I left Calgary today, via a reasonably large road, but one that was too small to be marked on my (only) map of the Western States and Provinces. I therefore decided to, rather than wasting valuable phone battery by turning it on, to navigate using my compass and the sun.

I therefore kept heading East. The grid system stretching across the plains doesn’t exactly make it hard either.

Then, a little way past an intersection, a sign read “pavement ends". I decided to carry on, maybe the pavement was referring to pedestrians. After all, the road looked fine and I didn’t want to turn around. Then, over the next hill, the asphalt suddenly stopped and there was only gravel ahead.

Intersection 1: Oh. Gravel in all directions. Well, it’ll probably just be until the next intersection.

Intersection 2: Hmm, maybe not. But surely the next one.

Intersection 3: [A woman in a pickup, with a bike strapped to the back, looked at me smirked and waved.] Maybe she’s going to a paved road to cycle. Let's follow.

Intersection 4: Ok, still no paved road. But I don’t want to turn back now. It has to end soon.

Intersection 5: I’ll head towards the trees in a line. They look like they grow alongside a road.

Intersection 7: Well, that’s a no then. The trees are from some farmstead. Well, I can’t turn round now. I’ve come too far on the gravel.

Intersection 10: I’m really fed up of gravel.

Intersection 15: Please asphalt, come back!

Intersection 19: Ooohhh! That looks like a stop sign im the distance. That probably means there’s a larger road, which may even be paved.

Intersection 20: Not a stop sign. I think it’s a bus with 2 people. Still, that suggests a bigger road.

Intersection 21: Paved road! You are so wonderful and smooth. And look, the trans-canada highway just round the corner.

Who said cycling in the prairies was boring? Cycling on gravel requires continuous focus and is constantly shifting. Aaand, that’s quite apart from the additional challenge provided by vehicles whose cloud of gritty dust prevents you seeing for a few moments, almost invariably critical ones.