The Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. -John Gilmore, software engineer and activist (b. 1957)
 |
| The Clancy Brothers - The Easter Rising 1916 |
Jennifer Gold to Patrick James Dunn The sun is streaming in through the window, Van Morrison is playing and it made me think of you and Chloe Alexis Dunn. Indie just said "I quite like Van Morrison"
Patrick James Dunn Hi
Jennifer Juniper! Which Van? Sun is beaming down on us here in
Penticton. Lady Dar is soon off to Summerland to collect the latest
release from 8th Generation, then back with friends, Clan Sutherland, to
have brunch here, frittata, with sausages, sliced avocado and cheese buns, before they
drive to Osoyoos, where Flamin' and Sarge have a condo at Spirit Ridge.
I'll ride there, along Black Sage Road, out of Oliver. Chloë Alexis is living it up in Tinsel Town this weekend, as you
might know. We'll drive into Vancouver this coming Tuesday to attend
Sarge's retirement party. Will stay as "unwanted" guests with Chloë
for two nights, suffering her obsessive compulsive beahviour! Fondestos
to you and family. Cheers, Patrizzio, listening to Astral Weeks as I
scribe! Pic shows view from KVR, near the so-called "Little Tunnel",
looking back towards Penticton. Rode there last week with friends,
Calamity Jane and Whirlygig, up for four nights.
Up at 7:30 am next to start assembling all my gear for the coming weekend in Osoyoos. Intended to ride down this afternoon. Lady Dar busied herself preparing brunch for Clan Sutherland. Flamin' and Sarge were driving up from Osoyoos, about an hour southeast of us, to collect her, beforehand, to then drive to Summerland, about 15 minutes north, to pick up latest release from 8th Generation. I continued to do chores and pack my bag after they left. The gang, (Now consisting of Nicole, Marvinator and Jaxon who had driven up that morning.), returned around 12:30 am and after a more than delicous brunch, (frittata, with sausages, sliced avocado and cheese buns), said goodbye to Clan Sutherland. Before heading to Naramata to collect a number of additional releases, (Township 7 and Black Widow), F/S dropped me off at Freedom to collect my Trek. Rode it back home on my spiffy new wheels and then finished packing my bag before kissing Lady Dar goodbye.
It was 2:15 pm when I headed up Government and I knew I had my work cut out for me as the wind was screaming out of the SW from the get-go. Really had to begin fighting it along Skaha as it is so exposed along the lake. Was reduced to riding in a very low gar just to make any headway at all. For much of the time, until I dropped into OK Falls I was hard pushed to sustain an AVG of 10 kph. Only mixed blessing of low gear was that I didn't need to shift down to climb any intervening hills or rises. Ascents were actually something I looked forward to as, to a certain extent, for the length of the climb I was somewhat shielded from the unrelenting gusts and blasts. Looking up the wind velocity, later, it was registered as about 28.8 kph all the way to OK Falls and beyond!
Just out of OK Falls, F/S pulled alongside and asked if I needed a tow! I certainly did but knew I had to soldier on. Before they sped off, Flamin' said dinner was going to be served at 7:00 pm but I thought, foolishly as events unfolded, that I 'd be there by 5:30 pm, at the latest! Must admit that I have never ridden, for so long, into such a fierce headwind. I was immediately reminded of cycling out to Iona with Robo Man and Whirlygig, where we've often met with such hurricanes but then we had the chance to draft over the four or five kilometres to the point. In this instance, all by my lonesome, I had already logged 20 km and was looking at at least 20 km more, before I struggled to Tuc-el-nuit Drive, where I had high hopes of having the wind at my back, similar, I prayed to yesterday's outing when this was the case when I hit Upper Bench, heading east, out of Keremeos.
I simply couldn't believe it, after I battled, for all I was worth, tooth and nail, lungs and legs, all the way along Vaseux and then Gallagher Lake, to make the turn onto Tuc-el-Nuit, when I discovered, to my absolute horror, that I was now riding directly, smack dab, into the wind, singing right out of the SE, the tall grass by the side of the rode, bent right over! The hill leading up to Quinta Ferreria was almost agony, even in the lowest gear available as the force of the wind was such I could not keep from uttering unprintable expletive after unprintable expletive. Even the downhill grades on Black Sage offered little, temporary relief, so strong was the unrelenting wind. I really couldn't believe what was happening as knew I had another 20 km of hell to propel my way through.
Nothing for it so I put my head down and kept going, far more slowly and maddeningly than I could ever have imagined. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I reached Road 22 and the drop down to the valley floor was delicious. I stood up in the saddle and screamed more vile imprecations at the wind gods! No traffic on 97 so I was soon pedaling along the wide shoulder, towards Osoyoos, the town finally in sight. Must admit that the wind had dropped, if only slightly, I assumed due to the coming evening when velocity's are often reduced. It was now just after 6:00 pm and I knew I wouldn't be at Spirit Ridge much before 6:30 pm, if that.
Made my way into town, enjoying the slight downhill run of Main, to continue through downtown towards the bridge which divides the lake, and then up the slight slope of the Crowsnest which is the very beginning of the punishing climb up Anarchist. In my stupor I took a wrong left, one street too soon, on to Tamarack Drive, to necessitate turning around once I'd reached the end of the cul de sac. Back to the highway and then, this time, making the right left to hit
45th Street. For really the first time, I finally had the wind at my back and I quite enjoyed the last bit of the ride up to Spirit Ridge. Once onto the resort complex I rode towards Lavender, the building where F/S have their fractional condo, and could see the assembled company, on the patio of suite 331. Much to my delight they all stood up and cheered as I rode past. Felt like I had just won the Tour de France! Made my victory circle, heading for the roundabout near the entrance to Nk'Mip Cellars, and then back to the entrance to bring my Trek and my very, very weary body upstairs, in the elevator, to the 3rd floor where Lady Dar and I would be staying with Sandee and Arv, immediately next door to the Sutherlands, for the next two nights! Stats for ride:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1101219034#.VvgtnaeJk6c.email
Said hello to everyone before showering and changing in our luxury suite then back to 331 to enjoy a few glasses of wine before Flamin's scrumptious dinner of rosotto and a magnificent strawberry topped mixed green salad. Sarge bbq'd Lady Dar's poifectly marinated, boneless, skinless, chicken thighs so we well extremely well served. Sandee's Grandma Jenny's Baked Apple Pudding for dessert! Wow! A few hands of bridge, Sandee and I taking on Cora Lee and Sarge, to our quite significant advantage. Busy, busy day for everyone so we said goodnight to one another by 9:30 pm and then back to our place to brush and floss. Managed just one chapter of Ian Brown's 60, a gift from Whirlygig, which I'm enjoying immensely, before my eyelids were too, too heavy, without toothpicks, to continue.
Hi Pat, what type of wine does chloe and corinne like to drink out of curiosity? (you can drink water mixed with johnny red and call it scotland's finest) Hope you're having a good Easter : ) VL
No comments:
Post a Comment