Do you need a host tonight?
I suspect many bike travellers you have been in this position? Six isolated days in the hot summer heat without a shower, out of water, battery packs drained and I just pedalled 100 km’s (that day). No clue where you are camping for the night, no water to cook dinner and its about to get dark in 20 minutes. Water, groceries and an overpriced campground are 20 kilometers away.
I had just arrived in time and finished taking over 100 photos at Alberta Canada’s amazing Hoodoos, 20 kilometers out side the town of Drumheller. The photo taking had been my biggest priority because the next morning the sun would be in the wrong place.
Given all the other issue that needed addressing I then focused on a future problem. I needed hosting when I arrive in the city of Calgary 140 kilometers away in 4 days because I had a bike hub in desperate need of attention. And being in the early days of Covid-19 bike shops were swamped and wait times were unpredictable. Not to mention I was worried about what headaches would wait for me in Calgary thanks to Covid-19. Not that I was worried about Covid-19, I was just worried about where I would stay in such a large city.
So instead of worrying about my immediate needs I posted to my Facebook audience that I was badly in need of hosting in Calgary. Within 2 minutes I get a Messenger message from Wendy Cuell a friend from Hamilton, Ontario, 3,400 km’s away. “Do you need a place tonight?” she asks. “No, I am not in Calgary yet. I am at the Hoodoos. Hopefully Thursday.” “Do you need a place in Drumheller?” she asked. “You know someone???” I asked in disbelief.
Anyone familiar with the Alberta Badlands knows that nobody lives out this way. Certainly, nobody that anybody knows? “I am at the Hoodoos?” I message Wendy. Within a minute I receive the response “She’s 2 miles from the Hoodoos. Her phone number is 403-xxx-xxxx. Her name is April and she is expecting your call.” Who the heck lives at the Hoodoos!!! I think to myself.
And just like that all my current problems were solved and by the time I got into my sleeping bag that night I had messages in my inbox solving me of all my hosting issues in Calgary.
