The morning started out pretty misty and sunless again but while I was loading up the sun made an appearance. It wasn't out long though and Manitoba bit farewell the same way Saskatchewan said hello, with a shower. So far I've been rained on in every province I've visited. But the rain didn't last long either, I'm writing this part at a nice little rest stop with the sun warming me up. I did see a huge rainbow as I was entering Saskatchewan. I should have stopped for a picture but it was facing into a huge, dark cloud and I've been reluctent to just pull over on the highway for pics.
I almost toppled the bike pulling away from the Jolly Lodger. The parking lot was marble sized loose gravel with nothing to hold it. I was a little wary of it last night and this morning was no better. I had to do a little turn to get back on the road and my front tire just started plowing the loose stones. I got a foot down but I was losing it and the advice I've always heard is gas it through, so I did and the ship righted herself as a blasted out of the lot. Close one. Speaking of the bike, I've been having some trouble with the clutch today. I had to pull it all the way to the grip to get the clutch to disengauge at all. I adjusted it all the way in so now I've got enough room to play but I'm worried if I lose any more I'll be stuck. There is a BMW place in Edmonton I was planning to visit tomorrow anyway to ask about a tire and maybe oil change so I'll add the clutch to the list. I'm wondering if elevation affected my clutch fluid? I wouldn't think so but I'll ask tomorrow and hopefully they have an idea.
I saw a mile long train next to the road this morning, I know because I measured, it was stopped with no engine attached. I saw another that looked even longer but it was further away and moving so I didn't get to measure it. Also saw a big front end loader zipping along the tracks on train wheels, interesting. Not a ton out here to see besides fields and rial tracks, and huge train loading facilities.
For now, back to the road...
Later that evening...
As I was making good time today and the weather was nice I started thinking today might be the day I get in 500 miles. Not that I need to but I've done it before (and more on longer summer days) and I've been pushing that direction so I thought today I might. But it was not to be, I'm at 492.5. Somewhere around 490 I saw signs for gas, food and a provincial park so rather than risk missing any of those I decided I was close enough. But today was probably my best chance. I'm less than 350 miles from Jasper and I'm planning to stop in Edmonton for a couple hours. Then I'll be messing around Banff and Glacier NP so if I'm making big miles those days I'll have done swomething wrong! Then I'll be headed back east and my days will be getting shorter, not longer. I've been figuring, just rough gut feel that I've been gaining about 1/2 hour of sunlight a day by making miles west. I'll be giving that back when I head east. Now that I mention it, I see I've crossed another time zone, I'm now 2 hours behind Eastern, I must have missed a sign.
My dad asked me what the draw is for Jasper. Basically it's as far west and north as I'll be on this trip (actually Edmonton is a little further north but in general you get the picture, Jasper is as far from home as this trip goes), everything else is on the way home. The reason to go to Jasper at all is to do the road between Jasper and Banff. It is supposed to be worth this whole ride out here.
What else to say? The people of Canada are awesome, everybody has been friendly and wanting to know where I'm from, where I've been, welcome to the country. I did see some Albery Hell's Angels today on the highway, I didn't make any effort to keep up. Who knows what they're like but I was content not to find out.
Oh, the earplug issue I mentioned yesterday. Two parts, they are harder to use in the cold. Cold fingers, cold ears, they just don't get as soft and sticky so they tend to fall out more. Also after a number of uses they lose their stick as well. I'm sure the cold temps made it worse but yesterday I was having trouble keeping them in if I wasn't really careful. Switched to a new set today and much better. So they first set lasted me about a week of daily use counting times I used them at the office. Hopefully I can make it through the trip with what I've got. They are also harder to place if your ears are wet so if you use them swimming put them in first.
That's all for tonight. Hopefully tomorrow I can tell you about Jasper!
No comments:
Post a Comment