First Riding Day

It rained a little bit last night but it was a beautiful morning just the same. So Diane and Gypsy, (in the picture below), and Wayne and I went for a morning walk along the lake just across the road from where they live. They showed me where last year's arsonist started a fire that ran up the mountain side and burned down six of their neighbors home and also came within 50 yards of their own. Such stupidity and insane behavior. I just can't wrap my head around people deliberately setting fires.

I came upon this creature on our walk and thought he made kind of a pretty picture sitting on that 

piece of drift wood. Although I suppose some would beg to differ when they see a slug of this size.

Right after our walk Diane and I loaded up our bikes and headed out to the trail head where we met up with two other riders that decided to join us on this beautiful morning. The 18 km trail around Woods Lake, I am told came in at a cost of 28 million dollars. The first 20 million was to buy the property from CN and the other 8 million, which was funds that were raised, went for the development of the trail. 

Half of it is paved and the other half is hard packed gravel base. An awesome, scenic and easy ride which was perfect to start things off for someone like me who hasn't had much of a chance to ride this year. But, oh, what I would give to have a such a lovely trail closer to home. Below are two of Diane's friends, Betty and Kathy who joined us for this first day and yours truly on the far left. Another lady, by the name of Merk, who's a high energy ball of fire, joined us for half the ride then went ahead of us on her merry way. 

This is Woods Lake. It would be cool to have a video camera mounted on my bike to give you a really good view of what it's like to be on such a ride down the trail that offers many different aspects of nature along the way.

By late afternoon I was relaxing on the rocky beach in front of Diane's house with my book and journal in 22 degree weather while Andree was telling me it was 8 degrees and raining at home. Part of my journal writing was about how my heart is overflowing with appreciation and gratitude because I am fortunate enough to be able to do be here and do this. The only thing that could make it better would be to be able to share this with Andree but this isn't her world and that's okay. Her and I had a great two weeks together touring Northern BC. at the beginning of August.
  

Diane talked to me today about her fear of water since her best friend drowned just a little ways down from her place last year. She was there the next day when divers located her friend's body in 45 feet of water and brought her to shore in a body bag. She spoke about how difficult it was to be there for her friend's husband when she was in such deep pain herself.

When she spoke about how she became fearful of entering the lake it made me think about how I had to work through a fear after Kevin's death; the fear of leaving my children in someone else's care. Diane also had to conquer a fear; that of of getting back into the lake where her friend had drowned, and she managed to do it with the aid of pool noodles and other floating devices.

That's the thing with fear. A person has to nip it in the butt before it takes over and grows into something unmanageable that controls our life. Like the book that Susan Jeffers wrote; sometimes you have to push through the fear. You have to, "Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway," in order to embrace life and live it fully.   

I'm going on and on here. That's what happens when I have time to sit back and process and write. Geesh! I better get off this computer and go read for a while.

Looking forward to day 2 of riding. Tomorrow it's the KVR Myra Canyon Trestles.

Safe Arrival

Yesterday, after a 12.5 hour drive, I arrived at Armstrong, my most favorite place I've lived so far. I wonder where my life would have gone had I been able to continue to live there. 

I had forgotten all about what happens every year in Armstrong on the Sept. long weekend. It's the Interior Provincial Exhibition, better know as the IPE, which creates a massive population and car explosion with commotion going on from one end of the town to the other. This year was the 119th IPE, which is the largest fair across the province and over the course of the 5 day event it brought 150,000 attendees into town. I came in the back way on Salmon River Road, which leads right into the midst of the action and as soon as I saw all the busyness it didn't take me long to realize what was happening. It was neat to get a glimpse of it all again.

The reason I drove into Armstrong in the first place was to go visit my friend Nola. She was surprised but pleased to see me arrive on her doorstep. We had a really good visit. It was fun catching up on what has been going on in our lives but i wasn't about to sit down right away after that many hours on the road so we decided to walk down town to have dinner at the Chinese Restaurant. We got there and discovered it was closed, so we decided to walk to the golf course to have dinner there. Then we walked back to her house. This morning we walked to the Village Cheese so I could get a bag of fresh cheese curds. Oh, those are so yummy! There's nothing like it when they're freshly made. So all in all, we did quite a bit of walking which was good for my sore butt after that many hours on the road.

This afternoon, I made my way to my sister Diane's place at Okanagan Lake Center. We spent some time planning our rides for the week and putting together an email to send to 4 or 5 other ladies who often join us on these cycling trips. Once we had that done, Diane and I headed to Kelowna to my sister Lorraine's place, where she was serving a bunch of appetizers and cake for her family and grand children. It was a good way to meet and visit everybody all at once. Lorraine is now a great-grandmother and I had the opportunity to hold the newest addition to her family, a beautiful little girl named Cali who is 2 months old.

Now, back at Diane's house, Diane and Wayne have gone to bed and I am sitting in the upstairs guest room, on the bench seat by the window that faces the Okanagan Lake. I have the windows open and I am listening to the water splashing up on the beach as I write on this blog. Rough life.

Tomorrow morning we start riding. It will be an easy morning ride around the perimeter of Woods Lake. We have a different ride planned for everyday this week. I am looking forward to all of it. Hopefully the smoke will stay away although that's not what the weather man is predicting tonight.

Well, I think I best get off the computer and get myself some shut eye so I can enjoy tomorrow and all it has to offer.

And I'm Off

An early start on my road trip to Kelowna and my much anticipated bike tours around the area. A very scenic cycling trip to feast my eyes on again but an easier one than last year. At least I think it will be easier, but who knows. My legs and my butt haven't had the opportunity to toughen up, so that might be the real challenge this time. Too bad sis no longer has a hot tub to soak in at the end of the day's ride.

I plan to be on the road early. It's always so peaceful in the early morning hours and so much less traffic on the road. I packed myself a lunch so I won't be stopping much except to fill the gas tank on the SUV and to empty mine. I'll be listening to the tunes and munching on a peanut butter sandwich, garden fresh carrots, hard boiled egg, snap peas, celery, oranges, and a bar. I'll be good for a while I'm sure.

Stay posted for more later.........