Sat 9th July
I knew today was going to be a big day, so breakfast was a banana and beef jerky and I was all packed and ready to go by 8.30. And it was raining, heavy rain all the way, made it very difficult to see at 100-120kms hr.
It wasn’t long before I was cold and wet, water got through jacket and my boots leaked although my water proof pants were rubbish, so could have been because of them?

It was about 120kms in the rain, I was soaked, cold and hungry, then the township of Creston ? Came into view, then a Tim Hortons appeared, I was saved!

A mug of coffee and a biscuit/bacon roll, weird but went down well. Ended up chatting to lots of different people. Had a long chat to a chap called Barry, who’d turned up on an RT 1100. There were a lot of motorcycles about, mostly cruisers and the wave they do over here is hand out at knee height.

I’d decided I needed another coffee and more food, so went up to the counter to order another one and a doughnut and as the girl was finishing off the previous order, she said that my order had been paid for by the previous person as he felt bad that I’d had to ride in the rain all day, having come from NZ.

How amazing is that? Ended up leaving at 11.30, chatting to so many different people, chatted to a chap called Archie on a Triumph Tiger XC. It had cleared up leaving Creston but then the rain came again, cold and wet but with a full stomach, so all good.

Got fuel at Cranbrook and had a Subway for lunch $10.32, very sunny now.
Stopped at Sparwood to see the world’s largest dump truck and managed to buy some souvenirs
Made very good progress, riding in between the rain showers either side of me. Just past Crows nest Pass, is a huge landslide and apparently there are two towns buried under 250feet of mountain side.

Timmy toothbrush went awol somewhere, probably at one of the motels when a Mr Reacher checked out.
GPS led me bit of a dance, I’m think, only got so many kms to go until destination, when it’s just the distance for the turn off etc.

Very windy across the plains. Although missed the rain. Turned off main road, through a small town called Nanton, where the RCAF Bomber museum is although it was closed when I went passed. Well worth a look though I imagine.

Finally got to Vulcan, 598kms at 6.30pm, apparently there is a StarTrek convention there this weekend.
Headed towards Calgary, storm clouds in distance, lightning bolts could be seen.

‘Crap’ I thought to myself, hope I’m not going through that?

Thank god for GPS, managed to ride through Calgary, to Paul and Diane’s house , with very few hiccups. 745kms

8.30am, ready to leave Nelson

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Can you spot it?

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Outside Nanton somewhere

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