Chuck:
Good start, cool, no wind, hills are friendly. Plan is for the B-Team to drive directly to Sherk’s Campground in Valleyview, Alberta; I pack a lunch. Three miles away and I have a flat rear tire, our first on this portion of our saga. I have what I need to fix it, the culprit was a very small copper wire that went through the tire into the tube. Back on the road. Call to have the B’s stop when possible as they catch up to me. Half-hour later they pass me and stop at a Rest Area to wait for me. When I get to them I use the large tire pump to get 110psi in the new tube, my little portable pump will only get to about 60 psi; plenty for riding but more pressure means less effort and more speed. Also, I grab another tube to carry as my new spare. OK, now they are off to Valleyview. Little Smokey is the only stop on this 50 mile stretch. They have a fuel station and a restaurant. Maybe not, the word “Closed” is painted across the restaurant part of a sign. No matter, I’m rolling on. I cross the Smokey River then only a mile or so later the Wastahigan River, it is a bit of a climb after the river valleys, no problem, mostly a gentle incline. Valleyview is only 5 miles away, the sky looks dark in that direction. Now it looks like it is raining at the top of a long hill, 3 miles to go, I stop briefly to slip on my wind-breaker (it is somewhat water resistant). Still climbing that hill, now it is raining, 2 miles from the campground; no problem, the roads are mostly clean rather than muddy like yesterday. Visibility is bad, a sign says RV Park with a left turn arrow. I get in the left lane, oncoming traffic stops to let this water soaked cyclist get off the highway; oops this turn only goes into a gas station, I need the next one. The lady driving the oncoming van waits for me, when I go straight instead of turning left, she blows me a kiss (or is saying some word that requires puckering like: pleeeeaze or puke or pervert or worse). I make the next left turn, the sign indicates 1 km, oh no, it is an unpaved, muddy road. No worries: been there. It is still raining when I find the RV. Betty dons her purple rain parka and helps me hose down the bike and me just to get the grit off before I clog the shower. Nice park, I shower, the rain stops, sun comes out, we grill burgers on the park’s gas BBQ, no TV, life is good.
Oh yes, big news! The B-Team spotted a real live moose. It was across the median and on the far side of the oncoming traffic. As they got their cameras ready, someone on a ATV either spooked it or chased it back into the woods.