Day 4: Highwood Pass to Pincher Creek (sorta)

As promised, the view from the campsite was spectacular... and considering the fact that I was not mauled by a bear... it retroactively seemed worth the risk of camping on a posted "bear corridor".  We camped right on the edge of the campground... so this, in effect, was our backyard:

Because I had already done the climb, it seemed redundant for me to start at the bottom again, so I got a free lift to the top, and the day began with a wondrous descent out of the Kananaskis and into the vast wheat fields of Alberta. Beginning with a descent is great, but because I didn't get a chance to really warm up first, I had to bundle up before losing layers as the day (and my body) warmed.

better summit pic than yesterday's selfie. beautiful day for a bike ride.

this sign... it should just read "HALLELUJAH!" 

yes, please.

The descent was beautiful, fast, virtually carless, and smoothly paved.  It was bliss.

And because I don't really have much else to say about it, I'll just post some funny Canadian signs.

this was the only intersection for 40 miles... so, yeah. heads up.

soar-ee, but is a "rural crime watch area" really possible?
isn't that like a "urban vast farmland" sign?

why do their deer caution signs look like petroglyphs?

if you're wondering if the average Canadian is smarter than you... yes.
"compulsory" doesn't even rhyme like "click-it-or-ticket"
who follows rules that don't even rhyme?!

uhh... what?

in Canada, they call a "cattle guard" a "texas gate".
or perhaps some sort of immigration reform on their part...

Checkers!

After the descent I ran into the tiny town of Longview where I joined up with highway 22 aka "The Alberta Cowboy Trail"... here that?  I'm basically a cowboy!  

In retrospect, I'm convinced that highway 22 is the reason this route remains absent from the Adventure Cycling Association's route for this area.  SEVERE high winds are common, there is not much shoulder room, and large semi trucks are the most frequently seen motor vehicle.  

Also, I had a very strong headwind (although I would not label it "severe" like some of the signs). Also also, there were thunderstorms rolling in... and there is NO WHERE to hide on the high plains of Alberta.  

It was really a story of two rides.  If this ride was a Batman villain, it'd be Harvey Dent (Two Face). I think you get the idea. The first 40ish miles had been delightful, but it was becoming increasingly clear... the next 80 miles were going to suck. 

world famous jerky shop. it's a whole store. just for jerky. 

congrats... that seems to be an effective "Texas Gate"
see you guys at the jerky shop.

See? Told ya! Cowboy Trail!

Cowboys need no services.

wide open rolling prairie. beautiful in its own way after the mountains.

yes, trucks have been blown off the road here. but don't worry... I'm sure you'll be fine on your bicycle.
(also, instead of a crosswind, it's a headwind... yay!)

in my best cowboy voice: "storm's brewin'."

At one point Dad caught up with me, and his first comment was "yeesh - I thought you'd be 20-30 miles ahead of where you are right now."  Uh... yeah, I stopped for lunch... also there's a huge headwind and I'm basically a human parachute.

He also mentioned something about a big storm and hail or something or other.  At any rate, time to keep on moving... after all, I was at least 20 miles behind.

The big bad storm wasn't all that bad.  I got hit with some of those "I've just fallen VERY long way" big cold raindrops, but for the most part I was fortunate and missed the really nasty stuff.  In fact, after the storm, the sun came out again and I was treated to a beautiful ride through rural western ranch land.

They're not exactly amber (and technically it might not even be "grain")... but still... the waves are cool. Also, the audio of this clip should give you a pretty good idea of what 108 miles of bicycling was like today.

This was planned to be my longest day yet - 135 miles all the way to Pincher Creek.  It would be a stretch because I stopped too long for lunch in the ONLY town I passed through, and because of the headwind... but I was determined.  

That's why I was so surprised to crest a small rolling hill and see Dad pulled over on the side of the road.  28 miles from the finish, he informed me that he got a decent hotel room in Pincher Creek, and that I should pack it in now, so we could actually enjoy it (use electricity, shower, find somewhere to eat... you know... instead of just crash-landing upon arrival at like 9:30).  

It was not a tough sell.  

I made note of where I stopped, so we could start in the same place in the morning.  We were only going to Waterton tomorrow, so it was a shorter ride.  I didn't need those miles today.

a fitting landmark for my stopping point. layers of meaning.

sometimes not even the powers of a day-glo vest can keep you going... when there's hot food and a hotel bed waiting

We had a great (note: probably not actually "great"... but after a day on the bike... pretty much anything that is cooked seems "great") dinner in Pincher Creek.  And then, inexplicably, I did NOT order the following dessert.

oh, no thanks, I don't want a deep fried explosion of awesomeness for dessert tonight...
besides, how could I possibly work off the calories? 

I slept great that night.

But, I've been living with regret every since.