Day 18- Aeolus' Fury

I woke up at 5  AM to get an early start because I had a long way to go today (154 KM). A quick stop at the only gas station around to pick up a few food items and a pair of warm gloves to protect my hands from the morning cold while my bike ones were dried, and I was off on the secondary highway 4 to Rosetown.

Things were looking pretty good as I set off, despite the large hill I had to climb as soon as I left town; the skies were clear and the sun was out, a relief after yesterday. The terrain was looking more interesting too, as I climbed rolling hills through wheat fields that would look pretty cool in the fall when all grown in. There was also a lot less traffic than on the highway.

But then the wind started, and it never stopped. A never ending alternating cross-wind and head-wind that thwarted all efforts at making progress. I absolutely crawled almost the entire 150 KM remaining to Rosetown. No matter how hard I tried, the ferocious wind just kept blowing, nearly throwing me off the road every few minutes. It was like I was in a wind tunnel, but I had places to go. I have seldom experienced so much frustration or despair as I did forcing myself to continue all the way to Rosetown, too stubborn to give up. Oh, and it was pretty much all up hill to one degree or another throughout the day. Not to be over dramatic, but it was nothing short of torture. Today is a day best forgotten haha.

Two interesting points today. First, I passed through Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park, a large river valley that was kinda cool, and which defued my preconceived notions on what this province looked like. Next, at one point I came along a mother and baby antelope in a field beside the road. The baby hid in the grass and watched me, while the mother ran away, stopping every few seconds to watch me and make sure I was following her before darting off a little farther. Rinse and repeat until we were far enough away that she was certain I was not going near the baby, and then she stopped and waited for me to leave before heading back. I thought that it was cool hehaviour to watch.

I finally reached my campground 12 hours of struggle after leaving Swiftcurrent, and set up shop. Even then the wind bullied me, blowing me tent away as I tried to set it up. Once everything was secured, I ate a massive supper, and read for a short while with some comfort junk food before conking out by 8.