July 14, 2005
Day 58: Waterton to Oldman River
I got up at sunrise. It sure is nice camping in the backcountry. Absolute quiet. I hiked back into town. Repacked all my stuff for biking. Then I went by the store to yack with Paulette and play with the kitty-cat. She remembers me because I come by nearly every year. I think it was back in 1997 that she had warned me that the cat had an attitude. I was rubbing her ears and got whomped - just a little blood, though. So I rubbed her ears anyway and she gave me a look like, "Oh, it's you again."
Heading out of Waterton, I rode up to see the Prince of Wales Hotel - $300 per night for a room without a view, more for the view - a little rich for my taste. The Backroads van was in the parking lot, so I guess they were having breakfast there. I tried chatting with them yesterday in the campground, but they were distant. They probably didn't want to be around a smelly, long-distance tourer, but I can ride circles around them - fully loaded.
On my way to Twin Butte I kept running into riders from an Adventure Cycling group. Now these folks were different. And - wonders of all wonders - they all stopped to trade stories. One guy was 70. There was a family with kids in the 5th and 8th grades. Self-contained touring allows you to experience the world in a way that the folks who peel off the big bucks will never know.
The wind picked up on the way into Pincher Creek, but still it was a lovely day for riding. Cool, blue skies - deep rich grass and clover stretching out to the mountains - and the smell - clean, fresh, earthy. I stopped at the library in Pincher Creek to catch up on my e-mail. Came out and had to fix a flat. Despite all the wind generators you see on the ridge lines, businesses in town are struggling.
By five, the wind was only moderate, but it was still tough heading west along the windiest stretch of road in Canada. The lumber mill and cafe in Cowley are closed now. I stopped for an ice cream at Lundbreck and they told me that the mill in Crowsnest Pass was also closed. It's tough for rural Albertans. I rode on over hills and pastures and camped along the Oldman River right where the old bridge had crossed.
It's odd - there are three crossings visible. The new bridge is 25 meters above the river on high concrete pilings. People zoom across at 120 kms without so much as a glance. The old bridge was only 5 meters above the river and had switchbacks down the bluffs on each side. When new in the 1930s, I'm sure people appreciated it, but by the 1960s, I'm guessing they resented having to slow down on the switchbacks. Finally, there is faint evidence of a ferry crossing. It required a safe place to cross the river as well as access all the way to the river bank. The south bank has a long sweeping path still visible, but it was a tough climb to get up the north bank. The Oldman River may be the same place, but over time, it has been experienced so differently.
Today's ride: 63 miles (101 km)
Total: 3,060 miles (4,925 km)
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