Left Hanna about 0800, the weather was cloudy and cool, so I wore my jacket liner and Gerbing gloves. This is Alberta in July would you believe. It stopped raining about 3PM yesterday, but I think it rained during the night. However, the roads were dry, and quite deserted as usual. I had battened down for rain anyway. The area has had a ton of rain lately, with standing water in the fields and the ditches alongside the roads have a lot of water. Last year there was a drought, this year too much water. As I rode west on H9 then H27, the skies lightened, and blue sky started to appear. By the time I turned north on H21 and hit H2 at Red Deer it was going to be a nice day.
On Highway 27 I came across another badlands, this time part of the Canadian Badlands. It is amazing how many there are in this area of North America, including the Dakotas. You don’t know these are there, just hit a hill and you find yourself in another world. The most amazing one to me is Drumheller. You see the sign for the town, but there is nothing there, just prairies. Suddenly you go down a hill and there it is, complete with Wal-Mart and the Royal Terrell Museum. A whole town almost underground. Weird.
The landscape in Alberta seems to be changing, as where there used to be pasture, hay and cattle, is now miles and miles of granola. Pretty yellow, but not the same. More money for the rancher I guess.
Still the old way exists in places:
I skirted to the west of Edmonton, and had no problem with all the major highway construction, then on to the TransCanada H16, to pick up H43 and head for Grand Prairie. Most of H43 is undulating dual highway, and again very little traffic. The landscape to start was rural, then miles of evergreens, with no view but trees. About 90 miles before Grande Prairie it became rural again.
Grande Prairie looks a busy place, with mainly muddy pickups in the motel parking lot. I guess their owners work in the countryside around here. Actually I am not sure what is the main event employment wise here. I need to ask at checkout.
When I hit town, I found the Harley dealer as I need a new rear tire. 11000 miles since I left will do that. The old one might last, but I have gravel roads to ride, so want to make sure it will be OK. I need to check on the Canadian hourly rates when I get back. Here they quoted me $115 an hour. It is $85 at home, and the dollars are almost par. Talk about a rip off. I must remember to smile when I give them my credit card tomorrow.
So tomorrow, once I have the new tire, I head for Dawson Creek, and Mile 0 of the Alaskan Highway.
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