It is becoming a daily staple and they do have the cutest plastic jugs - well I had never seen them before. I did get a picture which I will post when I can.
Passed through Esterhazy where there was a fundraising BBQ happening at lunch time and
it was lunch time when we got there so we had BBQ for lunch instead of the usual peanut butter and jam sandwich. A most welcome break. A quick stop at the Potash Interpretive Center and we were on our way.
I ALMOST got to meet Liz. We had been chatting on Facebook and she was in the same area that I was, except that we were about 100 KM apart - too far to connect since we were also going in opposite directions!!! Too bad - that would have been fun, but alas - it wasn't to be on this trip.
Now we were riding on the way to MANITOBA. Can you believe that????? Well as we were getting closer to the border (on a smaller road), I kept thinking - there had BETTER be a sign saying Welcome to Manitoba or I was going to be TICKED!!!! And YES - there was a sign. It was just a smaller version of the one on the TransCanada Highway, but there was a sign and YES we got pictures!!!!!!
Oh yes - we were quite excited to reach a new province as the road from Esterhazy to the border was a tad sketchy. Sketchy in that, the pavement was broken up and instead of repairing it with pavement - they laid gravel over it as many of the smaller roads in Saskatchewan are going (at least where I grew up - that is what is happening). So pavement, gravel, pavement, gravel, - you get the picture. Now I have riden a LOT on gravel roads, so my bike is very happy on the gravel, but some of the others were not quite so happy. HEY - it is a Tour across the country - you can't expect the road to be paved all the way!!!!!
There were LOADS of mosquitos and flies in the campsite. It was a tad annoying, but what are you going to do. This is just part of camping. Get the bug spray out and deal with it!!!!! But I HATE bugs - I hate flies and I hate mosquitos!!!!!
The day was hot so when we had some slow uphills to do - those darn flies and mosquitos were trying to drive me crazy while I was on my bike.
Our group was on cook duty tonight, but we were in a nice shelter (oh yeah - second time in a shelter!!!!) so that helped the process. Although we changed time zones earlier in the day, we keep on the same time for dinner and then change overnight. That made it a bit confusing because my phone (there was NO cell service or internet here) so my phone didn't update the time change, but the GPS (bike computer) did and I was confused as heck!!!!! I am wondering if that time change messed up my bike computer?????? I think it was about then that it went wacky.
Anyway - we survived and that is all that matters.
Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(I am sure there are way more stories that I am forgetting, but since I can't easily see my pictures - well - you will get them when I load the pictures)
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