Day 21 - Rosetown to Outlook(via Delisle)

135.4 km - Total so far 1,830.09 km - http://ridewithgps.com/trips/5115162

Have you ever asked yourself, either as an individual or one half of a couple, how you would feel after pedaling 100 + km in the rain going up hill or after coming to the realisation (or being told) that you made a wrong turn 72 km back. Helene and I can without hesitation answer both questions.

Big grain bins and not silos near Rosetown

Our day started a little later than usual (7:30) but did so with great anticipation. The weather forecast for today was mostly clear, 12 degrees and winds from the WEST 20 gusting to 40 kph. Finally the long awaited tail winds. On Hwy 7, we were effortlessly moving at 25 kph just eating up the road, first Zealandia and then Harris, 40 km away. It was by then 9:30 and we decided to pull into Harris and find a restaurant. Not finding one, we asked a local gentleman and he directed us to the New Horizon Centre. 

New Horizon Cenre, Harris, SK

We went in looking for coffee and as we were about to sit at a table of our own, we were invited by a number of ladies to join them. After telling a bit about our trip, we got down to the more pleasant business of finding out about Harris. We learned the village has a population of about 300 people, that they once had five grain elevators and now have only one that is privately owned and that the two churches are now used; one as a private residence and the other as a hunt camp in the fall. There is no longer an active curling ring but the village has the only water tower with a wooden tank, once used to replenish steam locomotives. The local school once housing 300 students is now down to 30. Once a thriving village, Harris is becoming a bedroom community of Saskatoon. Like many other villages we have had the pleasure of stopping in, Harris boasts a number of murals and a museum. We could have chatted much longer with Roseanne, Dorothy and Anne but we had to get back on the bikes and head to Outlook. As we stood up, Roseanne asked if we were interested in visiting the museum. How could we say no!

The Pringle Nature Gallery

Roseanne drove the two of us to the museum. She was especially interested in showing us 'The Pringle Nature Gallery'. The animals in it were a gift from the Natural History Museum in Regina. The gallery came about from a generous donation from a Mr Pringle. Mural painted by Liza Gareau-Tosh. We could have spent hours looking around but we did not want to impose on Roseanne and we did have a few more kilometer to pedal. As an additional treat, we also got to visit the water tower. The tower was built in 1934 and is one of the last ones in North America and the water tank is made of wood. It was moved from it's original location across the street next to the railway tracks. 

Water tower. Note the spout halfway up on the right. Roseanne and Hélène trying to get in

Roseanne, Dorothy and Anne, thank you so very much for your wonderful hospitality and especially to Dorothy for setting me straight  on what I had been calling 'silos' are actually referred to as 'grain bins'.

Once back on the road, we pedaled like crazy towards Outlook. It was effortless and we were averaging between 25 and 35 kph depending on the road direction in respect to the wind direction. As we neared 72 km, expecting to see the sign for the Village of Outlook, we were stopped dead in our tracks by a sign that read "Delisle 1 km" and "Outlook (turn right)". 

Reaching for the map, in horror, we realized that leaving Rosetown we should have headed SOUTH for a bit and turned EAST onto  Road #15 instead of heading EAST on Hwy 7. We were now 56 km NORTH of Outlook. The winds that pushed us along would now be cross winds and make those 56 km SOUTH to Outlook a lot slower (16 kph). 

Flag gives you an idea of what cross winds were like, and yet, still smiling :-)

For those 56 km, we discussed how we should record this major faux pas in the blog. We thought about blaming it on the GPS for giving us wrong directions but my GPS unit only records speed, time and distance travelled. We laughed more during those 56 km than we did when riding in the rain for 100 km + heading to Rogers Pass. 

To every cloud there is a silver lining. Sure we pedaled 56 km that did not get us any closer to Ottawa but had it not been for the error we would have never met Roseanne, Dorothy or Anne and spent time in Harris. Net effect we will be in Ottawa August 1 and not July 31. Moreover, we would have never had desert brought to us by Harry and Cathy, from Saskatoon, our neigbours at the campground in Outlook. That is a story for tomorrow. All in all another incredible day on our small cross Canada adventure. 

We were going to tell you about hydration while cycling the Prairies but that also will come later. As for recipes and Hélène's observation on her cycling kitchen that will also be later.

Video of horses who wanted to follow us.

84.13 miles - Total so far 1,137.16 miles