Mar 18/19 - bookings & riding

Whoops -- I wrote a blog for the 18th and didn't post it; will combine two days !

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I guess that the key activity of the 18th was finally getting our flights booked to Italy.  I leave on the 12th; Sandy leaves on the 19th; we return on the 11th.  Air Transat gets the thrill of taking us to/from Venice from Montreal. 

That will give us 2.5 weeks to tour Southern Italy after my ride finishes.

I saw Jessica again; this time she worked on my hamstrings, mostly.  They still hurt this a.m.  She doesn't seem to work me as hard as John at the time, but it adds up.  I'll see her again on Monday.  I'm riding this morning with Judith; this could be interesting as it will take me some time to stretch out these hamstrings !

Cassie got a walk; Cassie got a trip to the sandbar.  As we approached the sandbar she jumped out of the boat, not realizing that we were still in 3' of water .... she swam to shore, unfazed.  Great !

Three of us got haircuts; nothing for Cassie or Alister.  The ladies were gone for the afternoon; the guys were around most of the time other than the aforementioned walks/boating and Alister taking a long walk.

I worked on the Barrie/Stratford 400k route; it's getting close.  I also reached out to the motels that we will use for the Granite Anvil in 2017, getting the ball rolling.

I had another flat tire when I checked my bike and sure enough, the hole in the tube was in exactly the same place.  It seemed to be on the rim side but I couldn't detect any issues.  I decided to remove the veloplugs and replace with a rim strip.  I also changed the tire ... even though that wasn't the issue, it's getting worn.  That reminds me - I should order a couple more tires and rim strips.

Onward ?

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... and now the 19th ! 

Hamstrings hurting and BIG rain on the way, so was Judith so I was committed to riding.  We set out a little after 9am and got back before 2pm.  As predicted, we go wet but never hit a downpour.  The west wind turned to the east and kept the major clouds at a distance.  Others weren't so lucky, but they were in cars ... mostly.  That big rain mostly hit south of us.

Alister and Carol went south -- to Melbourne, visiting.  They got wet walking back from lunch and hit the heavy rain driving back. 

My hamstrings are still sore this morning ... I'll have to remember to have her NOT do legs work when I've got a big ride in sight -- like the Fleche this coming Friday and the 600k soon after that, date TBD.

Our ride yesterday was at a faster pace than my normal -- we averaged 16.4.  That's about 1mph faster than I'd normally average on a cooperative wind day.   What I need is a riding partner to up my game.

A&C leave this morning for Virginia.  They make it a three day trip back to PQ with the last day being short.  Their plan is to leave around 7am, so I'll see them before I head to Mass.

Onward again !