Wed July 15 Gladstone MB

(Photo is me trying to snap a picture of my speedometer while coasting down the highway)

Rain fell hard for a short while and lightly for 5 or 6 hours - mostly large drops from the trees. Slept late hoping the wind or sun would dry everything but no luck. Finally got on the road at `9:30. I guess after a couple days of rain, the winds switch to westerlies. Unfortunately I have ~ 90 km of south to ride before turning east. It took until 3:00 pm to ride south at ~ 15 km/hr. The winds were buffeting me towards the traffic, the shoulders are gravel and the white fog line was literally on the vertical edge of the pavement and on the gravel itself. Had to dive for the gravel a few times. It seems that Manitoba is not big on paved shoulders even here on Hwy 16/ Yellowhead where it is only ~3 ft wide where again I've had to hit the dirt a few times (Don't worry I haven't fallen off the bike). After getting out of Riding Mtn this morning, in a tiny community of Onanole, I saw an old building that had a sign that said " Art-Books-Cappuccino". I slammed on the brakes and went in. Got some really good coffee at the busy place (complete with Park employees - and feds know where good coffee is), some baked goodies and a (used) book. Browsed around some more and got a lb of coffee ground up (Salt Spring Espresso) as I had finished the lb that Lynn supplied me with at the beginning of my trip. After turning east onto Hwy 16 I coasted 26 km to Neepawa. Not kidding - it had a good shoulder, first since Sask, slightly downhill and a huge westerly. I pedalled occasionally when my speed fell below 30 km/hr but just sat up right, squaring my shoulders to the wind, two fingers on one side of the handle bar and the other arm was used like a jib or rudder or whatever sailors would call it. Due to the wind I should make Winnipeg tomorrow easily. Due to the clouds coming in, nasty winds and two nights in the rain I've taken a motel tonight.

OD 2661.5 km, 7:05:26, 158.23 km, 22.3 km/hr ave, 55.8 max