Day 54: Dease Lake, BC, Canada

It's been a month since my last post, and a lot has happened since then. My legs are becoming more tired and worn as each day passes--mainly because we've been on the road for almost two months, and we're still 1,000 miles away! These past few days have definitely been the hardest, emotionally, because my mind is ready for rest, but my body needs to continue pedaling.

We crossed the Canadian border on July 11. My first response to the Canadian landscape was that the scenery seemed a lot more pastoral than I had expected. The hills were rolling and green, and every so often they were dappled by brown dots--grazing cattle. In retrospect, the landscapes weren't much different from those of Montana, but for some reason I wanted the change to be drastic, so that my surroundings would constantly remind me, "You've made it thus far."

My first days in Canada were hard and on several occasions I was brought to tears. I began to think more of my mother and how little memory I have of her. I was amidst the mountains and glacial rivers, and I couldn't remember the faintest details of her existence: the way her voice sounded, the texture of her skin, or her mannerisms of speech. I would try to talk to her as I pedaled through the hills, but the only audible response was the sound of wind rushing through my ears.

Banff and Jasper, national parks in Alberta, have been by far the most beautiful, and I am sad that my mother couldn't see the beauty that I witnessed. The morning that we left Jasper, I cried so hard that I couldn't breathe. I tried to pedal faster, but my lungs couldn't take it, and the headwind was so strong that I couldn't move too quickly. My teammates, MJ and Ivan, pedaled next to me, quietly. That was all I really needed, and they somehow understood.

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Some of our most gracious hosts have been in Alberta and British Columbia, and most of the people we've met have been laid back and easy going. A Canadian once told me, "Americans say that we don't have a back bone, but I don't care. I just live comfortably and take my time!"

Since my last post, three teammates have returned home: one, for a non-cycling related leg injury, and two others for disregarding Texas 4000 policies. They are all in good health, but I am sad to miss the rest of the summer with them.

I'm on a tight internet schedule right now, and there is a lot more that I would like to share, but I'll have to tell you more the next time around! Please know that you all are in my heart and that you are giving me warmth and strength during this last and challening stretch of my summer journey. Alaska is 15 days away, and I'm looking forward to seeing Anchorage.