May 2-4 Weekend

Well the first long weekend of the summer has arrived...for us, Canadians, that is. It's the weekend that everyone is outdoors getting gardens ready, camping, going to the cottage, etc. etc. It's the weekend that everyone hopes the weather is great but this weekend it doesn't look like it will be unless the weather man is wrong. Tomorrow and Sunday we will see lots of rain and high winds where we live. I had hoped to go out on Saturday with a fellow seatosea cyclist but it doesn't look like it will happen. I will have to go to a Spin Class at the Y first thing in the morning. Rita came again this week and we did cycle on Wednesday and Thursday and did some challenging hills in the Waterdown area. The hills are getting easier but I haven't mastered them all yet....it's coming though. Soaking in the hot tub afterwards was our just reward for all the hard work we did. I did get 150 km on my bike this week...also did a spin class earlier in the week - would like to know how many kms you ride in one of those classes - the legs never stop pedaling and you put as much tension on the wheel as you can so it is still an excellent workout.

My husband, Joe, is out with 6 other men cycling in the Finger Lakes area for 5 days. He called me last evening and said how tough it was there - they did 80 km after driving there first from the Hamilton area. There was one hill there that only 2 of the cyclists mastered. He wasn't one of them.....it's good training for 2 of the seatosea cyclists who are there with him. I missed his call tonight - he left a message saying they had a miserable, cold, rainy day today and cycled 110 km. They are staying in B&B's/motels but are carrying all their other stuff with them for the 5 days - they are doing a loop with their vehicles parked in Canandaigua.

Keep up the training, stay well, get lots of rest, stay safe, but most of all thank God that He gives us the strength to be able to do this...and He also gives us the beautiful creation that we can enjoy at this time of the year - the smells of the flowers and cut grass lets you know that spring is here and summer is coming real soon. Rita and I did complain a bit about all the black flies and mosquitos that found us as soon as we got off our bikes at the stop signs. As long as we kept going they didn't bother us..we had to keep our mouths shut or we would swallow them, which can be hard for us....

For those starting in Seattle, it's only 6 more weeks!!

Here's wishing this is what après cycling will be like. . .

It was planned, I would cycle to our son's house in Cambridge one day, sleep overnight and cycle back with my daughter-in-law the next day. Clean clothes, etc. were there already. Tuesday was the day - right after lunch I set off, thought I was dressed for the weather but was only a km from home when I decided to go back and get some warmer clothes. I set off again and headed out into only a slight wind . The weather forecast had said that the winds would be getting stronger in the late afternoon. The country roads I cycled were reasonably flat but the winds did pick up so it was hard going especially towards the end. My daughter-in-law passed me at one point and offered to give me a ride but I was determined to make it on my own - she went to pick the kids up from school and came back again just yards from their home. I managed to do the whole distance and pulled into their yard with 37.63 km on the odometre - more tired from cycling into the wind than from the distance. This trip had taken me more than 2 hours - I was chilled right through.

Before I knew it, my daughter-in-law had filled their jacuzzi tub with warm water, added bubble bath, lit some candles, poured a glass of white wine and ordered me to get into the tub. Wow, this was just what I needed - it felt so good I could have stayed there for hours but my stomach was telling me it was time for supper.

I was in bed just after the grandkids went so had a great sleep. Woke up early to a sunny but chilly day on Wednesday....we left right after the kids went off to school and Geri and I headed back to Waterdown, taking the same route from the day before. This time the wind was on our backs. We still had to dress warmly - winter gloves, headband and a few layers of clothes. We were making very good time.... but had stopped because Geri's cell phone was ringing and while I was waiting for her, my cell phone also rang. It was my daughter asking where we were and I told her we were just 10 kms from home and we would be there within half an hour. Since she lives just down the street from us she told me that coffee would be ready and she would put soup on and we could eat lunch as soon as we arrived.

Talk about being spoiled by your kids! I am very blessed. If only this could/would happen on our actual tour this summer - this would be the ultimate!

On Thursday evening I rode off into the sunset on the "Evening Bliss" trail on the ExpressoFitness Bike at the local Y. A mere 7 1/2 km ride followed by weights. It was a day of social committments and when they were over, it was drizzling outside, it was cold and it was easier to go to the Y.