Catching up

Today is Sunday

This morning's service honoured Sara, as AMC's only graduate this year, and then held a baptism and membership transfer service, for three new members. After that it was recover, relax, relax, blog, relax.

Tomorrow the ELA Provincial Exam begins! Whoa horsey. The year is almost totally out of the barn!

Ingolf

May 29, 2010 (Saturday)

First, today is Margruite and Sara's birthday! The two of them, Margruite in particular, granted me permission, even encouraged me, to head out to the Spring Ride! I cannot begin to calculate my debt (I'm thinking that Margruite will begin to calculate it, though!). It is Sara's 18th birthday, and Margruite's ... never mind. Anyway, without their kind and generous support I would not have been able to participate in my second ride at Ingolf. Compared to the flat open roads around Neubergthal and Altona, this ride is a bit technical. Ingolf is just about on the Manitoba Ontario border and the trails there pass through a mix of Boreal forest and Canadian Shield. More than 20 of us set out, just after noon, and the riding out there is just ... well ... hard to describe for a flatlander like me. This year the rain added some challenge to the technical. We often rode through long puddles that were 6 to 12 inches deep (some deeper) hoping that the front wheel would pass through, rather than stop abruptly, or skitter off of, some rock you couldn't see. I managed to keep things upright for the most part, although I had one good endo when I underestimated the amount of speed needed to clear a rock, conveniently submerged under the murky waters just past the edge of a 18 inch rock drop-off. My front tire dropped, then stopped, so I rolled. Good times and no significant damage (except for a really sore shin muscle overnight ... right now things are good good again). This yearly ride features a really supportive group of guys who ride a wide range of bikes with a pretty wide range of ability and experience - from pretty damn great to pretty much just hope to survive. I'm in between, but leaning heavily to the "hope to survive" end of the spectrum. Indeed, we did all ride out alive.

After surviving the ride, we headed back for Falcon, chips, beers, dogs, and fellowship. I headed for home (for Sunday duties) around 7 PM. A big thanks to the FGBC guys for planning and hosting this most excellent adventure.

Lacerations and Zombies

May 28, 2010 (Friday)

I shall attempt to explain my negligence. On Friday after work I headed out for the FGBC (Fort Garry Bike Club) Spring Ride in the Whiteshell. The group camps at Falcon Lake and then rides from there. I pulled in to the campsite, which this year was the luxurious Falcon Trails resort chalet, at about 8:00 PM, in time to witness shocking display of accidental laceration (Graham, while walking outside trying to find cell reception, tripped and landed on something quite sharp, which cut through his jeans and his skin just below the knee. The cut practically ringed the front of his leg. More than half of the distance around his shin was cut; it was more than a half-circle. GROSS! Still, after some quick (and excellent) first aid work by two helpful and able FGBCers, the paramedics took over. We heard on Saturday that it took 30 stitches, but the damage was limited to his skin.). In keeping with this visceral, yet good-natured grossness, we settled in to watch Zombieland. Pretty great movie! There's no review necessary, really. Suffice it to say that Woody Harrelson and Bill Murray make the show even better. Just remember these simple rules (among others): limber up, cardio, seatbelts, double-tap.

Ride in         Temp 13'C Wind SE 15 ks

Ride home   Ruuudy!!!!