Day 14
Date: June 4 , 2009
Distance: 56 km
Time in Saddle: 5 hours 0 min
Maximum Speed: 20 kmh
Average Speed: 11 kmh
Chase driver: Al Purves (aka Buck Rogers)
Riders: Ken
I can say without fear of contradiction that today was the most brutal day of trail riding to date. A dirt road turned into mud that stuck to everything. At one point there was so much mud adhered to the bike that the wheels wouldn't turn. As I stood in a torrential downpour, covered in muck, trying to click into my mud packed pedals it occurred to me that the my glass was half full after all. The day couldn't possibly get worse? Wrong was I and it did. After the mud came sand. It coated the mud that clung to the bike like a thick layer of sprinkles on a cup cake. The sand that I rode was not the hard packed stuff, rather it was the sort that you get at the beach, the sort you sink in. As I tried to steer the bike it would bog down and fall over. As my pedals were gummed up with mud I could not click out so I fell over sideways and hit the dirt more than a few times. Then, of course, there were the mosquitos and the clouds of flying ants. It all made for very tough going.
On a brighter note my navigator today was Al Purves. Where poor dead reckoning abilities and a lack of map skills would have deterred a lesser man Buck Rogers came equipped with the latest technology, a GPS. In the morning Buck navigated very well getting the HMS Harvest to Selkirk in time to meet the volunteers and patrons at the Selkirk soup kitchen. We were also able to share a meal and hve a chat. (I took a pic.) They were awesome.
Writing can be cathartic. After thinking about it, at the end of the day, I really don't have anything to complain about. I will get to Lac du Bonnet tonight and have a hot meal. I wish that could be said for all Manitobans.
Thank you for your ongoing support. Ken
