Heartbreak House of Cards Blues: Wednesday, March, 26th

Mistakes are part of the dues that one pays for a full life. -Sophia Loren, actress (b. 1934) 

Pat, tried to call but you were chatting... Better not wait around for me to ride. Cell block G is on the move and the job jar is full. The morning will involve recycling TVs. Dont know where but they are in the car... Have you ever had to do this? Enjoy, G

Did dodge most of the rain, almost! Didn't encounter any hail. Was there some? By the time an armistice had been called in the furniture trench Wars it was close to high noon by the time I had suited up and left The Heartache Hutch. While it was cloudy and overcast, it was terrific riding weather. I had decided that I'd head out to Iona as I just couldn't face the Arrogant Dog Walkers of Ambleside, although I did long for some powdered bay-leaf, mixed with horsehair filler! Burns well in the "toilette bowl" available from better Noggin shops everywhere!

Once along Spanish Banks I started to think about a few variations in approach to Spit of Brown Gold and as I was rolling past campus I came up with a devilish plan of attack. Started off by dipsy-doodling through Musqueam, route regulare, (an extra km or two never hurts), to put me back on track, heading east on Marine. Pleased that heavy truck traffic was in little evidence, although a fair number of autos. Ducked under Arthur Laing to make for Cambie SkyTrain Bridge and actually had to take a necessary dipsy-doodle to wait for a CP diesel shunting what looked like tanker cars, of some sort, just past Heidelberg Cement. First time that I've actually seen a working train along here, if memory serves me well.  

Reasonably steady head wind but I was able to maintain the 22+/- km/hr AVG I'd attained along Marine as I rode along Kent and dedicated bike path towards Boundary Rd. Complete circuit, more or less, of industrial park/Burnaby Fraser Foreshore Park where I encountered a bit of light rain. At this point, I toyed with the idea of going over the Queensborough Bridge but decided I liked my original plan so headed back to Boundary and thence to CSTB. Wind was more of a crosswind now but I was still able to whistle along. When I alighted in Richmond I had about 65 km on the clock. Originally I had intended to ride to the end of the River Road where it intersects with Westminster Hwy ut realized that I didn't need the distance to achieve the 100 km mark. Instead, I followed River Road, last part atop the dike, as far as the Knight Street Bridge.

Turning around I knew I'd have wind behind me so planned to enjoy it all the way to Iona as I the going was going to be tough on return leg. In fact, it wasn't nearly as bad as I had anticipated. Although I had to work pretty hard I was able to maintain the 22+ km AVG, more or less, all the way back to CSTB. Knew I would drop that speed, even on my favourite uphill climb on Cambie, thank-you very much!!! By the time I was close to 41st I was down to somewhere around low 21's, I think, but felt I'd make it back once I started down Cambie. Since I didn't want to touch the Burning Ground waiting for the lights to change at Cambie/41st, I took a left on 40th and then followed Alberta to cross 41st, luckily enough, as there was a break in the traffic, both sides, when I reached 41st. From there I followed Kersland Drive to 37th and then returned to Cambie. At 33rd I didn't catch the light so I thought I'd make for Ontario and that's when the heavens literally opened! Was cursing my bad luck as I thought I'd evaded Rain Gods. More of a heavy downpour, however, and once I was past VRC and heading north, just a very light drizzle. Even that soon dissipated and my jacket was dry by the time I crossed Broadway.

From there, a few casual dipsy doodles to catch light at Manitoba and W 2nd and then it was smooth sailing all the way back to Heartbreak Harbour. Really quite pleased with ride itself but perhaps, even more so with stitching together the various component parts, on the fly, so to speak. Having ridden the route in varying ways I have a pretty good idea of distances between A and B, etc., and, more importantly, of course, Dear Reader, know how to circumvent any potential, catastrophic Burning Ground Zones! Stats for ride:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/468242298#.UzNyvugPs-I.email

Plenty of time to shower and change and then set up The House of Cards. Rosie-the-Riveter and Coat Hanger came over just before 7:00 pm and then Elaine and Theodorakis arrived. Picasso took them next door for a tour of his gallery and Mick and Pollyanna appeared shortly thereafter. Once all were assembled, Sarge came up and we took to our appointed tables with designated partners. 

I'd printed up tallies for two tables and we played Chicago, changing partners after four hands, in spite of Nicotine's bellowings from across the Wide Sargasso/Salish Sea! Mme Coriandre came home about 8:30 pm, bearing a lovely potted orchid, a present form VPL Board for her service as President of Friends for past three years. [Her term is up at the end of April so she will be looking for other volunteer activities to keep her busy while not chastising me on my lack of fashion sense and unwavering insistence upon common sense as far as finances are concerned!] Some great hands at both tables. I made an unbid grand slam with Sarge adn he and Dusty did the same. Not sure if we/they could have bid either, given hands. Fit was magical as things turned out.

Rosita had made two different dessert squares, brownies and an apple tart, then smothered in Chapman's No Sugar Added Lactose Free Vanilla Ice-Cream , hang-the-Expense Cora Lee picked up on her way home so everyone, winners and losers, was happy. I managed to de-clutter as well, giving out fabulous Champagne Charlie cruise trinkets of one sort of another. Finished off with a few glugs of Glen Scotia, Campbelttown, 46%, I'd picked up this past Tuesday on a quick errand run to the Cambie/41st Signature Store. [Wanted to pick up a bottle of something for Jugos Dom Pedrito and plan to give him a card: "Thought you might need this high test Bourbon, Booker's, 65.2%, now that you will be sleeping with a 70 yr old!] Seemed to go down quite nicely, if refills are any indication! If you ever get out of Solitary, we can toast your return to General Population with a large swig or two!