Gas City, Man

Day 14, Bassano RV Camp to Gas City Campground Medicine Hat
Dist, 154, est. Avg. spd. 19.8km, est. Saddle Time 8 hours ( I accidentally zero'd my cyclometer)

A long day with nothing to look at. It felt satisfying to leave Bassano without paying though. Actually, I think that they owe me money as my presence was a visual upgrade to the park. Also, I killed many mosquitos for them.
The day got pretty toasty, I got major sunburn. tsk tsk... The heat wore me out and I was looking forward to crashing soon. I had a potential anger management situation with a "Flag Girl" in a construction zone, I rode on the inside of her traffic cones for my safety. She didn't fancy that. She was the only obstacle standing between me and the road to camp. The road was clear, but she forced me to find another way. I let the little snot nose bitch have her way. Nobody wins if I let the Hulk out. "Hulk Smash !!"
Anyway...  it was a nice short ride through a chunk of parkland up to the camp. A dandy facility overlooking Medicine Hat. Got settled in, pick up supplies and update my Blog and who rolls in ?...
It's SHAUN boy, and he picked up a stranger....   MIKE !!
We had a fire with some beers that night. Cool guys !!
Turns out that (Shaun) is doing back to back tours. He just finished a motorcycle tour of USA before starting this bike tour. Then he's off to Nursing school. Smart bastard. MIKE is a bit older than us, but is younger at heart. He has lots of electronic devices to enhance his experience. He is also a former 10.5 Ironmanner. (So he says)  He had many wobbly pops that night) For those not in the know, 10.5 hour Ironman is very good and top of his catagory. I could only dream of such a strong finish. (Ironman is a brand name Triathlon. Many are held throughout the world, but only 1 "full length" in Canada) Iron
Very cool lads ! A highlight of my trip for sure !
I forged onward next morning, while the lads stuck around for Canucks fun at the local swill'n swine.
Good Luck Lads !!

                                                                         Morning road ...

                                                           AC/DC's original logo design

                                                         A nice little oasis of snackeroni

                              The "Gas City". Coming from the birthplace of Greenpeace, this seems bizarre.

       This is where I wanted to turn. At the end of a long hot day I am confronted with an over zealous                    Flagette... I pull out the "Civilized Card" and no one needs a Hospital stay or Jail time.

 A calming road to camp

Nice

 Entrance to the camp

HWC is thrilled

 My site

HWC sunbathing

Shaun. I love your tent. Roomy !

Mike, me and Shaun. What a strange brew we are. A good mix.

And this guy want's to be a nurse

Mike is ...'The Gadget Guy !" Are you on Auto-pilot Mike ?, Mike ?...

A hot cycle, but a cool end...
  View Larger Map

June 1, 2011...
PRAIRIE DOGS & HEADWINDS

Saskatchewan ( Province # 3)

DAY 15, Gas City Camp-Eagle Valley Camp (near Maple Creek Sask)
Dist, 88 km, 16.6 km/hr avg. Saddle Time 5:30 hr.(also 29 km extra riding not inc. in total)
I stuck this post at the tail end of Day 14 after I realized that I had never entered it. Maybe lost it ?)
Like the title says; nothing but Prairie Dogs and a headwind for 60 km. A depressing ride, but the road was sweet.
Eagle Valley is a nice campground. The office/comfort station with a lobby was elaborately decorated with a tropical flare. Extremely beautiful, but strange. Two black Persian  cats were stalking the area. Cool.
I heard that 44mm of rain was on route, so after pegging down the tent, I dug out my little expensive lightweight tarp. I had the time, so what the hell.
Went into "town" for goodies. Annoying, as it was 12 km. I hammered this out and back.
In the morning on my way out, I swung by the Camp "Oasis" to use the washroom and fill my fluid canisters. I noticed that a sign saying " NO BICYCLE SHOE CLEATS ALLOWED" was hung at the entrance. I can't say I blame him as the floor was expensive tiling. My shoes, however are walkable mountain bike style. Anyway...

Old road signs

Coffee break. Saskatchewan road insanity.

Flags indicating lovely headwind

Province # 3

Bird house in Nowhereville Sask

Prairie Disease setting in... My prairie dog song: 

"Prairie Dowgz... All Over This Land... Diggin Howls Wherever They Can..."

No shit

Oasis in nowhereville.

Entrance

Rates are good

The boss

One of several displays in the lobby

In the lobby

Washroom. The showers were amazing,  Campground is like an orchard... 

Ready for rain. Didn't show. "D'oh " 

View Larger Map

Sean and Shaun ?

Day 13, Calgary West Campground - Bassano RV Camp
Dist. 165.5 km. Avg 20.6km Saddle Time 8hrs.

The ride into Calgary was a nice stress free roll along the Bow River Pathway. This was only possible because I took the time to scour my maps. The day before, I tried following Hwy 1 all the way in. Bad Idea !  So, once I found my way to a Highway connection, I was back in the thick of it. After finally leaving the bulk of the traffic behind, it was nice.
I pulled into a small town called Strathmore where I utilized Scotiabank services. I called ahead to Bassano to check on it's validity. Yup. "Come on down !" Okay, so with another 80km to go, I saddled up and put the hammer down. About 2 thirds of the way into it, I approached another cyclist. YAY !
He new I was creeping up on him as he had removed the earbuds fom his ears. Turns out his name is Sean (Shaun I think) too ! He's from Ottawa (I grew up there too) Wierd. He's going to NFLD also, but began with a different route. ( Hwy 3 to 97, then the #1) A childish route for the weak and uninformed. Ha Ha Ha kidding ! I thought of going that way, but I've bin on Hwy 3 several times and wanted a fresh conduit.
I was very impressed about how streamlined his gear was. Only 2 Axiom panniers on the rear, with a small backpack. Amazing. I asked Shaun to pick up my bike. He couldn't easily, I think that he was shocked at the "Brontasaurusness" of it. Yes I'm old and need stuff so what. Part with my Coin collection and my complete set of "Funk and Wagnel" Encyclopedias I think not !
I gave Shaun one of my Blog cards, took a pic and we parted... for now.

Another Shawn !

Bassano turned out to be further than I thought, and when I got there, I was amazed and pissed off at how pathetic it was. Did I say pathetic ? The woman I spoke to on the phone made it sound like a real campground. It was a cruddy small field beside a train track on the edge of a neighbourhood. The odd thing is that there was a pretty nice comfort station. Weird. I made the best of it with beer. And skipped out early morning without paying. Woo Hoo ! They should pay me for showing up and bringing awareness to it. Perhaps the residents didn't appreciate my swearing at the mosquitos. "Pish Posh !"

The RIGHT WAY to go to downtown Calgary. Bow River bike route

I was pleased with myself. Those are lights on top of my helmet, not beetles. 

Highwaycat approved trail

Time to get into the thick of it. Where the hell am I ?! Confused at this point

I thought that this was funny

A whole lotta this

Big Beer/Cooler

Only in Canader Eh

HWC aprooved route 

Towns folk

Sean meets Shaun ? same riding gloves? Hmmmm. Good meeting you sir !! I think that you should've saved your back and shoulders by strapping that backpack to your rat trap. I'm just jealous of you minimalistic approach. Ride on ! Perhaps we will cross paths again... 

The worse campground in the world. Strangely enough, the "comfort station" is nice and new. I guess they found some money.

But it has lovely signage

The "Campground" borders a residential street

 The big Hotel

Thriving retail

Never mind. I have pliers

Good riddance Bassano

View Larger Map  Not totally accurate, close enough

Rockies in my Rear View

Day 12, Banff to Calgary West Campground
Ride, 114 km, Avg. spd.23.3 km/hr, Saddle Time 4:53 ( also did additional ride to town, 18km)
Sunday 05 29 2011

Awesome Day !
I passed a guy on the side of the highway who had a serious amount of enthusiasm in his blood. He saw me approaching and waved at me wildly. I stopped as curiosity took over. He asked me what I was doing and went ballistic with joy when I filled him in.  He said that he was headed to a bike race as an  announcer (hitch-hiking ?) He was dressed in spandex bike apparel.
He insisted that I take a "Power Bar" and shoved me off with great motivation. It was weird but also a very cool encounter that boosted my mood.  I'm very upset about not getting his pic.
Anyway, I arrived at my destination easily... Gradual downhill pretty much the whole way. SWEET
It was only 1 pm when I signed in here. Way to early. Could've went another 2 hours, but I didn't have it well organized, and didn't feel like tackling this big Cow Town just yet.
This campground is very overpriced, but its a place to stay I guess. It had showers and an internet rec room area. I went into town to visit a bike shop. I almost died getting there only to find it closed. I called first, but there was no mention in the recording about being closed that day. I was extremely pissed ! Did I say "Extremely Pissed?" I meant "Super Sized Pissed" !!
Calgary has a good network of bike routes, but I didn't take the time to research them and paid the price.
Anyway, Good Riddance Rockies !!  (Beautiful though) see-ROCKIES
This Campground is pathetic but is at the beginning of the city which sets up the following day nicely.

Animal security. Leaving Banff. HWC is very excited to see the big city called Calgary.

I didn't get a pic of this guy so I did a doodle... Strangely motivational. Sometimes I see strange things at the side of the road.

Calgary in our sights...

Awesome ride

Would've liked to stop here, but is too soon 

Rock and ice

road, water, hills and sky. Big country

Supposed to show The Rockies in rear view

60 km east of Banff. Lunch break. Rockies in background

Horizon line seems so far... Easily caught

Oil and Cow roam here. Some cows are made of oil.

Olympic venues. Long Jump and Hurdles 

Calgary West Campground. My site for $36.00

City in the background

The day's end

Extremely easy ride today
View Larger Map