Day 21

Looking back at fifty, Day 21 stands out for the sheer physical variety of the Prairies. We started with a twenty-five kilometre slog on muddy, loose gravel south of Patricia that tested our balance and our patience. But once we hit the Trans Canada Highway at Tilley, the world changed. A massive west wind caught us, turning our struggle into a 30kph cruise.

I remember riding side-by-side with Shayne, watching tumbleweeds bound across the asphalt like giant, dry spiders. One actually managed to "attack" Shayne’s front wheel, which provided a bit of comic relief after we’d been hammered by a passing rainstorm. We also met a man walking across the country—a humbling reminder that as hard as we were pedaling, he was doing it one step at a time with an RV following him.

We pushed all the way to Medicine Hat, clocking our second-longest day yet at 112.9 kilometres. The day ended with a classic "traveler's luck" story at the Cloverleaf Motel. We opened our room door to find a half-naked man already settled in watching TV. The front desk's apology came in the form of an upgrade to a room with three double beds at no extra cost—pure luxury. Capping the night with a steak dinner and catching up with Shayne’s friend Susan made the day's 300+ total kilometres feel like a triumphant milestone.

The rain stopped during the night and there is now a very strong wind from the west. We leave Patricia going south on Secondary Highway 876. As we cross over Secondary Highway 544, the road turns to gravel and will likely be so for the next twenty-five kilometres. It is quite muddy and the gravel is very loose, so it is slow going. Fortunately the traffic is next to none. We gradually spread out with Blue ahead of me and Wendy behind.

It is fairly flat grazing land and the occasional oil derrick. When I stop to take a short break, it is exceptionally quiet and peaceful. We eventually reach the Trans Canada Highway and continue southeastward. With the tailwind, we are making terrific time. However, we can see a rain storm approaching from behind us. Once the rain hits, the wind drops. I am only moving around 23kph which seems discouraging compared to the 30kph I was averaging earlier.

A sign at the side of the road mentions that natural gas was discovered nearby. The rain eventually stops as we reach Suffield where we stop at a roadside diner to dry off. As we head back out, the wind has picked up again, bringing my spirits with it. Since we have been making such good time, we decide to go all the way to Medicine Hat. Just as we start riding we meet a man who is walking across Canada. His wife is driving an RV following him. Incredible.

The wind is incredibly strong. I manage to hit 49.9kph on level ground. Blue and I end up riding side by side. We watch as tumbleweeds blow across the road. One in particular tangles itself in my front wheel. Eventually I am able to kick it free while riding. We end up at the Cloverleaf Motel in Medicine Hat. When we go to our room, we find a man, topless, sitting in the bed watching television. Back to the front desk where they discover there has been a screw up. So they set us up in another room that has three double beds. No extra cost. What luxury!