Cycling trips have been a great way to stay in shape and see the province for car dealer Mal Barber, who has been taking part in yearly trips put on by the Saskatchewan Cycling Association.
The association puts on the Great Annual Saskatchewan Pedal (GASP) in different locations around the province, and this year focussed on southeast Saskatchewan. The cycling association is headed up by former Weyburn resident Bob Cochrane, who recently visited with Barber in Weyburn.
The route included Weyburn, Stoughton, Redvers, Torquay, Estevan and Oungre, and had 60 cyclists from around Saskatchewan take part over two days, including Barber.
“This was one of our better trips, because the wind was always at our back. Even when we changed direction, the wind stayed at our backs,” said Barber.
He has been cycling with the group for five trips, with GASP held in mid-July each summer.
“We’ve had some tough ones,” added Barber, noting one trip saw heat around 40 degrees while cycling south of Gravelbourg.
He finds the trips interesting as they stop in at tourist sites, as well as in smaller towns where one wouldn’t ordinarily stop as a motorist.
On this trip, one side attraction they took in was the Souris Valley Theatre production in Estevan.
“It’s a way of getting in touch with nature. You’re with the grass, and with the sun and wind,” said Barber, recalling one of the nicest days he’s ever experienced was north of Swift Current where the grass was high and there was an eagle above in the sky.
The GASP series of cycling trips began with just a dozen cyclists in 2000, said Cochrane, with around 60 taking part in this year’s cycling trip.
The trips are typically two to three days and cover routes of about 600 km altogether, and are rotated around different parts of the province each year.
“You go by these little towns, and you stop to see what’s there,” said Cochrane, noting one pleasant surprise for the group on this trip was stopping in Carievale.
Barber noted the group has had some really good hospitality wherever they go, giving as an example one trip where he had two flat tires. A person drove 40 km just to bring him two new tires so he could make the repairs.
“Everybody welcomes us, they’re very hospitable,” he added. “Every town, small or big, the communities look as good as they can, with the grass cut and flowers tended to.”
Barber noted there were some signs of a beginning to a recovery in the oil industry, as when they left Carnduff and headed west, there was a fair amount of oil activity going between there and Oungre, most notably by Crescent Point Energy.
For anyone interested in joining a Sask. Cycling bike tour, they can go on their website and find the information and forms.
“It’s great exercise,” said Barber. “It forces me to do some conditioning a couple of months before I go on the ride. People from all walks of life come on the rides: judges, lawyers, nurses, teachers, farmers, people from way up north.”
