Day 11

Miles: 55

Mileage from start: 944

Right now I’m sitting in a laundromat in Waterton Village, Alberta. I am eating SweetTarts and trying to write but every time I finish a SweetTart I have to set my phone down so I can peel another off the roll.

When we woke up this morning, I looked at my watch and it read 9:30. Oh well, I thought. Another late start. At least we deserve this one after such a long, hard day. 

Turns out I pushed a button on my watch while I slept and it switched back to east coast time. I just won two hours! What a great way to start the day. 

Being another chilly morning, we took our time and layered up before the rest of the descent to St. Mary. There I got some awful coffee, snacks for the day and made a hotel reservation for our ZERO!! We decided to bike up to Canada on the planned route then take a left to stay in Waterton Lakes National Park (the Canadian extension of Glacier).

The day stayed cool and windy all morning. After St.Mary we got a few miles of tailwind and downhill but that changed abruptly when we turned toward Canada. Richard faired well enough but I fought for each revolution of my wheels. I was beat and achy and could only think about the hot tub waiting for me in Waterton.

We frightened many many cows and had lovely views as we headed north into the wind. 

Around 1 p.m. the sun came out and we got across the border just fine. 

My energy draining, I pushed up the hills as best I could and Richard waited for me more than he usually has to. 

Around 3:15 p.m. we made the turn off route and toward Waterton. Immediately the headwind switched from north to south and pelted us all the way to town. Turns out, the wind is a lifelong resident of this valley. The forecast at the hotel’s front desk said today’s gusts were up to 50kph. Tomorrow they’ll be 70kph. Good thing for zeroes.

After checking in we lolled in the hot tub, ate at a local cafe (if you go to Pearls Cafe, get the French onion soup!), and now I’m doing laundry. 

Next, I predict showers and sleep.