May 29th was a pretty horrendous day too. It started out well though. They rain had let up to a fine mist and I was able to dry all my clothes through the use of the space heater in the motel room. I was able to properly lube the chain and true the wheel which was a bit wobbly.
After my French Toast (“Freedom toast” to Americans…and what do the French call it?) I headed South towards the number 13 highway. I had a strong cross wind which I didn’t mind because I had a good, wide shoulder and the road wasn’t busy. Plus I know once I reached the 13 and started heading East, that cross-wind would become a tail-wind and then we’d be cooking with gas!
Crosswinds
And we were! Once I got onto the 13 I was able to easily maintain a speed of 30 km/hr and on some of the slightly sloped parts 40 km/hr without much effort. It was great fun while it lasted regardless of the mist. I figured it was karmic payback for the previous day…
However things turned ugly, fast. (what was that about karma?) The highway suddenly went to gravel, which I hit doing around 40. When I got to the other side I noticed the back-end of the bike was spongey – a sign I had a flat.
SO…again I remove the panniers, flip the bike, remove the wheel, pry off the tire, replace the tube, put the tire back in place, pump the tube up, put the tire back on, check the brakes put the panniers back on and continue…WHEW!
While I was doing this the rain started pouring again and a nice farmer came by and asked if I needed help. I smiled and thanked him but said that I was fine…IDIOT! It’s was like that story of the guy on the roof of his house in the flood and his neighbours come by in a canoe and plead with him to get in. Then a rescue team in a rowboat comes by, and then another rescue team in a helicopter and each time the guy declines help because he believes God will rescue him. Then when he drowns and goes to heaven he asks God why God didn’t save him and God says, “What do you mean? I sent a canoe, a rowboat, and a helicopter!” Ah well hind-sight is 20/20
I went no more than 10km and “Shpong!” The wheel warped, the tire went flat, and the bike stopped. The rim had finally bitten the dust. When I examined the rim later it had a crack on the inner wall that went all the way around, and in some places had chunks of metal missing and you could hear them rolling around the inside of the rim! Mavic Rims suck poo! This is the 3rd Mavic rim in a year I have gone through. They get no more money from me.
So here I am on a tiny little highway in the middle of Southern Saskatchewan in the rain. I am 12 km from the nearest town and I am soaking wet…again. So what could I do but start walking. The wheel got progressivly worse to the point where when I pulled into the town of Cadillac the wheel was off the rim, with the steel belts poking out. The tube had come loose and wrapped itself around the axel and the bike was now travelling on the metal rim. Ya, like I cared at that point.
And no one stopped. You would think that if you see a guy walking in the rain with a bike you’d ask yourself “Gee, why isn’t he riding it?” Then again, Saskatchewans haven’t even asked themselves “Gee, why is the road way over there, instead of IN TOWN?!!”
I walked into the local gas station and asked if there was a bus depot. The bike was going no further, nor was I. Yes, there was a bus, it would be there in the morning. It was Monday which meant when it arrived on Tuesday and it would be going to Regina. Because Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday the bus went to Regina. Monday, Wednesday and Friday it went to Saskatoon. Personally I didn’t give a shit where it was going, I was just glad it wasn’t Sunday!
The owner of the gas station was about to call Mary-Sue the owner of the Motel to see if she was open for the season yet, When a nice couple, Brian and Jennifer, offered me a ride to Swift Current, the city which was my destination the day before.
They were just getting a tire fixed and then we were on our way with my bike in the back of their chevy cavalier or something. Brian drove very fast (170km?), I was afraid to look though because they were nice to give me a ride and I didn’t want to be rude or make them think I scared easily.
Turns out they are shepherds…or he is. He said the other guys rib him about it. I guess sheepboy just isn’t as cool as cowboy. He said he has 340 acres, which is a small farm out here, but it is enough to make a living. Actually I bet they do just fine and they seemed to really enjoy the country life. Making their own bread, cooking and sewing and buying their supplies so they don’t need to go to town every week, that kind of thing.
Brian was a total bear too. nuff said.
They drove me all over Swift current trying to find a wheel, and then when there wasn’t one to be found they drove me to the bus station. The woman there said I couldn’t take my bike on the bus as it was, that I would need a box. However the bus left in 45 minutes so again Brian and Jennifer drove me all over town, this time in search of a box. In the end there were no bike boxes and it ended up being too late. So they dropped me off at a cheap motel near the Canadian Tire so I could go get cardboard from there and make a box.
I called Betty and Dad to see if they could check on the internet for me to find out so bike shops in Regina. As I was stripping out of my wet clothes, there was a load knock at the door. I answer it, towel wrapped around me and there is Brian holding a large box. I guess he’d gone to Walmart or something and found one and drove it back to me to “make sure I had everything I needed.” I sure hope Jennifer appreciates him.
I managed to box up the bike and use a spare box from Brian for all my panniers, otherwise It would have cost an additional $40! This morning I caught a cab to the station and then caught the bus to Regina. I got my bike fixed with a beefy downhill rim which the guy swears will not crack, in fact he guarantees it (and it is not Mavic so I am happy.) Plus a new tire and tubes.
I spoke to Zuimei, actually I talk to him every night, and “yes” I do appreciate him. Jennifer isn’t the only lucky one, you know. So things seem to be good again. I will hang out here in Regina tomorrow and see the sights, and then Eastward Ho!