Aug 6 - a very different day

I had a meeting with Susan Allan and Pat Martin at Lost Channel Inn to firm up the agenda and handouts for the upcoming Roads Board meeting, to be held on Friday.  That took a little over an hour, much of the discussion being off-topic, but that's ok because we don't get together very often.  Susan and Pat do the lion's share of the roads work; I'm a figurehead, running numbers and the stand-up guy at the meeting.  Well, that's not completely true as I do get involved to the extent that I can when I'm around.

Back home, I had my usual pre-ride early lunch and then set out, deciding to take the rando bike rather than the yellow bike, mostly  because I left the car here.  I didn't want to leave Sandy without a car, since there's no one home at this end of the road.  Part of that is self-preservation -- if the car was parked at the ESS Narrows, who would I call if I had a problem ? 

Riding Osprey wasn't too bad; the gravel has settled down somewhat after the grading.  It was messier coming back as it had rained on the road.  It also rained on me, earlier on 522.  For perhaps 15 minutes I was in heavy rain. Distant lightening produced thunder, but nothing came close.

For a change the wind was from the north so I got to see the status of the 4-lane work.  They've now paved most of the new section but I'm betting that it needs a second coat and since guardrails etc. need completion, it will be a while before we are driving on that section.  I expect that they'll move north and southbound traffic to that side and they'll re-do the existing roadway.  Another year perhaps ... ??? ... before we have 4-lane through ?  Perhaps longer ?  Glacial speed ...

Back home, showered, I was entertaining the girls again.  Sandy then gave Zoe a bath and we called Sara on Facetime to wish her happy birthday.  I was worried that Zoe might all of a sudden get homesick but she took it in stride.  Emma spent a lot of time, switching to the telephone after a while, talking to her Mom and Dad. 

We had perch for dinner; better than last time, according to Sandy.  Yes, I admit, I used more butter than last time :).

My day wasn't over.  It was Board Day or is that Bored Day ?  At 8:15 I had the Randonneurs Ontario Board meeting which went for two hours.  We had a lot to cover and we did. 

I'd originally planned on handling that call via VOIP but we lost internet just before the call and while it did come back, it sounded choppy so I used the "land line".  I guess that I cannot drop the land line anytime soon.

Today ... Lauren and Megan are coming up via Aaron, who has business in Sudbury today.  I'll meet them at the junction of 522 and 69 to save Aaron driving in here.  Stef and Aaron are talking about coming up on Saturday to pick them up.

The volume is about to increase ...

Onward !