Fit, but falling apart.

We are sitting in McDonalds again, having countless cups of coffee trying to get out blogs updated.

A field of sweet pea and clover in flower.

Initially I was disappointed with Saskatchewan. It was so barren and monotonous, but then the small things of beauty became more obvious to me with each kilometre. Niel may find the enormous trains and junk yards interesting, but for me I saw fields of wild flowers, wild roses pocking up on the road edge, and even prolific amounts of Gypsophila in flower. I didn’t know Gypsophila could handle very cold winters and dry windy summers, obviously it can. There are the ducklings following their mothers in the road side lakes, and the golden coloured eagles being harassed by smaller birds.

Ducklings.

Wild Gypsophila.

 

We are still doing big days – 170kms yesterday. It isn’t because we intended to do big days, but the distances here are always more than the guide book and maps indicate. We have to keep to our schedule or we won’t make our flights home in Halifax, so we have to do these big days.

Ruined feet.

I have a horrible cold / bronchitis, thanks to our neighbour at home, thanks Sonia for your gift of a cold as we embarked on this challenge. Having said that though, I am very fit and have lost weight. I haven’t seen myself in a full length mirror for some time and got a shock when our current campground had full length mirrors in the bathrooms. My waist is back, my face now has prominent cheek bones and my legs have lost their fat and gained muscle, and my problem hips are no longer a problem. On the side of the coin, my feet are falling to bits. They are so chaffed from riding without socks that they won’t stop bleeding. (It is too hot to wear socks.)

We are having a day off in Regina, to replace my tyres, I keep getting punctures, as the road side crap is too much for slick skinny tyres, and Niel is sick of fixing them. I also want to give my bike a much needed clean and oil. 

Big days ride.

 

We have passed our 2,500 km mark and will be in Manitoba in a day.  We met a guy in the bike shop, who said; “ if you think Saskatchewan is interesting then wait till you get to Manitoba.”