To quote Lance, "It's Not All About the Bike". On our day off in Prince George, British Columbia we were set up with different families so we could all have beds and hot showers. Some how I lucked out and got the best hosts in the and had a blast. As you may be able to tell from the title I went wakeboarding. Our hosts, Wendy and Rich, took us to a friends cabin on Ness Lake (not unlike Loch Ness). They had a son that was a fantastic wake boarder that quickly put the idea in my head that I could do it. After three tries I finally got the board and my body to the surface and was up and running. Earlier in the morning we got a tour of the town where we saw the University and learned which berries were good to eat. The indigenous Saskatoon berries make delicious pies, jams and quick snacks on the trail. All in all it was a fantastic time. I've got to thank Rich and Wendy and the family again for being so awesome. I wish I could've stayed longer but the road was calling. Since we entered Canada all has been well. The people have been amazing, weather beautiful and scenery unparalleled. The rides have been long and difficult. One day we hit at least four hills that were a 6% grade or better giving you a pretty good workout on top of it being a 110 mile day. That same day I saw two black bear cubs and the team dined on some wild raspberries.

Calgary was an extremely eclectic city that reminded me much of Austin with a friendlier tint. We stayed in a homeless shelter and helped serve meals and sort clothes. This was indeed a humbling but enlightening experience. Murdoch is an employee there that I quickly befriended and will not soon forget. We volunteered at the Calgary marathon which I found to be very small but amongst the Stampede I guess anything would seem small. The Stampede is a rodeo that brings 1 million tourists to Calgary doubling the population. Meg described it as Mardi Gras with cowboy hats and I find that appropriate.

The next few weeks could be very rough in many ways. We are traveling on the Stuart-Cassiar highway that when spoken of to locals the common reply is a gasp with a simultaneous jaw drop. This road is in the mountains and is a scenic route largely in disrepair. Our next day off is a day when we are scheduled to drive 210 miles because the road is not entirely paved. It turns out that only 60 of those miles are not paved so I am seriously contemplating riding it. It's a foolish notion but I would love to be able to ride 210 miles in one day. Wish me luck.

I've got to brag that I was the first member to cross the border into Canada. The morning was clear and the air buzzed with everyone knowing that this was a big day. The course was a relatively flat 25 mile jaunt that would end at Canadian customs. We rode together untill I broke away with about 8 miles to go. Everyone thought that I would crack and be sucked back into the pack and lose. Not so friends. I crossed the border with a time close to 1 hour. Magsamen won a stage.

I'm thinking of everyone in Austin, Dallas, Iowa, Colorado and whatever other parts of the world you may be in. I am having a fantastic time. Unfortunately I can feel the end quickly approaching but it will be nice to be off the bike for a few days. Till Alaska, take care. Ciao.