OK Falls Beat The Showers Blues: Saturday, April 8th!

Every man is the son of his own works. -Miguel de Cervantes, novelist (1547-1616)

Rambunctious Boy was playing with the fob on Lady Dar's bookmark at 6:35 am this morning so I gave in to his effort to make one of us get out of bed and opened the front door to let them explore the glorious morning. AccuWeather forecast informed me that wind will be out of the SE/SSE at around 11 kph so I have my destination set for today, okay, Dear Reader!

Hello Opening Points People! As of this writing we have seven players committed. If I remember correctly, Josinta, cannot play this week and Michaelo,, exhibiting his usual, typical tardiness, has not replied. Nevertheless, we have enough for two tables with Dummy hop-scotching when needed. Duke and Etta are beside themselves with anticipation! Olga Polga, let us know if you'd like to join us for dinner, beforehand, if in town for your massage. Enjoy Fest of Ale, those juiceheads attending. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi all bridge, and not only, friends, Count me in for Wednesday Patrick please. I have to be if Duke and Etta expect us to be there. Cheers. Mike Hi Michaelo!
Delighted that you will be the eighth, as are both Etta and Duke! Went for a great ride today and was back just before ot started to rain! (See details below, if interested!) Cheers, Patrizzio!


Have fun everybody, I'll see you in 3 weeks, hopefully on Tuesday nights for the summer season Jos Hi Josinta! Sorry you won't be playing for a few weeks but just wanted to wish you a safe trip. Happy travels to you and Aarturo. Delighted that Michaelo will be the eighth! Fondestos from Lady Dar, busy preparing fresh pickerel filets for our dinner. Cheers, Patrizzio!

[Hommage to Vivian Maier!]  
Hi Maya, as Patrick has mentioned I will be home. Arrive back to Penticton on the 11. Would love to see all 4 of you. Do you have time to stay for a night?
Where are you staying on Saturday night after your party? Look forward to the visit whatever form it takes, Love Corinne Good morning! Thanks for the offer. We would love to spend the night in Friday. We booked a motel in OK Falls for the Saturday night. We thought it prudent to be close to the event at Synchromesh Winery. (Have you been there?) 

It will be great to see you, Corinne, and see your new home. Pat, we'll try to stop by on our way home. We'll stay in touch and let you know what time we think we'll arrive close to the date and figure out what we can bring for dinner, etc. 😙 Maya Maya don't worry about dinner just remind me what you are eating? Vegetarian, fish? Corinne

Hi Maya! Yes, we have tasted at Synchromesh and really think their wine is superb! Just curious but the winery is quite small so how large is the event? How do you know the people there? I rode by today as I was making my way back from OK Falls and beyond. (See details below, if interested!)

Sorry I won't be at home on Friday but I'm sure you'll have a great time with Lady Dar, Etta and Duke. All the best, Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Under the louvres, last Saturday afternoon; Etta sunning this morning; Duke inspecting the garlic shoots before I went riding; Duke chewing the grass and then nap-time!

Would love to but it's a heckava long way to go for a beer. Cheers, R> Hi Robert! Sorry you won't be coming up for a few pints. Haven't heard back from friends who went to Fest last night but am curious to hear their thoughts. Cheers, Patrizzio!

When I consulted the AccuWeather forecast, round 8:30 am this morning it informed me that the wind would be out of the SE/SSE at around 11 kph so I knew I had my destination set for today, okay, Dear Reader! Yes indeed, OK Falls, here I come, so after I'd enjoyed an absolutely scrumptious steamed, fresh spinach/soft cheese omelette, courtesy of Lady Dar, I suited up and left the house at just before 10:00 am. Initially, I thought I'd shoot for a 61 km ride so started off with the Gerbil Cage/Hamster Loop from PTC, along Lakeshore and then Riverside, adding the mini-loop off Power, until I had 17 km on the clock. Then I climbed Vancouver to do the Middle/Upper Bench Loop so that the odometre registered a little more than 31 km by the time I was back on Government and making for Skaha Lake Park. 

Did a short dipsy-doodle here and this made me a tad reluctant to face the wind on Eastside as it was really blowing by then, not at 11 kph, SE, but rather out of the SSE at 25 kph, more than double what I'd initially found! Nevertheless, I persevered and had clocked 40 km by the time I left the marina parking lot. Going wasn't quite as basd as I feared it might be and I was able to maintian a 21 kph AVG all the way into OK Fallls. That dropped below20 kph when I climbed Oliver Ranch Road and to just above 19 kph when I took the turnoff to Blue Mountain. However, once I reached the cattle guard at the turn of the road leading to the winery itself and headed back the wind really helped me along, gusting as it was to 28 kph. 

By this time I had decided I'd shoot for a 100+ km ride as I felt pretty good and I knew the wind would be my ally on way home. This being the case I did three Stag's Hollow loops so that when I was on McClean Creek Road, heading up the hill to Peach Cliff, I had ridden 73 km. Grind up MCR was pretty manageable given that the wind, although not behind me was a cross wind so it helped rather than hindered. Grade is a long pull but otherwise not punishing and once I was on the level, I literally whistled along and was soon back to an AVG of 20 kph. Made up a few more notches along Eastside and at one point I thought I might even break go to 21 kph but Aeolus had other plans for me as I was to find out.

Needed another 5 km by the time I reached Skaha Lake Park so a few quick dipsy-doodles there until I was ready to return to South Main. ALl went exceedingly well until I was a couple of blocks from Johnson and I noticed that the dust was blowing right into my face! This was certainly not supposed to happen, Dear Reader, but, in fact, it was! Wind had shifted to slam at me out of the W at 31 kph, gusting to 45 kph, so rest of South Main and most of Government were tough, although climb up Johnson was almost comfortable, in comparison, the wind fully at my back then. Managed to catch all the lights on Government and so in spite of battling the fierce head wind, I actually finished with an AVG of 20.2 kph. Not the 21+ kph AVG I had hoped for, at one point, but then I had not anticipated the wind's change of direction. Still, my second 100+ km ride this week and one which included a number of decent climbs so quite satisfied with outing and my own effort. Cheers! Map and Stats for ride:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1665900131#.WOldQJBYoYc.email
 

Love the dress and matching tie that Sam and Alex chose for a formal dinner event they are attending tonight. Had a great time at the tuxedo shop today as the boys were trying on and ordering their wedding clothes. Then we went to brunch after and had a great visit as both Alex and Pierre are so busy with jobs and school. Alex has now passed his security background clearance and goes for his six hour medical and psyche examination on Tuesday with the L.A. Fire Department Hope everyone is well xoxo Love to all Ayn

Hi Tinsel Towners! Great, great shot of the Bright Young Things! Hip Hip Hooray! Congratulations, as well, to Alex, for passing background security check. Buona Fortuna with coming medical and pyschological exams. Went for a great ride today, (Yes, Rosita, it is all about the wind!!!), and was back, just barely, to dodge getting soaked! Poor Lady Dar was out doing door-to-door campaigning for the coming provincial election, this May, and she and her cohort were soaked when they returned to NDP office! However, didn't stop her from preparing fresh pickerel filets for our dinner, along with parsnips!

After dinner we started watching Mossad 101, ["An Israeli television action drama series that premiered in 2015. The series follows a fictional training course for the Israeli intelligence agency the Mossad and focuses on the humane side of its agents and their personal experiences. It reveals different methods to track down, sort and recruit successful agents and shows the moral difficulties of this occupation."], and Duke was racing around the living room, playing soccer. Etta, as is her wont, was napping on her favourite chair. At one point, Lady Dar was holding her empty wine glass over the side of the armchair she was sitting in and Duke popped up on the foot stool beside her and dropped his soccer ball into her empty glass! Goal scored!!! First time he's done this so am curious to see if it will be repeated. Cheers, Dad/Poppa/Patrizzio!