Day 40: Cereal, AB -> Kindersley, SK

Date: Saturday, June 24, 2023
Start: Cereal, AB (Municipal Campground)
End: Kindersley, AB (Municipal Campground)
Distance: 128km

I'd gone to bed late and so woke at 7:30am.  The sun was already up and there wasn't much shade in the campground.  It was already warm.  I tore down, ate breakfast, and headed out of Cereal.  The goal today was the town of Kindersley, Saskatchewan.  That's right!  ANOTHER PROVINCE!

I left town and started down the highway.  It was going to be a longer ride, and the heat of the day was already kicking in.  Sure enough.  It was hot...allllllll day!

Immediately on the horizon as I left town were windmills everywhere.  This would be third or fourth wind farm I'd seen since Delia.  A good sign for progress in renewable energy for Alberta!  Every time I see these giants on the horizon it just feels like I'm staring into the future.  The first ones I ever saw were on Wolfe Island just outside Kingston, and I thought it looked sooooooo futuristic.  So I was more than a little annoyed when people told me they were an eye sore.  I know there are downsides to them, but it's difficult to argue their downsides compared to coal or natural gas with how much fire and smoke we've already had this year.  Climate anxiety has been hitting me pretty hard the last few years, and seeing these helped make me think it might be alright.  Or at least, not as bad...

I biked on towards the Saskatchewan border.  The road was lined with wild roses, the flower of Alberta.  I began to see the first of many canola fields, identified by their bright yellow flowers.  They extended into the distance, and it was difficult to believe with their bright hue that they couldn't be seen from The International Space Station!

Just outside Oyen, Alberta I stopped at a gas station and had a muffin.  My oatmeal breakfast feels like it leaves me after only 2 hours these days.  I think more calories in the morning might be required!

It was still another 30km to Saskatchewan and I continued to - like the windmills on the horizon - spin spin spin.

I looked at one of the highway signs going in the opposite direction and was reminded of how far I'd come:

Occasionally I would be passed by a pickup truck with a wide load banner.  This was my cue to pull off the road because a truck with a BIG load was about to go by.  I did so several times, happy for those pilot trucks announcing the monstrous truck behind it.  I snapped a photo as one went by.

Soon I noticed a white dome on the horizon.  It looked like a radar dome, but I had no idea why it would be out here.  I continued to get closer and it felt like the highway was going to go right by it!  Sure enough a dirt road turned off the highway towards the dome.  And right beside it was the Alberta sign.  I stopped to snap a few pictures at the sign.

While there another two big loads went by and I was happy I wasn't on the road for it!

I biked up to the dome and found it surrounded by a barbed wire fence and warning signs.  There was some old looking military equipment there.  I searched my memory/education and guessed that it might be part of the Pine Tree Line: a series of radar stations built during the Cold War to detect Soviet planes and missiles coming over Canada.  Sure enough, that's what it was!  I took some pictures and continued on...

And crossed into Saskatchewan.  Motto: From Many Peoples Strength.  But Saskatchewan had fooled me.  Apparently it doesn't think it's worth having a big provincial sign at this border crossing...and so all I got was this somewhere nearby.  10 points from Saskatchewan!

Two provinces down, eight to go!

I hit another milestone as I reached Saskatchewan though.  Almost exactly as I crossed into the province, I hit 3000km traveled since the beginning of the trip!  The feeling of progress was palpable.  As was the heat.  It was so hot.

Not far away I saw someone on the side of the road.  He had the kind of cart you push kinds around in, and was stopped.  I crossed the road to talk to him.  He greeted me happily.  His name was Ryan, and he was hiking across Canada to raise money for mental health.  He'd started in Saskatoon and was going to Victoria, where he planned to turn around and go to St. John's.  Compared to this man my yolk was easy and my burden was light.  We talked about the trips and exchanged info on what was ahead.  Ryan has a dog with him, and so has to carry extra water and food but I'm sure it's worth the companionship.  You can check out his journey on his Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/bushmanart/

I got back on the road and continued towards Flaxcombe, Saskatchewan.  Along the way taking these pictures:

Eventually I reached Falxcombe and was happy to see it, because I was completely out of water.  It was around 2pm.  I'd only filled my water bottles that morning but the heat was proving to be more than I'd bargained for.  The town was located down in this depression, which meant a nice downhill coast into town (I'd pay for that later).

I grabbed some water and went to the grain elevator that stood on the edge of town.  It's covered in metal and is a titan.  I love these things.  They're magnificent and such icons of The Prairies.  I grabbed a lot of pictures and stopped in it's shadow to eat lunch.

I noticed a little sign at the door that had been left by Ryan.  He'd been here at some point recently and used an electrical outlet to charge up!

It was another 30km to Kindersley.  Now re-hydrated and fueled, I biked up the hill and out of Flaxcombe.  I took no pictures for the next 30km.  It was a warm ride, and I drank a lot more water.  The land was flat, but the sky was cloudy and the cover helped with the heat.  At some point I coasted into Kindersley.  I felt terrible.  I think the combination of a beer the evening before and less sleep than usual made it a difficult day.  My legs had been aching the entire ride.

Kindersley is a town based on oil and gas and agriculture.  The highway is lined by business selling combines and other very heavy farm machinery.  There are also oil service companies everywhere.  From the highway you can see three very large and modern wheat silos.  They're located along the rail line, and I suspect modern trucking and consolidation brought the grain silos from places like Cereal and Flaxcombe.  The highway is also lined with the brand name fast food chains that you'd expect: Tims, A&W, McDonalds, Taco Time, DQ.  It's big enough that it has a Walmart.  I suspect they contribute to the tired downtown.  There are plenty of store fronts, but nothing seemed to be thriving.  I found one cafe that closed in 30 minutes and ordered a smoothie.  It tasted like pure sugar and strawberry...and I'm not complaining!  It was exactly what I needed.  It was so cold I could feel an ache in my chest just from drinking it!

At 6pm I left the cafe and went to the municipal campground.  I registered, setup camp, boiled water for my instant mashed potatoes, and showered while they cooled.  I sat and ate as I wrote a blog post and drank a LOT of water.  I was happy to return to mackerel.  I can't thank Joel enough for giving me that first can.  It's been a real hit the entire trip for me!

I did some bike maintenance and waited to go to bed at 9pm because I needed it to be a bit cooler.  I fell asleep while it was still light, and was gone.  I woke up at some point in night to the sound of howling.  I suspect coyotes.  It was a reminder of how small towns like these go from built to wilderness so suddenly.  No suburbs in Kindersley!  I slept amazingly though.  In the morning the aching in my legs felt a lot better.  I have to start trying to get more sleep!

Another day.  Another province.