A summer of spinning (probably quite slowly).: 10 August

Regina to Stoughton 150km (2800km total).

I was really sad to leave Regina and the company of Gord, Astrid and Eric. This is becoming a pattern when I take a day off around other people and life becomes somewhat normal for a time. I am always loathed to leave but once I get back on the road things are fine. I thanked Gord and wished Astrid and Eric the best of luck for the rest of their trip, I shall certainly be interested to follow their adventures and they gave me a keying with a mini set of wooden clogs which I attached to my handlebars, I think they thought my bike lacked trinkets!!

I followed a nice route out of the city along bike paths through Wascana Park and past the university. It was a Sunday morning so there were lots of runners. I picked up Hwy 33 as I wanted to get off Hwy 1 and take the Red Coat Trail (Hwy 13) which runs parallel and to the south of Hwy 1. It proved to be a really nice road with small communities every 25km or so each with an old fashioned grain elevator I could see for probably 10km ahead. It was all farmland and at one point I watched some kind of hawk swoop down and grab a small rodent in its talons before soaring off. I would pull off the highway and do a little loop around the towns, mostly on dirt roads. In Kronau I stopped and spoke to some locals who were still clearing up after the storm that hit Regina the first night I was there, they still had no power. In Sedley I stopped and bought a drink at the local store and sat outside and ate lunch.

For the first time I was experiencing a tail wind, it was wonderful, I was spinning along fairly easily, averaging 25km/hr. I was planning to make it to Stoughton at the junction of Hwy 13 where I knew I could camp.

Around the 125km mark I pulled in to Creelman hoping to find a toilet as finding cover to pee had probably been the hardest part of the day! It was about 5:30 on a Sunday evening and I saw a small cafe with an open sign. I went in and used the washroom and there was no-one around. I thought I might buy a drink and push on to Stoughton so I went to get my bag from my bike. Outside a lady who had just pulled up said hi and asked where I had come from and where I was going. Suddenly there were a number of people heading into the cafe and before I knew it I had been invited to join a table for dinner, turns out a number of the local farmers come here for a buffet dinner on Sunday evening. So I had ham, potatoes and veggies smothered in gravy and met Don and Doreen and Bruce and Carol. They were very friendly 'gopher chokers' as Don described Prairie folks, and they all had or still did farm mostly grain. They were very interested in my trip and as we tucked into the desert they asked where I was planning to spend the night. It turns out Bruce and Carol live in Stoughton and they insisted I stay with them, in fact Bruce offered me a ride as they had a truck that would have easily fit my bike and Bob too. I thanked them and said I would love to stay but would like to bike there, whilst this was happening I discovered Doreen was paying for my dinner and getting her iPad from the truck to take a picture!! So after handshakes, hugs and photos I was on my way for the last 25km smiling at the situation.

I managed to maintain my 25km/hr average although I had to stop to put on my arm warmers and then lights for my bike. Then I had to stop and take photos of the stunning sunset and moon. I found Bruce in his truck waiting for me as I entered Stoughton and he led me to their house. Although it was getting quite dark they wanted to show me the oil patch and natural gas that has helped Stoughton's growth so we took a quick drive around before chatting over tea back at the house. They were a wonderful couple who had experienced local hospitality on a trip to Australia a few years ago and were more than happy to be able to do the same for me. We talked until late about Australia and New Zealand, farming and oil.