to Langham SK

After that very energizing and delicious breakfast that Mandy's Mother made for me, I started out refreshed and renewed. Kisses from Lukomus and hugs from them.
I followed the pathway back to where I had met Mandy the night before, and then got out onto the main road south to the expressway. It was downhill all the way to south North Battleford (does that makes sense?)
It turns out to be the best distance day so far, going 118 km.
Mandy had to go to Saskatoon later, and passed me on the highway and honked. I suggested that she honk after passing me. I find it's rather startling when people honk when they're still behind me. In fact, several times on the prairies, a man has screamed shrilly out an open window on the passenger side as their car passed me by. That is the worst!
A man on a thin-tired bike passes me with greetings. Don't see many cyclists on the prairies. He is dressed like an avid cyclist, whereas I am in an old exercise capri, soft material, and turned inside out. I also wear a normal tee with my tank over the tee. My second oldest daughter, Veronica, gave it to me years ago, and it's colourful with a cyclist on the front racing along blue, pink, yellow, green and lavender vertical stripes.
Right shoulder reads 'MOUNTAIN RACER'.
Left shoulder reads 'KNARLY RIDER' with RADICAL written above the cyclist, and RACING TEAM under him/her. I wouldn't be surprised if she had designed it herself as she was in the 'Boulders, Logs, and Trees (BLT's) annual mountain bicycle race down the North Vancouver mountains. She came 7th among all, and first among the women.
In AB and SK, the highways have a paved lane on the road allowance so it's like having your own private lane to cycle in. It's great.
It's been a lucky day for me today because the wind has been pushing me. What a treat.
When I get to Radisson, I spot a campground and decide I will quit early tonight, go into the village for supper, and then relax around the tent.
It's about a mile north of Radisson, well treed, and quiet. At the entrance, I pass an empty old car that is maybe a 1962 Olds, the kind with the biggest frame ever put on a car, I think, aside from limos.
I park the bike beside a picnic table, and since no one is around, I pee right there back of the table in the bushes, and sit on the table for 1/2 hour resting.
I don't have one of those vaginal portables for women so I use a lightweight aluminum container that I keep in a baggie when not in use, and wash out often. Everything has to be lightweight. Since my capris are very stretchy, I can just put it between the legs, and then wipe. That way, if I'm desparate on the road, no one actually knows what I'm doing.
After a while, I begin to wonder if there is a nicer site and get on the bike to look around.
I pass a site with 2 abandoned rusted old vans, and then I notice that there is a man in that old car at the entrance. He looks at me and then starts the car and leaves.
The campground is wild and unkempt, and I suddenly see that this campground might be very unsafe after all, so I just turn the bike around and head back out to the road.
In Radisson, I stop for an early supper at a Chinese restaurant, Lily's Cafe, and have the best fried rice I ever remember.
The waitress seems to be the owner. She is relaxed and chatty. She says people in China eat rice 3 times a day.
I ask her if she likes living in Canada or China best.
She answers 'Here. No humidity. You see the Olympics? Fog? Air not clear. So clear here. I ride bike in evening. Can see so far.'
I'm thinking of finding a motel now because I'm so exhausted I can barely get on the bike.
My odometer reads 6l5 miles total so far, less the 77 miles from Ont., multiplied by l.6 equals number of km I've done out here to-date. 800?
Radisson is small, and looks very poor. Lots of rusty old cars and pickups abandoned around, lots of real old woodframe houses that look pretty rickety, decrepid and empty.
Once I get back out to the highway, I decide to try a few more miles. With the wind still at my back, I don't want to waste it so think I'll try l0 more miles. It becames 30 more..3 hours.
Big, blooming Baby's Breath growing at the sides of the highway between Radisson and Borden, in particular. Gives a kind of grayish cast, and I love it. I even consider picking some to take with me, and I stop, and then reconsider. What foolishness would that be?
When I finally get to Langham, there is only one site left, and I had foolishly passed by it to look for a better one further back from the highway, and almost missed out on it entirely. Luckily, I wasn't too long. The campground, River Valley RV, is so clean and pleasant.
There is a small camper next to my site, and as I finish putting up my tent, I think I hear a knock on its window. I choose to ignore it in case it is somebody who is strange, and I'm too done in to deal with it tonight.
A few minutes later, a man named Dan asks me to come have tea with him and his wife, Reine (prob. not spelled correctly). They have their tent up on the other side of mine. The fellow who owns the camper has gone to hospital for a leg operation, and has invited them to use it until he gets back. I think I could use a leg operation myself.
They have come out west from Windsor, ON to get jobs in Saskatoon. Dan has one now at the potash mine, and drives the 30 miles into town every day at 6 am.
Reine goes with him, downloads resumes at the library and puts them around in various group homes as that is her profession.
Once they've both got jobs, they will look for an apt. in the Toon, as it is sometimes called.
We chat for over 2 hrs. A friend of theirs' joins us for awhile, too, standing in the open door as the camper isn't much more than a 22 footer.
When I get back into my tent, I start to shake. It seems I got chilled, as we had the camper door open, and I hadn't changed my clothes before coming over, so they had likely been damp.
My sleeping bag won't warm me up now, once the shakes start.
Suddenly, I hear Dan at the tent, saying 'Karen, Reine asked me to bring you this comforter and some laundry soap and a toonie for tomorrow morning'.
Don't the most wonderful things happen! How could she have known. I hadn't complained. I was warmed up in a matter of minutes.
Wish I had a picture of them to put here. Both are extremely good looking with kindness written all over their faces. A most beautiful blend.
I leave late next day - clean body; clean clothes!

Anonymous said... Hi Mom!Yep - I'm still tracking this. We still can't believe you're doing it! ME

July 28, 2008 3:30 PM ME said... So what is Saskatoon like? I'm guessing you made it there today, or will tomorrow. Hopefully you can use the library there somewhere!