TO All:
I did not write yesterday because I was out of all contact - no internet and my cell phone does not work in Canada - no ATT service. How's that for a bummer.
The weather was zero when we left Cool River, Sask. for our destination in Valleyview Alberta which is where I am right now.
There were two crashed sleds that needed to be recovered. I took one and that was another drive of about 300miles, half of it at night.
One of the sleds was skimming the ice and one ski fell in a two foot wide crack and was ripped off. The rider was bruised but OK.
Today, my fellow KCer is getting a bad chest cold and could not make the ride. I hauled him and his sled to Askabada, (bad spelling, but no access to my maps) which is in Alberta). I'm glad I have the "D" version of inflamation med and my prescription cold pills. Getting a bad chesk cold is to be avoided at all costs.
The terrain has changed from the broad vast prairie farms to heavily wooded forests of Western SAsk and Alberta. The roads in Alberta are much better than in Sask. The last bit of prairie in Sask was completely devoid of farm buildings or any signs of habitation. Talk about wilderness. The distance on the major highways for fueling stations is about 75-miles apart. I am carrying 20 gallons of spare fuel - just in case. Today, in Alberta, the farms and habitation is much more evident. I believe Alberta and BC are the richest of the Provinces due to oil.
The weather is warm here in Alberta and the snow is very lacking. One rider quit for a ride because he did not want to ruin his sled in the mud. I had to make a rescue today, but it was easy - on Hiway 55 at a gas station. That beats having to hunt for lost souls on unimproved roads.
Our team has spent a small fortune on repairs, Dick about 700 and Max - about 1K
The repairs are for sliders, bogey wheels, bearing etc. Every day, I try to search out dealers in the little towns for repair stations, Artic Cak, Polaris, Skidoo, Yamaha - often with little luck.
I am starting to run out of clothes and will have to do a wash soon.
The riders are exhauted (like Dick- he looks like warmed over death), yet these guys are obsessed to ride all the way. No one has decided to go home yet.
Diesel Fuel in Canada is 92 cents per liter, so an average fill up is about 60 dollars.
Well, that's it for tonight. Our hotel here has a hot spot, so in spite of awful ATT service, I can get something out
Take care..... Tom
No comments:
Post a Comment