By Deborah Banish

Mother Nature decided to skip Spring it appears as the temperatures have jumped into the 80s this past week. That has provided farmers a chance to try to get the fields planted but the rains and heavy winter snow melt make many fields impossible to reach or to even plant. The predicted rain for the coming weekend will be putting an end to the planting season. There will be many a disgruntled farmer this year so best not to mention this again!

Globe-trotting, or cycling, Cayuga native Randy Kiefer, also known as Singapore Slim, recently informed friends here about his progress on his most recent adventure, a bicycle ride from his Winter roost in Anchorage, Alaska, to his ancestral homeland in North Dakota. Here is Randy’s report, dated June 1, 2019:

“Greetings From Cold Lake, Alberta. Not much news since my last transmission. A few bears, foxes, moose, bison, mountain goats, deer, an elk, and even a badger. The latter was just 10 feet in front of me, then stopped in my lane, and gave me a look. YIKES!!! I didn’t know what to do. Wanted to grab the camera, but didn’t want to take my eyes off him (or her). At any rate, before I knew it, Mr., or Ms., Badger was off to the other side of the road, and into a pasture. That was a treat. So a brief by the numbers update: 1) How I got to Cold Lake, Alberta. 2) I rode the AlCan Highway from Tok, Alaska, to Fort St John, British Columbia. There I exited east on Cecil Lake Road, (British Columbia), Highway 64 (Alberta), to Grimshaw, then highways 2 and 55. 3) Some events: a) The winds north of Haines Junction, Yukon, were horrendous. They said up to 60 mph (100 kilometers per hour). Dust across the road was the least of my problems. At times I was riding at 65 degrees(?). Then I didn’t want to become an OCW Gloria. A rider from OC who went down and broke her hip in strong winds. So I walked, more than once. And at times it was all I could do to just stand upright. There is no winning on a bike in the wind. b) Fast forward to the highest pass on the AlCan, Summit Lake. Camped the night of the 19th. The lake was frozen over, a sunny frosty PM/AM in the tent. c) Next is the smoke deviation. Some of you noticed I planned a major loop to Yellowknife, Northwest Territory (NWT). After checking a map more closely, I had scaled my plan to Fort Providence, and maybe hitching in and out of Yellowknife. But the fires near High Level, Alberta, killed all of that. d) I rode north on Highway 7 to within 12 miles (20ks) of Fort Liard, but with all the smoke I hitched back to the AlCan, to Fort Nelson. The Alberta fires had forced the evacuation of High Level, and some roads were closed. The ups were killing my lungs, so I gave the loop a miss. Not likely to have another go at this area, but really had no choice – RATS!!! 4) The only news for me in riding in northern Alberta is the agricultural land. Enormous fields of tilled land. Large equipment, some even red. Also seeing the cow/calf operations was fun for me. 5) Tomorrow (June 2, 2019) I start across Saskatchewan toward Manitoba to meet fellow Apple Dumpling Gang members, Dick Reis and Don Isensee on 19 June. They will escort me to Fargo. That will be the end of my journey. This adventure started last April from Santa Barbara. Then I had a most enjoyable 7 month lay-over in Anchorage. And now will soon end my journey in Fargo. Thank you for travelling along. r/randy”.

Thanks to Randy for the report, and for allowing his more sedentary friends to enjoy the tour with him.

Continue reading “Hens Do Crow! June 7, 2019” →