Day 51 Redvers Saskatchewan to Reston, Manitoba: The Flying Dutchman

June 20, 2011

Ok, I am out from under the covers and the storm is over. But wow! When I ran from the washroom building to the picnic shelter (about 50 meters) I got totally soaked. It was wild, with lightening flashes and thunder all around. As I ran into the shelter, with my headlight on, I was startled by the skeleton like relectors on Juul's cycling clothes. Here he was standing with spray blasting all around, but at least in better shape than in his tent on the grass, which was being hit with water really like the cliche "buckets".

It took a lot of tie downs to keep our tent from being blown out of the picnic shelter.

The 50 meter gauntlet that was not so easy in the crazy thunderstorms.

Since the forecast is for rain for the next few days, and there is a state of emergency in Weyburn and Estevan we felt our best choice was to get on the road and just head east. There is a motel in Redvers and in Souris after that, so there are ports in case of storm.

These combines literally are big as a house.

Juul (the Flying Dutchman) wants to be in Winnipeg soon, and he is a strong cyclist, so his objective is Souris. With the headwinds still blowing, Reston at 46 km is all we think we can do.

We did not exactly expect Manitoba to greet us with a brass band and free perogies, but neither did we expect no sign other than one that said "rough road ahead". Actually, we knew we had hit Manitoba when the highway changed from being 13 to become highway 2. Looking back at that point we saw that Saskatchewan had broken the piggy bank and put up a small billboard for people going the other way. Hmpphh.

Farewell Saskatchewan (and thanks for springing for a sign.)

The wind was joined by rain, but we knew we had a short distance and a motel at the other end. Amazingly for the flat prairie it seemed to be mostly gently uphill, but still we made it.

The dollhouse is an art project made from an old farmhouse. It is a lament for the decline of the family farm.

The plexiglass back creates the dollhouse effect.

Not open prairie here, but the cover did not reduce the wind.

And as we cruised along looking for the motel in town, here was Juul, amazingly once again out on the street waving us in. Juul is strong but not dumb, and headwind and rain is no fun to cycle in for anyone.

The luxury units that comprise our motel in Reston.

The motel had a new building featuring units with real sink and stove. Good thing, because both cafes in town were closed. The first always closes on Monday, and the second apparently closes at any time just because they feel like it.

Lots of cycling km will be extracted from this pot of pasta.

Today's ride: 46 km (29 miles)
Total: 2,899 km (1,800 miles)

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