Sunday, August 24, 2008

From London to Hamilton, almost home....

It's been a few days since I last wrote - probably due to the fact that so many familiar faces pop up along the side of the road and I have to stop and talk - it's so great to be in this part of the tour.....it's home!

We left London high school on Friday morning and made our way back to Dorchester where Rita had to stop for a photo shoot with fellow people from Dorchester at 8:00 a.m. Clara, we did not see you outside so we did not stop - did see your sign on the pole in front of your house. My brother, Wally, joined the "Margarita Express" that day and he travelled with us all the way to Ancaster. He claims he wanted a slower ride - he could feel the effects of cycling 5 days in a row. It was good to have him draft us along the way. First stop was for coffee at the Ingersoll CRC and then it was off to the Streutker farm for lunch. This just so happens to be relatives of Joe so met up with some of his cousins there. Woodstock CRC treated us royally among the hay bales - unique setting.... I never realized how rolling the countryside was in that area. It was hill after hill - good way to work off all the calories consumed already. Next stop was Brantford - a little treacherous getting through town with all the road construction but we made it without mishap. Our first stop was hosted by Cambridge CRC where I met up with friends and two of Joe's sisters - cold water was priority here - we had seen a sign telling us it was 36 degrees so it was warming up. A few kilometers away was Brantford CRC with all their goodies on Jerseyville Road.

My daughter and 3 grandkids were waiting just up the road in Alberton and the grandkids rode with me for a 5 km ride along the quiet road till Nicholas got tired and they met up with me again at Redeemer College. Now the final stretch and we were happy to ride into Redeemer's yard with lots of spectators cheering us in - another 124 km day. I should say that most days are longer rides than what is posted in the Shifting Gears booklet - you kind of make a mental note of how many km you still have to go and it has never been exactly what we think it will be.

Lots more familiar faces here - I won't try to mention them all by name for fear of forgetting someone but it was so much appreciated.....a dear friend did give me a wonderful neck, arm, leg, hand, feet massage right after supper - it did feel so good - thank you, Meghan! She could feel the tension and told me just to relax - wonder why. It did help for my left hand which is still numb. Two sisters and a brother-in-law came to meet me after supper for a short visit.

This was the closest stop to our home but we did not go home - our own bed wasn't available so we stayed in our trailer - next best and no problem. Saturday morning another surprise awaited me, our son, sister-in-law and their 3 kids were joining me to ride for the day to St. Catharines.

More later...

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