Day One

I woke up quickly at 4:30, no rolling over wishing I didn't have to move. My alarm was set 45 minutes in the future. I rarely need help to wake up. I checked the scale one more time and came fully awake as the 3 digits I have been looking for since January popped up, 230. No extra numbers, somehow exactly my target weight. I'm going with this being a good omen for the rest of the trip. Coffee brewing I downed a banana, supplies were right down the the bare minimum but I had a big bunch of my yellow friends for the trip. Almost everything was at the front door ready to be loaded.
A half dozen trips to the car and everything was in, then the rack and Bonnie. I started the Impreza at 5:23 and after a relatively fast stop at Timmy's I was on my way. More on that stop later. It was cool and foggy but not dense blinding fog, just the overnight ground varity.
I made good time arriving in Dryden at 9:48 so I went in to Timmy's, more to use the facilities than anything. I ordered a coffee and breakfast sandwich combo after the woman in front of me special ordered a dozen things from a girl in the third hour of her first shift. More of this, none of that, double the bacon and on she went. When I got my coffee there was a donut added, I have no idea why since I hadn't ordered one. Then off to the line to wait for the sandwich. "We're out of eggs," I overheard, the woman from earlier changed her already confusing order a little more. My turn and the sandwich maker apologizes they are out of English muffins and eggs because "everyone is ordering". Oh Oh time to close up until they stop I guess. I took mine on whatever kind of bun she had left and without the egg because "we don't know how long it will be".
Finally thrilled to make it out without melting down or having someone go postal while waiting to get their caffeine fix, I look out to the parking lot to see the drive through line wrapping around the building and blocking all of the parked cars in, mine included. After a nifty 59 point turn and waiting for a good samaritan to allow me five seconds to get through the line I was home free. So the award for most promising restaurant goes to Timmy's of Dryden, hey it can only get better.
I gassed up and hit the road making great time. I had some fruit, gatorade and cheese at the Manitoba border. Traffic was light until Kenora and then again around Falcon Lake. I bypassed Winnipeg and stopped for gas about 100km from Brandon, didn't need the gas but there were no other places with facilities.
I got to Brandon at 4:15 so 950 km in just under 11 hours. I had a great shower and a better steak and came back to my room to relax. Hopefully tomorrow goes as well. The Saskatchewan River is due to crest in Medicine Hat sometime tonight or tomorrow morning, or  maybe Monday. Reports vary but it will be the critical point of the day. I just hope I can get through without delay or major detours.