A bike assembly, bag shipping and sorting out mechanical niggles day, with just 25km on the trail under heavy clouds.
Even the locals complained of the cold. It was still only 9 degrees when we rolled into friendly and surprisingly charming Fort Saskatchewan and we’d had a chilly headwind all the way.
Our first mishap occurred not even a Covid-19 social distance from the hotel door when Bron’s fancy seatpost came loose and she ended up riding the thankfully short day at a bizarre angle. Once out of the industrial outskirts of Edmonton a perfectly paved trail took us along the North Saskatchewan River through wheat fields and into the lovely rolling Strathcona park which hugs the river banks for several kilometres into suburban Fort Saskatchewan.
We bought woolly toques for cold heads, filled up on hot soup and checked into the Kanata Inn to sort out the bikes.
After a call to the seatpost manufacturers, Cane Creek, and applying a “bit” of force (think hammer) under their guidance, Bron is hopefully again sitting level.
Gill’s slow tyre leak resulted in the serendipitous meeting with Danny, named by his colleagues at Winners Way sports shop as “the best bike guy in Alberta”. He not only sorted out Gill’s issues, but threw in a mini service and cheerfully chatted about his weekend of helicopter MTB riding off the peaks at Revelstoke.
Everyone we have met in “The Fort” has been delightful and we know the friendliness will continue across the prairies. We hope the weather improves to match the people!
#transcanadatrail
#thegreattrail
Hotel bike assembly 
Instant bike mechanics required right outside the door 
We have never ridden on a surface as perfect as this 
North Saskatchewan River trail 
Gill’s Take on Russell Crowe’s Gladiator wheat scene 
This will all be harvested soon 
Winter is coming 
Strathcona Park trailways 
Statue for the regional tradespeople – receiving a globe from an imaginary crane 
Kosmos and Fort Saskatchewan’s old station 
We stocked up for tomorrow’s lunch in this spot
Trans Canada Epic 