The alarm rang what a relief it's only 6.30am much better then the usual Stampede breakfast alarms of 5.30am but strangly this day would be a lot longer then most other days as I was leaving Calgary.

While Calgary offers a host of activities and the Stampede still continues I do have some 12000kms at least to do yet so move East young man.

The packing went fine actually less weight then when I arrived how?

I had accumulated a couple ,well 3 books, one giving values for antique motorcycle collectibles, one covering 500 great drives & rides of the world and the one coming with me Ämerica's greatest motorcycle rides. There was luggage carried that was to remain in Calgary , like motorcycle tie down straps, a heavy cover, old accessories replaced with new ones ollected so far on the trip plus even though clothes are at a minimum there was still too many so a cull took place. Looking good except where is the camera?

Usually the camera , phone and card wallet are located front & central on the motorcycle. This allows easy access for photo's, paying for fuel but also serves as a security method in that I would need to be removed from the seat to gain access but today only two of the three were present. Quick house search turns up no camera, a car search no camera, check the bedroom , again, no camera!

Then the tried and true, "when was it used last, yesterday while shopping."Did it get left in a shop no it was placed in the car's central console, but isn't there.

I disappeared back to the bedroom and retrieved a plastic shopping I had stored in the cupboard pending my return and hurriedly emptied the contents.Bingo one camera,how?. Well my hands were full with the shopping so I relocated the camera into the shopping bag.

Packing complete the leathers on and the starter button activated and the Indian roared into life eager to head to it's home.

Early morning traffic on Deerfot was moving well for the first 10kms then standstill, but we are going North traffic South should be the heavy line. Flashing light's from a parked Police Cruiser in lane 3 (the fast lane) then a tow truck, perhaps a wreck, no only a break down, once past the speed returns to 100 and soon I turn right or East onto Trans Canada 1 the GPS shows a straight arrow and 505kms. No wonder people told me the trip is very boring a 505km straight road. Well not really straight as the record lies with the Nullabor straight in Australia. Well I did not find the day boring as the countryside was a splendid in yellows of the Canola crops and the green of the Alf Alfa or lucerne that when harvested is packed into large round bails which litter the side of the TC1. The silo's have long lines of B d ouble trailers dumping the canola and beside each silo there is a long line some over 2kms of bulk train wagons waiting to ship these crops to the seaboard.

Traffic is also different as the main users are trucks one two and three trailers in tow. Familiar trucking companies like Bison or Day & Ross mix with names I have not seen before. Being summer holidays the other vehicles show an array of plates from British Columbia, Alberta mixing with US plates from as far away as Florida, many are Recreational vehicles (RV's) towing a fifth wheeler and an additional trailer eg a boat trailer making them as long as a semi trailer.

I refuel at a Husky Petrol station and use my free $2 rewards for agreeing to receive emails and then have lunch in the restaurant, daily special a wheat toasted ham & cheese sandwich with fries plus a root beer for $6.95

I had not finished when a patron turns and says, ÿou the Aussie with the Indian" was not rocket science as I always try to park near the entrance to keep watch and my Indian helmet and jacket were on the spare seat. "Yes I replied""You are sure lucky fellow having one, never seen one before,"he replied.

This has been the standard request even when I was in the USA. I did not expect any interest bring an American motorcycle to America & Canada but now over 5100kms into the trip I too have only seen an Indian Scout in a dealers showroom never on the road, likewise the larger Chief and Vintage models I have never seen other then rental units on the road.

I stopped again for fuel and was almost immediately approached by a man some 30's he said Ï drive the F250 you followed for an hour or so, hope I went fast enough I ride bikes and thought you wanted to haze so I upped the speed, where are you going to?"Swift Current", so am I, want to follow? Well no going to have a break for a while". "Well do you mind if i ask you something,while my mates are here?"No. "Do you know Never Never?"Me: well if you leave the pacific Highway,in Australia, and travel on Waterfall Way to Bellingen and take a sharp turn at the Post Office, go over the Bellinger River take the first LH at the round about and travel some 12-16kms and miss the last turn at the little hall you are the Promised Land and the Never Never River.'Well I thought he was going to kiss me. Instead he gently slappped his mates and said pay up! "Told you every Aussie knows the Never Never River. Well I don't know what the odds would be but he was sure lucky to pick me, not many Aussies would even know Never Never was a river let alone where it was. So why did it interest a Canadian? He told me "My wife & I were married next to the Never Never River!"Bet he now believes it's a small world.

Sitting at the Husky (well more points) I noted a double trailer truck arrive and the driver had his own coffee mug wasn't long and he emerged and started to walk back to his truck then turned and sat at my table. "Mind if I chat for a while,"he asked. "Sure" "Do you like your Indian?,Yes" The conversation ranged from bikes where his son is a support rider in the US Superbike series to the trucking industry where he runs 21 Prime movers and 52 trailers while still working as a driver. His biggest beef is immigrant drivers from India and Pakistan. He quoted one example where he had a contract Calgary to Edmonton @ $832 per tonne both ways fully laden, the immigrants tendered $500 and run empty back to Calgary.

Back on the road and the prime irrigated field gave way to Badlands used for ranching. Along the way I saw where a small disaster had happened as there was a burnt out tractor & bailer in a burnt out crop. Some one had not only lost equipment but the crop as well, hope they had suitable insurance.

Arriving in Swift Current Tom Tom took me in an unusual direction to if I had continued following it's direction a dirt track. Know I understand why when putting the address in it said ïncludes unpaved roads" well I turned and rode into the main part of Swift Current and located without any problems the motel and as it was only 4.30pm the indoor pool and whirlpool got my attention before walking to Humpty's for dinner (supper) .