Day 17 – A Welcome Rain (Kindersley to Outlook SK)

Who would have thought before leaving for Vancouver, that I would welcome a riding day in which the temperatures were in the mid-40°s, and there was a driving rain. The only challenge was in fulfilling our duties as the breakfast crew – the rain, wind and cold made it almost impossible to the the frying pans heated for pancakes. After 45 minutes of trying in vain, and ending up with only one batch of “rare” pancakes, we decided to move the stove to a more sheltered area. We finally managed to get the pan hot enough to cook one pancake at a time for our crew and the riders


After a few days of riding in a sweltering heat, today’s rain was a welcome change. Since visibility was limited to about two miles for most of the day, there were much fewer sections of riding along an endless stretch of road for 20 minutes, looking up and feeling like you had made no progress at all.

A healthy tail wind helped as well, until I had to turn and ride into it for about a mile to help another rider fix a flat. It was a struggle just to keep a 10 mph pace.

Despite the rain and cold, I was determined not to let it affect my sightseeing along the way, and stopped to see a historic marker of the Swift Current - Battleford Trail, where in the late 1800s the Northwest Mounted Police, (a precursor to the RCMP - Royal Canadian Mounted Police) rode to quell a Metis rebellion and end the siege of Battleford.

One of the things that continues to amaze me in riding through the prairies, is the size of the farm machinery here. These enormous tractors and threshers driving along the road dwarf you as they pass. I would hate to have to change a flat on one.

The people are wonderful as well. Last night the youngest rider in our group (18 yrs.) took a wrong turn and ended up trying to ride into a ferocious headwind, down a wet gravel road towards the campsite. After about two hours of riding he had only made it about 5 miles down the 20 mile stretch of road, and he was tired cold and wet. He stopped at a farmhouse to ask for help. The farmer invited him in, warmed him up, introduced him to his family and ended up driving him about 30 minutes to the campsite. When they pulled in just after everyone was finishing dinner, and about to start a search, they were both greeted with cheers and a hearty round of applause.