On the road again …. Notes of an old youth
Posted by J.D.
In the last three days we’ve covered about 285km from Ft McMurray to Lac La Biche. Everyone is doing very well energy-wise on their bikes with only minor quibbles about funny noises but no flats or other breakdowns. Too bad we can’t say the same about our poor van. The battery isn’t charging properly and we’ve needed at least one jump start each day. There are only a couple widely spaced settlements along this stretch with no auto services that we’ve seen. The shop in Fort Mac said they couldn’t work with it because it’s an older import. >_<
The scenery has been boring and interesting. It’s mostly just dark green forest and burned patches but sometimes there are pretty little lakes and streams. We almost never go more than a couple kilometers without seeing some sign of energy development. Access roads, worker camps, compressor stations, and clear cuts all point to the exploding exploitation of Alberta’s wilderness. Several people we met commented on how there was so much wildlife around but actually I saw almost nothing. A few crow/ravens, occasional bear scat, and a few deer footprints. Maybe I just have bad luck but it wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of animals are being driven out by all the human disturbance and habitat fragmentation.
The highway is pretty good quality for biking on. It was a dirt road only a few years ago but now it’s smooth and easy. The shoulder isn’t super wide but people have been good about moving well over when they pass us. The speed they drive is usually nuts though. The majority seems to be related to resource exploitation. A least it’s not a steady stream so there is a chance to hear oneself think.
Our group is getting along well. Although I tend to be a bit of a solitary person in many ways, I’m enjoying the communal experience. The fact that I’m about twice as old as the rest hasn’t presented any problem although I’m occasionally qualifying things I say with, “maybe you’re too young to remember this …” e.g. K-cars.
Ciao for now.
Filed under: RTTTS on August 21st, 2008
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