Brooks & (Not Quite) Done

For the third time in as many mornings, I woke to the sound of sprinklers not-so-gently pelting my tent at 4:30. After two days of such slumberous interruptus, it really wasn’t hard to sleep through it on the third morning – I mean, if I can sleep through the passing trains then a few sprinklers is nothing. However, I did wake up early enough to get my gear packed up before the second round of sprinklers kicked in thus ensuring I would pack up a relatively dry tent.

By 8:30, I deemed that I had procrastinated enough and had taken enough gratuitous photos of my home of the past three nights and that it was now time to move on. Today’s target: Brooks. About 110 km away.

Like many days on this journey, the winds were once again very strong. However, it wasn’t a full headwind today but rather a very steady crosswind. Again, I’m still waiting for a strong tailwind day but the crosswind would be have to suffice. Not only did it suffice but the ride to Brooks went much more quickly than I expected. I don’t know if it was the extra days off, the flat terrain, or perhaps the wind being ever so slightly at my back … whatever it was, my average speed was higher than it had been for a while. I was actually surprised to see that it was my second fastest day of the trip. It was also one of the hottest.

For the first 24 days of my trip, the weather was more than a little below my preferred temperature. Rarely was I without a long sleeve shirt and equally rare was I wearing shorts. That was not the case today. At all. The temperature was a balmy 35 degrees. And in the prairies, with no shade to be found, you feel every single degree. And it was wonderful. For the first time in a LONG time I was genuinely hot. Did I mention it was wonderful?

It was so wonderful that I was barely fazed when I encountered the “Construction: Next 25 km” sign. As it turned out, there were construction markers for about 25 km but the road paving that was actually affecting the flow of traffic only lasted about 8 km. And for most of that I had full lane all to myself.

When all was said and done, I arrived in Brooks a little after 1:30. It was a good day of riding. It got even better when I discovered there is a Wendy’s in Brooks. Yes, there was a chocolate Frosty in my future. And yes, I would like to upsize that to a large!

Despite the heat and fast pace of the day, I was feeling pretty good. I’m sure I was somewhat dehydrated but not debilitatingly so – although, I’m sure the cashier at Wendy’s was getting tired of my repeated requests for water and ice refills. I would’ve stayed inside at Wendy’s longer but, as so often happens, the air conditioning made it unbearably cold inside. Maybe it’s an anti-loitering ploy. But, for the record, it wasn’t just me. I heard someone else say that it was too cold inside.

And so, I moved outdoors and sat in the shade. Enjoying my ice water. Relaxing with my thoughts – which generally consisted of whether or not I should get another chocolate Frosty. I didn’t. I hope it’s a decision I don’t regret.

By about 4:00 I decided that it really didn’t make much sense to stay in Brooks for the night. As I’ve mentioned before, when the weather is favourable I like to take advantage of it. And today it was favourable.

As a bonus to Brooks having a Wendy’s, it also has a Subway. Brooks was treating me much better than I had anticipated. I stocked up with a sub for the road, consumed more than a little very cold water, and by 4:30 I was on the road again. Next stop: Bassano. About 50 km away.

Fast-forward two hours later and I had arrived in Bassano. Yes, it was a very uneventful ride. I didn’t feel as fast during those final two hours; however, the reality is that I was actually slightly faster. Must’ve been the Frosty.

While there isn’t a Wendy’s in Bassano, there is a Subway that apparently is “Opening Soon” and there’s an Esso. The former wasn’t going to be much help but thanks to the Esso I was able to enjoy a chocolate popsicle for the first time since just outside Thunder Bay. Yes, that was a while ago but worth the wait. You really can’t go wrong by ending a long day’s ride with frozen chocolate. As days go, this was definitely one of the best riding days so far.

As for my sleeping arrangements for the night, my original plan was to set up my tent in a field beside the Esso. However, while I was eating dinner (also at the Esso) an internet search revealed a municipal campground in Bassano. This turned out to be a much better option than the vacant field. There were washrooms, water, a train car, and showers. And I’m not going to lie, I was in pretty dire need of a shower. Maybe even very dire. Okay, if I’m being completely honest, dire doesn’t even begin to cover it. But that’s all in the past. I’m feeling MUCH better now.

Today’s totals:
Distance travelled: 165.05 km
Ride time: 6:55:10
Average speed: 23.85 km/h
Maximum speed: 53.81 km/h