DAY 5

Day5 -  June 20, 2013, 0.0 miles travelled

Woke up several times last evening due to the heavy driving rtain, it just didn't look like it was going to let up this morning and I thought it be prudent to lay down one more day and rest up, and hope for clearing skies. So I booked my room for another night. Suprizingly, I wasn't alone, the other six folks from Alberta and two from Florida decided to do the same.

This morning we all had breakfast together and decided to rent a taxi (van) and go visit the local HD Dealer, Murdock's Supply, Ski Haus sporting goods for more "dry-bags", Target, and the Liquor Store. What a way to fritter away the day! After some Après-Shop refreshments on the motel upper deck, we taxied once again to the Famous Daves BBQ House for dinner.

Refreshments - nobody was driving!

All day long it's been a constant stratergy session for each of us how we were to either continue my travels north or their path home to Lethbridge. Then the phone calls started coming in: State of Emergency for Lethbridge County. Up to 150mm (that's 5.9 inches) of rain had fallen in the County of Lethbridge since last night, forcing a state of local emergency across Southern Alberta communities. Highway 22 had been closed, a route Chris recommended I take on my way to Dawson Creek, BC, Canada.

Bernie & Brenda received a call from their son which cancelled another optional route; going through Crowsnest Pass. A flash flood forced residents to flee their homes and emergency crews to close down several roads as the Oldman River dam's floodgates were opened in an attempt to increase water flows and relieve pressure on the dam.

WOW! As bad as we had it here, watching the number of fires in California, Colorado, Arizona, flooding in Alberta only adds to the concern of many. No mater which way I go, nature is putting up it's obstacles: hot and cold, wet or dry.

So tomorrow, Chris and I will ride west through Sandpoint, Idaho, then head north to Osoyoos, BC, Canada where I'll just continue to Dawson Creek.

Let's just see how the plan pans out... lata'

BTW - Started to clear around 5PM today, can just barely see some low snow levels beneath the breaking clouds on the surrounding mountains.