Red Gap/Fairwinds/Craig Bay Blues: Friday, January 10th

And the fox said to the little prince: men have forgotten this truth, but you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. -Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author and aviator (1900-1944) 

Stats for today's ride:

 http://connect.garmin.com/activity/427731509#.UtBww1u6dVk.email

Hi Patrick and Corrine

What a lovely surprise to receive your email and attached photos, brings back much laughter and fun. It does seem many moons ago though and now we are into 2014 plans are afoot to set dates to return to Neffies in April. We have not sold our house, but we did not give the agents much time as we withdrew the property after a week, we realised it would be a difficult property to show when we were not present as it is locked and bolted and the bridge to the rear garden removed. However we will give more thought to the future now Christmas is over.
 

Hopefully you and Corrine enjoyed the literary festival you spoke about when we met and all went to plan. You both appear to live such hectic lives. I expect it is cold now in Vancouver, in England we are being rocked by storms and heavy rain, although here in little old Suffolk we have nothing to complain about.

May we send our very best wishes to you both for a happy and healthy 2014, do keep in touch. Kindest regards. Lovely Linda and Sir Terence ! (Jenny and Derick send their best wishes also)

My total is includes all food for Christmas, presents for Ayn and the boys and Maggies charges etc. Are you off riding today. I will get the 10:30 ferry so should see you around 1:30. If you are going riding please leave key under mat or door open. Love, Corinne

Hi Duhlink!

How are you feeling? I'm sorry I didn't ask earlier. Trust you are starting to feel better.

Had a great sleep last night. What with the cold weather cycling and then the more than copious amounts of very tasty grog which Grogg opened and poured, we did quite well, as I'm sure you can imagine. Lurch's lasagna was more than delicious as was her Ceasare! Plenty of garlic in both so I told her I wouldn't need any chain cleaner for my bike, just have to breathe on gears and they'd be shiny as new if they didn't dissolve first!

I went to bed around 9:30 pm and then woke up around 3:00 am to reach for the drink bottle I had left on the bedside table but couldn't find it. Then I looked over to your side of the bed and you were not there either. Thought you must not have been able to sleep and had gone into living room. Next thing I saw were windows beyond the end of the bed and I was really confused as to where I was! Finally dawned on me that I was downstairs at Madroña Manor! Didn't get up until just befoer 9:00 am so I slept for almost half a day! 

Up to look at forecast on  AccuWeather.com to find I had a window, between 9:00 am-11:00 am, for riding so I had a small yogurt, a banana and a piece of bread slathered with peanut butter. Was suited up and ready to go just as Lutrch and Grogg were off for their morning walk. I headed to Red Gap as I wanted to do the Fairwinds Loop. Day was quite cloudy and overcast but dry, with little, if any, wind, so it felt so much better than yesterday. Not too, too much traffic so ride was very pleasant.

Felt great to be going over a route that I've come to know fairly well and I was quite pleased with hill climbs. Think my Cornwall/Languedoc days have held me in good stead, along with regular Prospect Hill Loops, so climbs I wasn't really looking forward to here turned out to be quite manageable, overall. I wen to the Petro Can station on the Island Highway first and then did the Fairwinds Loop counter clockwise, returning to the gas station after that and then the FL clockwise. Back to the Petro station one last time and then made for Claudet Road as I wanted to cycle around part of the small finger peninsula it leads to. Didn't realize it was so close to the top of the last hill coming up NW Bay Road and before I knew it I had sailed right by the turnoff. Guess I didn't remember route as well as I thought I had so needed to turn around about a km down road, realizing by then my mistake.
 

Once I was back on Claudet Road everything fell back into place and I really enjoyed seeing the houses there as well as some great snatches of view out over the water. Even encountered my first deer near the corner of Marina Way and Pilot Way, placidly munching grass on someone's front lawn. Animal kept a careful eye on me but didn't bold. Suspect the deer here are quite used to such non-threatening encounters. Anyway, after a quick loop around Reef Road I was ready to head for home. Had wanted to log 70+ km so knew I'd need to spend a fair bit of time dipsy-doodling around Madroña Manor or else head past Beaver Creek Wharf Road towards Craig Bay. So opted for latter and just past the Visitor Centre on Island Hwy E there is a dead end turnaround which I used to turn myself around and make for home.

Sun had actually started to shine around 11:00 am and even saw patches of blue sky. One of the main reasons I decided to extend my ride. Thought I'd better take advantage of dry conditions while they lasted. At any rate I made for Wall Beach Road which eventually connects with Madroña Drive and I pulled into the driveway around 1:00 pm. Pleased as punch with outing:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/427731509#.UtBww1u6dVk.email

Lurch and Grogg were home and Franny had just taken a pizza out of the oven as I walked in the door. She offered me a slice but I wanted to have a shower first. Grabbed a cup of java and went downstairs to clean up and change. Back upstairs to have a bite to eat and then Grogg and Lurch went for another walk. I had anothe cup of java and then started to send messages. When they returned Grogg went to the gym for an hour. Once he was back he wanted to take a hot tub so he showed me a few thinks about jets, chlorine tablets, etc., and by then the weather had taken quite a change for the worse. Wind was whipping whitecaps across the water of the bay, rain was driving down and it was very, very chilly, icily so. Quite a change from the wonderful morning/early afternoon.
 

 After Grogg had showered we took a quick trip to Springford Farm, just a few minutes away, for a dozen eggs. I picked up an order form in case we might want to select some of the items available over the course of our stay. Back home to say hello to The Range Rider when Grogg gave her a call. SHe sounded just ike her former self so it was lovely to have a brief chat with her. Told her we'd give her a shout when you are here. She sends her best wishes to you.

Lurch is busy in the kitchen preparing dinner. She bought a lovely roast of beef from Thrifty's today and is doing Yorkshire pudding as well so looking forward to another feast! Must away as Grogg needs help selecting wine for dinner!!! Much Love, Patrizzio!

PS: Weather looks like I'll be able to go riding tomorrow, probably close to 1:00 pm so if you have not arrived by then I'll leave key under mat at front door. If I'm back from airport in time to take advantage of clear skies, I might go for a jaunt earlier, again depending on changing weather forecast. Anyway, key will be under mat if I'm out.

Pics: Lurch's wonderful appetizer last night: apple slices covered with melted Camembert and roasted garlic, delicioso! Bit of after dinner concert with Lurch doing back-up vocals. Her voice really sounded lovely with some of new songs in Grogg's repertoire.

Hi Big Al!

Just passed your greetings and best wishes along to Lurch and Grog and they say hello and hope to see you at some point in the not too, too distant future. Not precisely sure which saying you are referring to when you mention "coin" but I assume it may well be this one:

Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you. -Carl Sandburg, poet (1878-1967) Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hello to our Favourite Cape Coral Floridians!

Enjoyed hearing about your visit to the Dali Museum and winter residences of Edison and Ford. Glad to see that you are keeping up with similar cultural outings as one to plantations out of New Orleans. The Audubon reserve sounded magical indeed. 

Not sure if your reference to "excessive drinkers" is a veiled hint about hootch consumption at Islay Inn and its proprietors or not but you should visit Madroña Manor if you want to see professional tipplers!  [Grogg just brought me a glass of 2007 Domaine de Gabelas, St Chinian, 14.5%, a phenomenal blend of Syrah, 59%, Grenache, 40%, Carignan, 1%, with a velvet viscosity and a gang-buster pepper finish! I told him I expected a linen cloth over his arm with next glass. Service here leaves much to be desired! We drove south of Cruzy/ Saint Chinian a number of times, en route to Carcassone. This region certainly bears further investigation!] Fondestos and Cheers to you both, Patrizzio!
 

PS: In case The Sisterhood is barking our orders:

Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you. -Carl Sandburg, poet (1878-1967)

Hi Locomotive Breath! [Not that far from the mark, I suspect, Nicotine Fiend!]

Sorry to hear that your avarice prevents you from wearing your literary heart on your sleeve but I'm still curiouser and curiouser to read your Magnum Opus. I doubt very much that silence could kill you. You are focusing on the wrong agent. Nicotine you incredible Dope! Am to take The Millionaires to the airport in Nanaimo tomorrow morning so I was thinking I might pop by your place on way home to say hello if you will be receiving visitors. Let me know and I'll plan accordingly. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!
 

PS: You need to worry about how your coffin nails habit is hemorrhaging your currency.

happy new year and welcome back .are you ever in vancouver.perhaps a 'virtual' dram would work best.off to hawaii on the 17th ;off to the himalayas onapril 3.take care matt 

Hi Glasgow!

Thanks for the virtual dram suggestion! Wonderful solution!!! As John Anderson said when we talked on New Year's Eve: "Do you actually have a permanent residence?" In spite of camping out in other people's houses, I believe I still have a post office box number! From the sound of it we might be able to squeeze in a non-virtual dram after we return to mainland and before you head to Base Camp, Everest! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Pat/George, You two will need a good book until the monsoon season passes. I recommend 'An Officer and a Spy' by Robert Harris. It takes place in Paris in the 1890's and is well worth the effort. Ray
  
Hi Raymond and Giorgio! 
Thanks for the monsoon suggestion, Ray. I had read a number of reviews about this work so pleased to learn you enjoyed it. Not much time to read at the moment. As I write, the rain is beating down, exceptionally forcefully on the roof and the windows so it is almost like being in a building with a corrugated iron roof! After today's ride, I won't mind at all if I have to stay inside and read. I have done so, on numerous occasions, in the past, in Grogg's massage chair and it is quite a treat, let me say.
 

Lurch bought a lovely roast of beef from Thrifty's today and is doing Yorkshire pudding as well so was looking forward to another feast! Not disappointed in the least but I'm now afraid of the scales in the bathroom! Am to take The Millionaires to the airport in Nanaimo tomorrow morning so I was think I might pop by Kurt's place on way home to say hello. [One of the NRBC members, Ray.] Cheers, Patrizzio