June 29 Alberta/BC border to Dawson Creek

I spent most of last night worrying about every sound. I didn't get much sleep and then I woke up at 4:30 because of weird bird sounds. I noted that the wind had stopped blowing and thought I should get up and get going but I just couldn't make myself do that and I fell back to sleep for another couple of hours. When I got out of bed I saw that other campers had shown up and I had worried needlessly about all the driving in and out last night. I also found a gas station about a mile (that's Albertan for 1.6 kilometres) down the road where I got a couple of snacks for the road.

By the time I had finally gotten underway the wind had started and it was blowing hard. For the most part it was a cross wind which is only scary when the big trucks go by. I enjoyed the patches of trees but there were spots where the fields were open and I would nervously watch for the trucks coming. The oncoming traffic was as much a problem as that going the same direction. It gives a big push of air and then nothingness. I finally had to tell myself to loosen the death grip on the handlebars and go with the flow.

Within a couple of hours I got to a turn in the road which put me heading directly into the wind for about 10 kilometres. So now, instead of sucking me in and spitting me out, the trucks passing just disarranged my clothes. But they left empty spaces of air where my speed would increase a couple of kilometres an hour. It was great when two or three of them passed in close formation.

I arrived at the campground after passing a grocery store where I purchased real vegetables to include in my dinner. The Lipton side dish was really dressed up with broccoli, red pepper and an extra addition of real Swss cheese. It was so good, it was something you might want to serve at home - okay - only after you've returned from a really long bike ride.

I'm spending until Sunday in Dawson Creek as I wait forJim and then we're heading out on the Alaska Highway.