The day had an inauspicious start for two reasons. First, while lifting the rear of the bike and backing down the steps of the hotel, I accidentally walked off the side of the steps, dropping the bike and landing flat on my back. Luckily, both the bike and I emerged unscathed. The folks eating breakfast in the dining room overlooking the stairs did enjoy a good show, however.
Secondly, for the last couple of days, I had been apprehensive about today's ride. I knew I had 70 miles to go today and was concerned that I might have to battle more stiff headwinds. Thankfully, the cycling gods looked kindly upon me. While there was a headwind, it was relatively benign, and I managed to average my normal 12 MPH speed. In fact, I averaged 14 MPH between Deloraine and Melita because I had a nice tailwind for the first 20 miles. (I thought I had made really good time when I reached our B&B by 3:30, but then I found out that SK doesn't observe Daylight Savings Time and it was 4:30 relative to the time I left this morning).
Once again, I enjoyed the scenery. The landscape is not a flat as the past couple of days, and the farms are broken up by sections of woods and open rangeland with cattle. The oil pumps are also becoming more frequent.
I had pulled off to the side of the road to take this photo.
The best event of the day occurred when I stopped at Tailgate Dining in Carievale for a rest break. There I met Taylor, the owner of the restaurant. The place wasn't busy in the middle of the afternoon, so we had a very long and wide-ranging conversation. She said she named the restaurant after all the fond memories of eating lunches on a tailgate while working in the fields of the family farm. I also learned that she converted an old grocery store into the restaurant. She opened in late 2019 and was only open for 19 days before being shut down due to Covid rules. When she could open back up, she was restricted to just having take-out and could not have any employees. She said that her dad and boyfriend helped run the place until the employee ban was lifted. When I asked if her dad had earned free meals for life, she just grinned and said "Nope, he has to pay up". She did say that the community had been very supportive during that time because they wanted the only restaurant in town to be a success.
Taylor grew up in the area, and she pointed out the front window at the old homestead just across the field. She said the farm has been in the family for 4 generations and then pointed out all the family photos on the walls of the restaurant.
Having downed one Diet Coke, I ask for another and then asked if she had anything sweet to eat. She replied that her grandma bakes all the pies for the restaurant and that today it was apple. When I went to pay, she said that the pie was on the house. I guess a total stranger trumps Dad!!
Anyway, thanks Taylor for a great time and be sure to thank your grandmother for me as well, because the pie was delicious.
There is one final thing to this long story and it's a "It's a small world" type thing. When I was talking to Jean, the owner of the B&B we're staying in tonight, I mentioned my experience at the restaurant. She grinned and said that her grandson was Taylor's boyfriend!
Taylor, owner of Tailgate Dining. Taylor, I warned you that I was a lousy photographer - the photo of the tailgate and license plates didn't come out at all.
Jean told me that even though she cooks in the kitchen for her B&B guests, she cannot make waffle-cones there. She has to make the cones in the 'shop'.
