August 11: 79 Kms; 2 Hrs 43 Saddle Time; 340 Metres; 2592 Calories. Mark, Perry, Raymond, Kevin, Eric. Total 181 Kms for the weekend.

Okay, just some of the best weather of the summer for cycling. These early morning starts are wonderful and we have been rewarded with cooler air, blue skys, and low traffic. The countryside is in full bloom and the fields are full of round bales and high corn, ready for harvest. The ride down Garden of Eden from Pinnacle is one of the best, especially with a tail wind. To this end, Perry and Eric took full advantage of the conditions to race towards Bruce St. The rest of us had no legs to jump on their train but that was okay. We met them at the junction with only three kilometres to ride (and that mostly downhill) to coffee. Can’t beat that.

Don’t you just love this sport, even if it bites you hard at times. If you haven’t been out, you gotta come. The rides are honest and the company and laughter make for a great combination. You don’t have to ride at the front. You can ride at the back or in the middle. Heck, you don’t have to ride the whole route. You can loop back at any point. What can I say, you won’t regret it.

Alright, I guess this is where I say, ”you just should have been there! ”

Kudos to Kevin who had lots of jam for the homeward punch down Russett.

Well, that’s it for me for about three weeks. I’m going to be mia. No blog posts until after labour day. I hear you say hurrah.

cheerio. ac Comments always welcome at arnpriorcycling@bell.net or Twitter at www.twitter.com/ArnpriorCycling

Walt Whitman

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.
Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune,
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,
Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms,
Strong and content I travel the open road.
The earth, that is sufficient,
I do not want the constellations any nearer, … .
 
…. .
From this hour I ordain myself loos’d of limits and imaginary lines,
Going where I list, my own master total and absolute,
Listening to others, considering well what they say,
Pausing, searching, receiving, contemplating,
Gently,but with undeniable will, divesting myself of the holds that would hold me.
I inhale great draughts of space,
The east and the west are mine, and the north and the south are mine.
 
I am larger, better than I thought,
I did not know I held so much goodness. ….
 
Goshen Parade

Goshen Parade