Welcome to Manitoba

Edit: these posts are getting longer and longer. Time to start breaking them up? Still not keen on doing daily entries...
Let me paint you a picture.
It is 3 pm (maybe 4 pm, still not keyed in to Manitoba time), on a narrow back highway in Southwest Manitoba.
I do not know what the temperature is but even the locals told me I shouldn't be riding a bike today. All I know is that it is hot.
Sweat runs down my arms in a steady stream, leaving milky tracks as it carries away my spf 60 and bares my skin to the UV menace.
My hands are gloved in a perpetual layer of moisture, causing my grip to slip off my bars periodically.
A new run off of sweat forms on my brow and drips stinging into my eye.
As I labour down the road, I begin to dream of cool autumn days.

Anyways, today was frickin hot.
I awoke at 5:45, and on the way to the bathroom I decided that I may as well get an early start before the wind started up.
Good planning on my part, as today became consecutive headwind day #8.
Even though it's only been a couple days since my rest in Regina, the heat and constant wind are draining my stamina, so I take it easy in the morning.
I cross the border into Manitoba around lunch time and am sorely disappointed that I only get a tiny little "Welcome to Manitoba" sign. Not even a pullout!
As I approach my northward turnoff, the wind picks up to a steady 35 km/hr, as if to try forcing me back into Saskatchewan.
I take a long rest in Melita and appreciate the first of many giant statues of things. Every town in Manitoba must have a giant statue of something.
Intending on doing a long day to Souris, I push on north, but the heat and the buffeting crosswinds take their toll and when I roll into Pipestone, the thought of going another 55 km seems unbearable so I locate the campground and hit up the local cafe for dinner #1 and some cold ones. After dinner #2, I read, stretch my legs and retire to my sauna, I mean, my tent.
Despite my failure to reach Souris, Google maps informs me I have done 140 km today, and also the same distance yesterday. I guess the new saying is, "If you can't get tailwinds, just leave your humanity behind and crush 140 km into a headwind every day".

I woke up at the crack of dawn the next day, appreciated the blood-red sunrise over the fields and began getting ready for an early start, in order to beat the heat and wind.
Welllll, maybe just the heat. The wind was at full strength right from the get-go. Day 9 of tailwinds, woohoo.
The first 30 minutes or so were very tough. Probably some of the worst cycling I've had on this trip between the immediate headwind, muscle cramps and just general fatigue and lack of motivation.
Then, I must have gone over some mental plateau or had something just snap inaide my head, because suddenly I just stopped caring about the wind, or my legs, or anything except turning my pedals. I just fell into what was probably the ideal pace and completely zoned out for 2 1/2 hours into Souris. Maybe the constant droning of the headwind and lack of rest hypnotized me? Maybe I really am going crazy like the old ladies of the grocery checkouts acuse me of when I tell them I cycled all the way from the Yukon.
Anyways, I eventually made it to the northward turnoff to Highway 10, and finally got out of the wind heading towards Brandon. I also got my first section of seperated highway shoulder for 2 days, and the sun stayed behind the clouds so it was much more comfortable weather, bonus!
Actually, with the exception of the wind, cycling in Manitoba was nicer than Saskatchewan. I was even starting to see lots of wildflowers appear in what had formerly been roadsides completely dominated by alfalfa and brome. I was later informed that this is because Manitoba has stopped spraying herbicides in the ditches. Way to go Manitoba!
Anyways, with more flowers on the roadside I was taking more breaks and generally in a better spot mentally.
Back in the world of pedalling my bike, I continued on past Brandon another 50 km to Minnedosa, dealing with some gritty highway shoulders and gentle hills for a total of 155 km for the day. Long, hot days must be taking their toal, as my legs were uncontrollably shaking by the time I stopped to pick up some beers at the Minnedosa LC.
I secured a tent site at the Minnedosa Beach and was settling in for a night of excessive calorie consumption and writinh when a motorcycle tourist wandered over and introduced himself. I wasn't feeling too chatty but he was actually quite an interesting person and I ended up having a pretty long conversation with him.
A later bedtime than I planned before an easy 100 km day to the Gingras farm for some rest, planning and a reunion with my favourite dog ever. But more on that in the next post.