to Elk Point

From Josie: 'Called Mom last night... the messages from the last few days sounded like Mom was having a pretty rough time, but she is still positive and happy to keep going. The rough spots are part of the adventure. The owner of the place she stayed last night promised to make her an omelette for breakfast this morning. :)
Here are her messages from the road for the past few days:'

'July 19th: Joyce came over to my site when I was packed, and asked if she could say a prayer for me. She put her arm around my waist and asked God/Jesus to keep me safe, to help me find what is intended for me, and asked that I be given strength. I was on the verge of tears.
Stopped at a pharmacy for my 3rd sun-block this year. One I left home, and one must be with the camera cable in the dumpster.
Went into an A&W on the other side of town. It started to sprinkle about then, and I wondered whether or not to continue on. Perhaps a hot drink would help. It's past noon before I finally leave St. Paul, in light rain. I am not feeling strong enough to go on, though, beastly hills, pouring rain, hands cold as I've forgotten plastic gloves and my cycling ones are soaked.
Mostly cycling in huge hills and rain until late afternoon when I'm quite a bit southeast of St. Paul. Put on rain jacket early on but it's not waterproof - only resistent. Luckily, I had a dollar store plastic rain poncho. With it on over my jacket, I was warmer and dry, and looked like a giant yellow canary on a bike. Had both hoods on under my helmet to try to keep the water off my face but it was very crowded in there. It's pouring again. I stop to rest again on the wet grass at the top of a large hill, and two young women come by on horseback but don't chat.
Two hours later the rain lets up. The fields are still gold with canola. Years ago we used to call it rape seed.


When I get to Elk Point, I miss the town's campsite, and so thought there was none so ride up a huge hill in the town to a motel advertised down below.
When I get there, the owner, Andy, looks like he is going to say 'Full!' so I tell him that I can't go any further and he says he has room for my tent behind a bathroom near the trailers in very long grass and clover and lets me pitch there for $15.00. He offers to let me use their laundry room, too. While my clothes wash and my sleeping bag dries, he stands with me and chats. His wife and children are off on a vacation but he has some renovations he has to finish. With full-time workers filling up the motel, he has more freedom than a regular motel owner would have in the summer months. He works at the motel all the time and loves the business, he says - so like Des was at Wilolea, I'm thinking. He even offers to make me an omlette before I leave tomorrow morning. The motel has 80 or so rooms, plus the trailers, all full of men working in the oil patch. It rains again at bedtime.
Comments from viewers:
lotto 649 said... Thanks. I'm Inspired again.
July 20, 2008 11:28 AM Philippine lotto said... that doesn't happen everyday. Wish you all the best.
July 20, 2008 11:29 AM Anonymous said... Hi Mom, Tom called to see where/how you are! It was nice he called me. I told him as much as I knew. He's just checking in.
ME :)
I hope you made it to the border or will soon!
Wow - you made it to Sask. That's incredible. Struggle and survival!!!! We're watching you from the bushes!
'If the rain would only stop. It's everyday! tks4asking. luv'