The rain broke some time in the night and I wasn't long drying the tarp and heading off. Today was almost all downhill. The bit of climbing I did do was certainly offset by the great pace I was able to keep the whole day. I had stopped into Banff to get some food. The place was loud and crowded so I didn't stay long. It is nestled in a nice valley surrounded by impressive mountains. From here it was uneventful, which isn't always a bad thing on a trip of this proportion.
The land eventually leveled out but I had had a calm breeze at my back to aid me. I was well over my 100 km but happy to keep going until my front tire started getting a bit saggy. It was losing pressure but very slowly, so I kept pushing on and pumped it up every 10 km. Eventually I decided I better call it a day, not wanting to be both looking for a reliable camping spot and tending to a leaky tire. Gas stations had been pretty rare the last few days, but as luck would have it I came to a turnoff that lead to a little area with a grocery store, gas station, and restaurant called Chief Chiniki Village.Seemed I had stumbled into a small native area. People were very friendly and inquisitive and I was able to change the front tube and find a spot to camp on a hill just across from the store overlooking farmlands and a track for riding horses. All was well, I had made great time, and it was time to read and sleep.
