Day 11 – Home to Edmonton
N53° 32.858’ W113° 33.635’
Today, we headed for home. We had a slightly more leisurely start, giving everyone a chance to get some sleep. Mom and I got together at 8:00am for breakfast, while Dianne continued to get her beauty rest. She has certainly earned it. She’s been more than a little frustrated by the experience of the last couple of days. She’s in the mountains, with gorgeous scenery all around, an opportunity to be able to hang out for a couple of days with her mother-in-law (who she actually likes) and she hasn’t left the hotel room since we arrived. Fortunately, she seems to be feeling better.
Mission accomplished. Home at last.
Heading in to Canmore, we found a little out of the way place called Harvest that was recommended to me by one of the meeting participants I was facilitating. It was so out of the way that it took two separate passes down the street to find it. It was certainly worth the effort, though. While their breakfast menu wasn’t extensive, it was extremely good. An awesome breakfast sandwich for me, and what looked (and apparently tasted) like a yummy bowl of granola for Mom. Great coffee as well.
Packing up at the hotel was a bit of a production. Given that Mom and I had successfully travelled for an entire week in just a pair of panniers, the Escape was well and truly full. A suitcase of clothes for me and another for Mom that Dianne brought with her, my garment bag for work, Dianne’s duffel and the pannier liners. Not to mention six cases of wine that we picked up in the Okanagan. It just goes to show that, while we are able to travel light when we need to, there is a strong tendency to accumulate things quickly when you get the chance! At least, we seem to have a tendency to do so.
The ride home was far more relaxing than the one to Canmore was. We still ran into the occasionally annoying and slow vehicle as we went up through Cochrane to Olds, but the weather was beautifully sunny, the roads were nice and dry and the riding was extremely comfortable. We even managed to find a funky café in Olds. Who knew. It took a little bit more co-ordination than usual to get there, however, as I noticed it only as I passed by. I sent Dianne into the left lane to turn in, while I was stuck in the right lane and had to do a u-turn. Sadly, the only instruction she heard was to get into the left lane, as she was trying to pay attention to traffic, listen to me and have a phone conversation. So she was deeply confused as to why she was going left and I was going right. Nonetheless, we managed to sort it out, had a lovely lunch and lattes to wash it all down, and hit the highway for the final stretch home.
After more than 3,000 kms, Wolfgang gets a little tender loving care.
Highway 2 was an experience and a half, particularly for Mom. We had done some highway driving on the trip, but not a lot. As the major thoroughfare from Calgary to Edmonton, Highway 2 gets a lot of traffic. An awful lot. If it felt like all we did was pass truck after truck as we headed north, that’s only because that’s exactly what we did. At one point we were in the left lane for a solid 15 kilometres or so, sailing after semi after semi. Mom hadn’t been up close and personal to a double-length truck before either (two full length trailers hitched to a single truck) and I think that was an interesting experience for her.
We pulled into the south side of Edmonton so that we could get some caffeine, and so I could make a quick phone call. As we got ready and headed out once again, storm clouds started to form and the wind picked up significantly. Looked like the thunderstorms that were mentioned as a possibility were starting to look a whole lot likelier. We managed to get home still dry, but only just. As we pulled up to the garage, there was a brief spattering of rain.
Fortunately, the rain held off once we got home long enough for us to get the Escape unpacked, and to give Wolfgang a bath. After 11 days on the road, he was looking a little dusty and worse for wear. The three of us went at him with water, soap and scrubbers and had him looking spiffed up just as the rain started in earnest. While that may have been a whole different washing strategy, doing it the old fashioned way seemed most appropriate We quickly rolled him back inside and made a dash for the house, where we got to finally relax. And relax we did, as only we know how: martinis for me and Dianne, and a single malt for Mom.
After months of planning, the trip had arrived and was now over. 11 days, 7 hotels and 3,136 kms later, we were back home again. Mom and I were on the road together for nine days, and in that time travelled 1,979 kms. She made a commitment that she was going to ride the whole way, and she did. While the ride was in turn exciting, interminable and adrenaline-inducing, throughout the trip Mom never stopped smiling or enjoying herself. It was a great trip for both of us, and I think both of us were sad to see the end of it. Hopefully, there will be another time soon. After all, as Breton emailed me at the conclusion of the ride, how cool is it to be able to say your Mom rides pillion?
“If you get another speeding ticket, you’re in for it!”