Atomic Nuclei

Day 37: Duck Mountain Lodge to Dauphin. 110 miles. 3600 feet elevation. Weather very helpful.

The day started beautifully. Kevin and Cheryl, the kindest people I’ve met on this entire route, had me over for a wonderful breakfast. They were so nice to be with they could almost convince me to live in northern Saskatchewan in the winter just to have them as neighbors. I’m not sure if anyone can fully appreciate how nice it is just to eat with someone after you’ve been alone for so many days.

After breakfast, they guided me through Duck Mountain Park, into Manitoba (province number four), and then down about 10 kilometers of beautiful trail. 

As we pedaled through the woods, they told me how they biked on these trails in the winter, but only if it was not colder than 20 below! Clearly, they are from heartier stock than me and my fellow  Puebloans. At the end of the trail , they turned back and sent me down the road with clear instructions for the next leg of my journey. They have undoubtedly been one of the major highlights of my trip.

The next 50 or 60 miles took me through beautiful wooded hills with innumerable lakes. I was amazed that all of the lakes seemed to be named, although some of the names weren’t very creative like “Beautiful Lake.” The extensive amount of water does have a downside.

Today, I was able to see what it was like to be the nucleus of an atom. As a high school chemistry teacher, I used to teach kids about protons and neutrons at the center of an atom. Around these relatively boring nuclei swarm electrons in various orbits. Electrons are not in nice neat orbits like planets of the solar system but rather like the flies and dust that are constantly swirling around Pigpen in the Snoopy cartoon.  

Honestly, I change my underwear and socks every day. Wait, let me restate that. I put on clean underwear and socks every day. I don’t think I smell that bad. However, for dozens of miles, I was surrounded by innumerable wgiant flies or horse flies or bees, or  I don’t know what they were, but it wasn’t any fun. I would try to SWAT them out of the sky, but that usually left me swerving across the road. Eventually, I turned on a book and tried to ignore the fact that I was the nucleus of a very nasty atom with dozens of horrible, hateful electrons.

As you know, provinces often have a specific provincial bird, flower, fish, etc. What most people don’t know is that Manitoba has a provincial sound. It is  “bzzzz.” Seriously, if I could have found a hardware store, I would have bought a giant can of Raid and been spraying it all around me as I peddled  like a mad man.

Eventually, I emerged from the primeval forest of wild prehistoric insects and was back on pavement arriving in the town of Grandview. Gumby and I were both quite happy the buzzing finally stopped. We’d already traveled 80 miles but still had another 30 to go. Fortunately, despite it being Canada Day, the local grocery was open. After a carton of chocolate milk, two mountain dews, a half a turkey sandwich, and some cheesies, I was ready for the final stretch. It turned out to be an easy 30 Mi with a flat road and a nice tailwind. Of course, now I’m ready for another meal. Maybe I’ll even try a salad:-).