Checkpoint: Fort MacLeod, AB

Mission Control...

This is Eco1...

We've landed safely at a campsite beside the Oldman River.

What a day of extremes. Didn't get much sleep last night. Didn't realize that CP freight trains pass all night about 50 metres from camp, lovingly blowing their high-pitch whistles about 6 or 7 times. Then another, and another....

This morning I woke up and could see mybreath it was so cold. Bring on the Global Warming! - I kid. Riding east for a bit, I saw a single snow flake fall onto my leg then disappear. The mountains looked like the decided to lay down to sleep, then slowly sink into the earth. Then the land opened up into flats and the occasional hill.

As we approached Pincher Creek, the wind started to build. The forecast said 24 km/h from the northwest. Whatever direction it came from was over our port (left) side. Not against us, but not with us either. We saw our firs winf turbine beside the road and I got lucky to capture three buffalo in front of the turbine blades (each about 50 ft long). In this southern part of Alberta there's hundreds of wind turbines generating clean, reuseable energy. It was a great sight to see.

BREAKDOWN: Just as the fields of wind power opened before our eyes, the EcoRocket began to shake violently. I pulled over and we discovered that the rear tire had suddenly broken 4 spokes. I checked the other spokes and many were loose. The wheel had become quite twisted as a result. We hobbled into the small town of Cowly, AB, took the top off, flipped the velo over, took off the back tire and tried to figure out how to fix it. In the end we took 2 spokes from each from wheel and inserted them into the rear tire. All but one of the spokes could be fitted. We tightened the spokes and tried to straighten it out as best we could, hoping to make it to a bike shop in Lethbridge tomorrow. The whole thing still wobbles when you ride it. Also, the rear derailer seems to have a mind of its own now - choosing any gear but the one the driver wants. All part of the fun, right?

Rusty or Doc, any ideas for bike shops in Lethbridge? We're visiting all the bike shops across Canada!

Anyway, we pressed on with the wind really blasting us to port then the rain came...with a big, dark cloud above. In this open space you can see it coming at you with its curtain of rain and feel a creeping dread as you approach it. Then...came the hail - about the size of ball bearings - which was painful when it hit your face. Instead of waiting it out under an overpass, we pressed on and through the other side. I can imagine it as a chamber in hell reserved for those who give empty environmental promises to suffer for all eternity.

It seemed like forever before we reached Fort MacLeod as the wind blew right into us for the last 30 km.

Ah, but now, with tents up and sweaty clothes drying in the wind and sun, it's time to send off some photos, read a little then collapse.

Hey Timothy, another reporter stopped us on the road and interviewed us with photos. She's with the local paper, Pincher Creek Echo (not sure on the spelling). In a week or so you can try to find their on-line version by Googling the newspapers name. Maybe she wrote the story.

Hope all is well.

This is Eco1 Over and Out.

Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network