Leg 25 - Harvey, ND to Moose Jaw, SK

Left the motel in Harvey at 7:05 am. The plan was to log another 400+ mile day leaving a short leg to Calgary, AB. Funny how plans can change by simple things, like weather and energy.

The predicted weather was ISO Thunder storms. I dressed accordingly and packed the bike with the rain fly on my clothing bag strapped in the passenger seat. I stopped for breakfast in Minot, ND at a Panera. I stayed clear of any rain although with the flat terrain I could see lots of dark clouds along the horizon.

Harvey, ND is about 200 miles from the Canadian border. About 18 miles across the border is Estevan, SK where I stopped for for lunch. The clock on my bike showed 12:30, but when I walked into the restaurant their clock showed 11:30. I had just crossed into the Mountain Time Zone and gained one of the hours I lost while heading east.

My energy level was zero. I was totally expended and looking for a motel. Yet I had only ridden a scant 200 miles, not even close to the 400+ I was hoping for. Last night I had a restless nights sleep. The only thing I could attribute it to was the couple of sips I took of 5 Hour Energy and possibly not having dinner.

I ate from the 'Senior Menu' the Homemade Pork Cutlet and felt some of my energy return. I asked the waitress what the next major town was on the way to Calgary. My AT&T service in Canada switches to the Roger's network which doesn't have 4G or even 3G, only E which doesn't seem to allow much in the way of data.

She said Moose Jaw was a sizable town with lots of motels, 148 miles from Estevan. I resolved to at least make it to Moose Jaw. With a small sip on the 5 Hour Energy I set off.

No sooner had I left Estevan, dark clouds loomed everywhere. Two or three miles out I hit my first shower and for the next 145 miles would hit them every 20 miles or so. I stopped to take the following photo heading into one of the thunder showers:

Saskatchewan

The winds also picked up. Between the rain and the wind I was grateful to make it into Moose Jaw around 3pm local time to spend the night.

Overall, 345 miles and 9 hours (with the time zone change). This leaves me with 430 mile leg tomorrow to get to Calgary.

Leg 25 - Harvey, ND to Moose Jaw, SK

The motel stood all by itself with no restaurants and no local place to buy beer. One of the hotel clerks directed me to the only liquor store in Moose Jaw located in the city center. Sheesh, I thought Canada was a liberal country. While I was out I stopped at a pizza parlor and brought back a Hawaiian pizza and a can of beer. It rained again while out foraging for food and drink but by then I was a seasoned rider of rain and it didn't phase me. :-)