Saltspring Swedish Blues: Friday, March 21st

An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy. -Spanish proverb 

Misha's Spring!

Happy beautiful Spring 2014! Spring came late to Vancouver this year... so my email is a little late too :) Wish You and Yours a happy joyful beginning of the spring! http://misha123.blogspot.ca/2014/03/s-p-r-i-n-g.html best wishes, misha :)

P, thanks for the short ride today. I hope the Trek limped into West Point with a rider still on it. Just to be clear, Ed and I will not be able to play Wednesday next week. We have a squash mission. W

Pat, What time are you intending to ride tomorrow? Not the best weather forecast although it has been a beautiful afternoon. Ray

Due to Giggster's time constraints, he rode to The Heartbreak Terrace at 11:15 am and we did a quick up-and-over of Lions Gate, heading along Spirit Trail as far as Pemberton Ave and Welch Street, before turning back. Once under the Lions Gate bridge, Whirlygig took the path on the west side of the bridge to the sidewalk above while I snap, crackled and popped my way back, the usual way. 

These disconcerting sounds had become more pronounced a few rides before this one and I was concerned enough to have called WestPoint Cycle before I left that morning to see if they could offer any diagnostic advice over the phone. Nothing other than that I should bring bike in to have it looked at. Since I had no real time constraint I wanted to try and log 50+ km before taking Trek to WPC so after I left SP I made for Alma, dipsy-doodling onto GI itself, to circumcvent Burning Ground at main entrance. 

Might as well have saved my energy for the bike path under the Burrard Bridge was closed as work was going on above. Took the heavily, heavily pot-holed, puddle-filled, loose graveled detour, almost being dragged down, a number of times, so pock-marked was the course. Arrived at WPC with 53.09 km on the clock so was pleased about that. Wondered if Whirlissimo had to survive the same buffeting I experienced once I was heading back from Science World. I assumed he had to battle the worst of the westerly once he came off Burrard Bridge. Once again, the thought of cycling towards UBC, along Spanish Banks, was a tad daunting.

Terribly glad that I had an excuse to stop at Highbury and head for WPC. Nevertheless, once I paid the bill I thought I should have kept going! I left my bike to be worked on and rode a demo home. One of the staff members changed pedals so that I could use my shoes to best advantage. Quite a comfy model, I must say, a Trek as well, but a model that is designed for rides around Seawall or to the shoe store. Only 7 gears but I was able to use top one all the way home and didn't even have to downshift on the few slight hills one encounters. First time I tried to stand up I nearly fell backwards as way pedals are inclined you can't really do that. Saddle was very, very comfortable, however, and I felt I was back driving a tractor on my cousin's farm in Manitoba! Contoured just like the John Deere!
 

Back home just as Cora Lee was about to leave for her shift at Aunt Leah's so I dropped her off and returned to WPC. Bike wasn't quite ready so I was going to walk across the street to pick up a shirt at the dry cleaners almost opposite, when I bumped into Herardo, a friend I'd met through Grogg. He was in Coast Guard and was stationed at unit by Burrard Bridge. He retired when it closed and managed to get some additional settlement as a result of the timing. Anyway, he is going to try to attend the Twits event, a week today, as he's not seen The Milionaires in some time.
 

He was there to pick up his daughter's bike which was being crated for transport to Brisbane. She is studying medicine there and his ex-wife, (A Tasmanian Devil!), will take it to her shortly. Daughter sounds like quite a cyclist as she rode from Parksville to Campbell River, some time ago, when he last visited Madroña Manor with her. Paid my bill, just a measly $498.67, (big ring, chain, rear derailleur, etc., etc., etc.), and headed for home and the malt cabinet. Stats for initial ride:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/465111843#.UyzHJBklnb0.email

Stats for loaner bike:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/465111836#.UyzHpeaQnow.email

I guess I didn't turn off my Garmin so it recorded ride home, as well as time O spent at WPC and picking up my dry cleaning!  Did a bit of vacuuming and had a quick shower before picking up Imelda.

Once back home I helped her finish off the wonderful meal she had planned and prepared: Japanese style, sliced pork edallions, vegetable tampura, (yam, green beans, red/yellow peppers), rice and a very tasty thin rice noodle/finely sliced cucumber salad with rice wine vinegar. For dessert she had prepared an absolutely divine flourless, orange/cocoa cake, served with whipped cream. It was a wonderful evening as we had Bob Altwein and his girlfriend, Ellie, someone we'd heard about but had never met, along with Jane and Kjell. Although Kjell has been back in Vancouver since the end of February we had not but talked on the phone. Great time getting to know Ellie and catching up with rest of gang.

Hi Giorgio!

Sorry if I made you late! We needn't have gone along Spirit Trail although I did offer a silent prayer to Gitchigoomie to have the best cards dealt to me this coming Wednesday. Sorry you and Fast Eddy won't be able to join us but understand, of course.  Weather looks iffy but we'll see. Will email later this evening after guests have departed and I'm arguing with Cora Lee! I now have to ride, no matter what, to reduce unit costs! Cheers, Il Conduttore Indigente! 

P,  my condolences. I cannot believe you had to pay that - almost 500 beans, really?... I think you need to take it to Giant next time. That seems outrageous -- and more importantly, all that malt that went into the Trek...Enjoy your evening. We will confer later. W

P, Definitely, I'm in if you are doing a bank in the morning. I'll bring Cobby's orange 71 Datsun. Nobody will notice us as you dive in the window. Talk in the morning. Lefty 

K, let me know if I should arrange a bridge match for that afternoon. Pat has volunteered to host. G   Would be great. Thanks... 

P, I can also host bridge here if that is better for Islay Inn harmony. It may be asking a little much for Corinne to put up with us for both afternoon and evening..W       Perhaps a misdirected e-mail?