This is it. Time to get up. Time to ride home. After choosing a predictable breakfast (A&W) over an experimental one (new Denny’s), Badger & I got gas, a bit of rear tire air, had a quick chain bath back at the hotel, then slipped away into the morning at 11:00. Heading north from High Level, there was a bit of smoky haze in the air which lent a grey mood to the day, but this would give way to blue skies by the Mackenzie River. A nice southerly tailwind had me sitting a little taller in the saddle. After refuelling in Enterprise, I was futzing around refilling my water bladder in the gas station parking lot when Badger toppled off his sidestand over to the right due to a big gust of wind and/or my own clumsiness. |
Still feeling a bit perplexed at how that lid could have bent so easily, coupled with a vague feeling of disturbance from my clumsy parking lot tipover, and maybe some unease at having seen on my phone an Emergency Alert about a manhunt after a mass stabbing in Saskatchewan, I found myself fighting it a bit mentally as I proceeded on from Enterprise. I stopped at my favourite roadside turnout to soak in the view and eat my last two granola bars, which helped but only slightly. I had to stop again 5 minutes afterwards and take off my helmet because my right earplug wasn't seated correctly. The best way I can describe my unsettled state of mind today is that if felt like having "upset tummy of the brain."
Travel-wise, the day was defined by progressively noticeable signs of returning to the North:
- Spiders seeking autumn shelter in the hotel room.
- Having an honest thought, 20 minutes into my ride, of, “Am I…. cold?”
- Encountering a gas station, unattended and powered off, despite posted hours saying it should be open and no sigh of a special notice eg. "closed for long weekend" or whatever (Meander River Esso, I wanted to support you).
- Crows have become ravens, beyond all remaining wonder.
- Gord Downie’s warbling and wailing (whatever the reason, I find it evokes homey feelings that are either the same as or compatible with those of returning home).
- Dissolution of deer fear. (Replaced by bison appreciation.)
- Single-digit highway numbers.
- Ditches turning yellow and red with the first fall colours seen on the trip.
- Prepaying for $15 of gas plus a 1L bottle of water and the total coming to $20.45.
I arrived home nearly 2 hours later than predicted, due to the frequent stops and my above-average need for breaks today. But, it was a smooth cruise and my energy levels did recover slightly, just in time to survive all the face licking from my dogs. I rode an extra lap around the block to get my GPS trip odometer to roll over from 6,999.6 to an even 7,000 km.
Thanks for keeping me company out there.
Reflections to follow...
Day total: 691 km, 8h40m Trip total: 6,718 km (by modified KTM) Trip total: 7,000.1 km (by GPS) | Start: High Level, AB. End: Yellowknife, NWT. Soundtrack: All Hip, all day. |