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| Ayn's Hydrangea |
Sorry I didn't call! I made two efforts to do so but something always came up and before I knew it, it was too late to do so. At any rate, Whirlygig will be here at the Heartbreak Terrace at 10:30am to ride to Marcus Aurelius' place. From there we will accompany the two kayak people around the base of Simon Fraser Mountain to wherever it is that they plan to kayak. About 30 minutes from Mark's residence, I gather. I assume we will see them safely into their craft and then return from whence we came. If this is fine with you, give me a shout in the morning, or an email. Cheers, Patrizzio!
That's fine with me, Pat. See you at 10:30.
Ray
Bree White Reisling Deutscher Qualitatswein 2010
July-09-12 7:31 AM
Mark,
I am going to suggest we start at Pat’s at 11AM. Can we meet you somewhere this side of your place? I recommend we meet at Duthie and Greystone at 11:30 – assuming that is on route to the co-op. Up to you -- you would know better -- both the route and the timing from Pat’s.
I will call you for the details on what I need for kayaking. G
Pat,
Thanks for hosting last night and for the malt tasting. Good night all round.
I cannot get away until after 10:30. See you at the HB Terrace parking garage at 11:00. G
Got it. Ray
Hi Lurch and Grogg!
Just a quick note to thank you both for such a lovely few days. Terrific to see Nancy and John again and, for my part, to meet Sheila and Shannon. Please send greetings to them. Have been pretty busy since returning. Finfd appended the first installment of the Key Fiasco Diaries, for the reading pleasure of the recipients, should any of them care to peruse the saga of woe and sore muscles!
Key Fiasco Diaries. Part I:
Hi Ragin'!
Sorry that it has taken be a bit to return your call but had been a fairly busy weekend. Today, Whirlygig, Robo Ray and I left the Heartbreak Terrace at 11:00am to meet Marcus Aurelius on the Union/Adanac/Frances Bike Route, just the other side of Sperling, shortly before noon. From there we went to Duthie Road, crossing Hastings, and followed it to Barnet Road until it joins with Inlet Drive to become Barnet Road. Thence to Barnet Marine Park where Marcus belongs to a kayak/sailing club. He and Giggster were planning an afternoon on the water so Raymundo and I left them to their aquatic pursuits and headed back to Barnet Road. Bit like being on the Island Highway a few days ago, although shoulder is wider and far cleaner. Went along Hastings for a bit when we reached the top of Inlet Drive. Then a bit of dipsy-doodling across Hastings onto Clare Avenue for less than a block then west onto Frances across Sperling then south on Grove Avenue back to Union St. Union joins Hammarskjold Drive at Kensington Ave., skirting Burnaby North Secondary and Kensington park, to rejoin Frances at Holdom Ave.
Pretty well straight on from there until Boundary when one does a bit of "official" bike route dipsy-doodling to hit Adanac Bikeway. A block or so before Cassiar I asked Robo Man if he wanted to head over the Second Narrows and make our way home via the Lions Gate. He demurred as he had stairs to paint. Consequently, we stayed on the bikeway all the way to Union and Main and then made for Telus World of Science and The Islay Inn. Waved farewell to Robo Ray at shortly before 2:00pm with 40.33K on the clock, needing only a half-hearted dipsy-doodle around Dean's Store to register the magic digits, Dear Reader!
We plan a reasonably early start on Wednesday, 7:30am departure from Heartbreak Terrace, to rendezvous at the Power Sub-Station on 25th and Maple Crescent, at 8:00am. Thence to Iona and back, stopping, on return leg, for a latte at Caffe Artigiano, 2154 West 41st Avenue, and then round the corner to Westpoint Cycles, 6069 West Boulevard, to talk carbon fibre with Sara!
Hey – Firstly, thank you for coming to help celebrate Julia’s milestone! I am so happy you were able to make it and that you have recovered from not feeling well. Julia just received an email over the weekend that she received 1st year university credit in her Art History and Photography classes. This is wonderful news and we are now looking into her going into Emily Carr. It would be so cool if she could get in to a program there – I think she would just love it.
Secondly, this is going to sound weird – I want to find a man for my aunt Marian! You know so many people (and good ones at that!) and I’m wondering if there’s an opportunity to find her a friend. Retired teacher, well educated, loves travel, wine, good conversations, dancing and living life. Know anyone worthy and available??? :)
I’ll love you later,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Elinor
Elinor
Hi Aquitaine!
Great to hear from you! Have been wondering about your ride. How did it go and how can we contribute? Great news about Julia. We'll kick Chloë out and she can live with us while she's going to Emily Carr!!! With respect to Marian, we'll put out feelers. Until then, tell her I'll run away to Italy with her any time!!!
Have done some great rides over last four days or so. Have included some of them to show you that I may well join you on the tour next year. Am actually in the process of looking for a carbon fibre bike. Visited five stores last week and will go to Westpoint Cycles on Wednesday. Bought new pedals to accept cleats on the shoes I bought at MEC a few Saturdays ago. Haven't tried them yet but watch out Seattle, here we come!
The Albertans are sweltering, I'm grinnin at the pure dry 30C. We've been bedding turkey poults, watering turkey poults, feeding turkey poults, spreading straw from round bales, drivin tractors, moving 1500 toms from the old place to the farm place. Today Garry and I went down to a park in town and ate turkey sandwich from Tim Hortons. Coffee good too, like Dan always testifies.
I finally bought a USB cable for my camera and began to download pictures from three years ago. Y'know Patrick, we do look better with age - least as you do.
Never-seen-befores: red tailed hawk, a weasel, juvenile blue heron - needle-sleek and golden; and a killdeer whose eggs I think we ran over in the house yard near the barn. It's one of those birds that feigns disability as you approach to draw attention to it and away from you, crouches with a wing down like broken. Today it has disappeared so I think the eggs are no more.
Painting the cabin starts in seriousness tomorrow. The lady in the paint shop said "Doon't peent t'deey, s'too hut", so we're at the Red House (Garry and Susan's home - we've been staying at the cabin on Red Deer Lake).
Hope I can get the pics downloaded to Flickr. then I'll do whatever you do to let people see em.
P: Hope Corinne's foot is better. Argentine Malbec is best here too. Love.
Hi Turkey Man!
Hi Turkey Man!
Grand to hear all goes well with the paint brush as well as the extended coffee breaks at Tim Hortons!!! Unfortunately, poor Cora Lee's foot is still sore. She soldiers on, however.
Been a busy last few days for us. Flamin' and I cycled out to Horseshoe Bay on Thursday morning, Cora Lee and Molly Mop drove to ferry. Once at Departure Bay, we cycled to Parksville and the support vehicle went directly to Madroña Manor. On Thursday evening Sarge phoned to say that his meetings on Friday had been cancelled so he was planning to come over to join us. He rode to HB on Friday morning and we arranged to meet at Departure Bay at noon. After a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and toast, I left MM at just before 10:00am. Followed route we had taken the day before, NWBR to the Island Highway to Lantzville. Gorgeous day and I was perspiring quite heavily on the uphill stretches between Nanoose Bay and the Superior Road, the exit into Lantzville. I was locking up my bike at about 11:45am so pleased at the time it took. 32.51K on the odometer, about 5K less that when I led Flamin' a merry chase the day before! I went inside the Waiting Area to use the washroom and when I came back outside Sarge was already on his bike. I had packed a small lunch of overlefts: slices of lamb, pieces of bread and two oranges. We shared these while we chatted about his ride to HB, the ones from yesterday and the journey ahead. Think we left at around 12:30pm. I followed Sarge up the Brechin climb, out of holding area. Had the road almost to ourselves as the ferry traffic had dissipated by time we were heading for Parksville.
Very, very pleasant ride and stretch on IH went by without a hitch. We were back at Madroña Manor by shortly before 2:00pm. Nobody was at home and house was locked but there was a message on Sarge's phone telling him where the key was hidden. Before turning into driveway, I did a quick dipsy-doodle to bring odometer reading up to 66.33K. Once inside, Sarge and I scoped out the wine cellar but Grogg came back form the gym before we could purloin the five cases we had intended to stash in Cora Lee's car trunk! I had a shower and then sat in the wonderful massage chair to work over my calf muscles. Once they'd been kneaded and pummelled, I hied upstairs to work on the Key Fiasco Diaries while the Lads knocked back bottle after bottle of Beckerinis on the deck!
That evening we enjoyed delicious appetizers of huge mushroom caps stuffed with an admixture of fried garlic, red peppers, onions, fresh shrimp and quinoa, topped with Parmesano, concocted by Cora Lee and bbq'd by Grogg. Next door neighbours, Nanacy and John were over for a pre-dinner drink. We'd met them in 2009 when we house sat for Lurch and Grogg, and they were the ones who first put us in mind of a canal barge trip as they had done one in 2001. Sheila and Shannon, friends from further down the street, were over as well and stayed for dinner: a wonderful fresh salmon, again from the French Creek Seafood Market. New potatoes, fresh peas and carrots completed the meal. Flamin's delish pound cake with fresh berries for dessert. More stellare wines from Grogg's cellar. (I only include them to give you some idea of what we had to choose from! I really wanted to try one of his bottles of Grange but he didn't offer!) A magnum of Osoyoos Larose, 2005. Very palatable but give me a cleanskin Warrabilla, mate!
As well, two bottles of Burrowing Owl, (Grogg is simply mad about this winery. To tell the truth, not quite sure why!), 2006 Cabbage and 2006 Syrah.
Finished off with a few snorts of maltage in the living room, looking out over the water at the lights of the passing craft in the distance. All in all, a lovely, lovely evening. Needed you there to play with Grogg on his new guitar, brought back from Peterborough. I'll let him fill you in on the details. Sounded wonderful from the few bits he strummed.
Any idea what your plans are once back in Vancouver? Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hello Famiglia Harkema!
--
So wel will arrive at July 15th at 13.15 h.
Hello Famiglia Harkema!
Well, your trip begins in less than a week! Packed yet?
Here are the directions for meeting at the airport, YVR, July 15th, Air Transat Flight 345, from Schipol, to land at 13:15. I will track your flight, via computer, to time my arrival to coincide with when you should, everything going smoothly, clear Immigration & Customs, collect your bags, etc. It is usually about an hour from time flight lands. This being the case, you should be outside the terminal by 14:15, local time, perhaps earlier. I'll be there ahead of whatever time my "algorithm" suggests, so have no fear of being abandoned!
When you exit International Arrivals, walk across the street, (you'll be at ground level), and turn left as soon as you cross the second driveway, before entering the parking garage ahead of you. You will see a Waiting Area with a partial covering over the sidewalk. Wait somewhere here until I see you. I will be driving a Titanium Green 2007 Ford Escape with a bike rack on the back. I'll keep "circling" as there really is no parking, except for passenger pick-up, until you appear. I'll recognize you even if you, (The Sisterhood, at least), probably won't remember me! Don't worry! Wave a Dutch flag and a frozen pickerel filet!!! (Cora Lee was eating pickerel for dinner when we met at the restaurant in Parry Sound!)
(In case of dire emergency, you can always call: 604-734-9200, our home number. We live at #20-1425 Lamey's Mill Road, near Granville Island. Should things come to this, any taxi driver will be able to find this address. Alternatively, take the Canada Line Sky Train, from YVR, to Olympic Village Station, and a taxi from there. Much closer and far cheaper and train ride, part above ground, gives some idea of Vancouver.)
Above is just a back-up plan. Always a good idea to have options! At any rate, I'm sure all will go well. However, if flight is delayed, for some reason, I'll probably just park and wait for you to exit Restricted Area. Please send me an email if you have any questions about meeting. Until then, all the best to everyone. Cheers, Cora Lee and Patrizzio!
Pics: Cora Lee with friend Gregg last Thursday, on Vancouver Island, at his home near Parksville; I'm chap with red helmet, Shannon drove Flamin' and her bike to terminal, Sarge rode with me. We cycled from Parksville to Nanaimo to catch ferry back to Horseshoe Bay. From there the three of us cycled to Vancouver. Cora Lee drove!
| Vertrek | Amsterdam | Air Transat 345 Economy class | Airbus A330 7.710,4 km | 9u 45min | |
| 12:30 | Amsterdam-Schiphol airport (AMS) | ||
| Aankomst | Vancouver, British Columbia | ||
| 13:15 | Vancouver Intl (YVR) | Terminal M | ||
| Gevraagde stoelen zijn niet beschikbaar. | Maaltijd: Lunch; Snack | |||
So wel will arrive at July 15th at 13.15 h.
Yes, we are with our dauhters, so there wille be 4 of us.
As you mentioned a while ago: can we spent the first nights at your place?
And will you be at the airport when we arrive?
And then discover Vancouver for 2 or more days.
After this we are planning to go to Vancouver island.
And then going back and travelling through the Rockies to Galgary, where we have our next flight to Toronto.
Met vriendelijke groet, Kind regards, Jaap Harkema
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