Day 18 – a day of rest in Milden SK

This has been a rest day with minimal activities. Extra sleep, planning the next days, spending some time with Colleen ‘s brother David and family.

Most importantly, my father is doing better and he seems to be recovering well although he is still weak. For now it seems I can go on with Change the Cycle tour.

I noticed that there are many comments on the website which include questions and which I have neglected over the last two weeks. I will do my best to reply to them before I move on. By the way, distance wise I am beyond half way, but the Rocky Mountains are still beyond the horizon.

For now it’s a wonderful opportunity for me to take in the prairies. I was somewhat apprehensjve how riding in the seemingly never ending flat  country would be. I thought the monotony and boredom would get to me, plus the heat and maybe lack of fluids. So far I found out there are actually hills and sometimes steep valleys with red, brown, white, green hues, and clear rivers and creeks. Some road stretches are completely straight for 10 to 25km and the road disappears in a mirage or the clouds. Passing vehicles dissolve in the distance. Often roads appear to go uphill, although my computer tells me it’s flat or even a slight downhill.  I guess not seeing the end of the road ahead makes it seem like a constant uphill.

I entertain myself looking at the fields of grain and canola which is in full bloom, with its sweet perfume that I inhale for many hours on my bike. I  also look at the many flowers along the road, most of which I don’t know the names of.

Two days ago when I cycled through one storm after another, some of the black  weather fronts ahead of me loomed like thick walls straight up from the almost florescent yellow canola fields.

Today was a very different day – clear, and a slightly cool wind.  No mirages and no walls of clouds, only horizons where the greens and the yellows of the fields meet the blue of the sky with a sharp line.  There are some distant farms and small clusters of trees scattered far apart along the skyline. The world seems calm and invites me to dream beyond that edge we call horizon.