If there is a God, I don't think He would demand that anyone bow down or
stand up to him. -Rebecca West, author and journalist (21 Dec
1892-1983)
OK Falls ride: With
Lady Dar away at her regular Info Desk volunteer shift, Friday
mornings, at PGH, I was all alone with the very sleepy cats. I had to
struggle out of bed myself, after quite a boisterous evening with Kid
Chelene and his Watch members. He and Beckster hosted the Christmas
party and it was a delight to meet many of the officers he works with.
The gift exchange was more than a riot so loads of fun all around.
Anyway, I knew a good ride would help clear my head and so after a
hearty breakfast of overlefts I was suited up and ready to go, shortly
after 11:00 am. The forecast indicated that the wind was blowing out of
NNW and N at between 19-21 km/h so I toyed with the idea of cycling to
Crescent Beach so that I'd have a tail wind on return leg. However, I
had wanted to go to OK Falls for sometime so decided I'd do just that in
spite of knowing I'd be riding into a pretty strong head wind on way
back.
Started
out with a warm up ride to PTC and then along Lakeshore and Riverside
and then back to ride the KVR to Vancouver before hitting Government and
South Main. Great to have the wind pushing me along and when I reached
Skaha I did a quick dipsy-doodle there to bring my distance up to around
26 km before I started south on Eastside. At this point I wanted to log
at least 61 km so knew this extra would help towards that goal. Day was
simply glorious and temperature hovered around 5º C for first couple of
hours, dropping to 3º C for last two and a half hours, but always very
comfortable in spite of wind chill. Looking south to the hills beyond OK
Falls the sky was golden, almost a pot of gold at the end of the
cycling rainbow.
A
few km along Eastside, out of Penticton itself, the road runs right
along the lake-shore and here, swimming among the reeds in the shallow
water thereabouts were seven gorgeous, regal white swans and a lone
Canada Goose! What a wonderful treat to see these lovely creatures and
their ugly duckling relative. Anyway, leaving them behind to glide
gracefully, I did a quick side dipsy-doodle through the housing
development off Devon Drive and happened to bump into more wildlife, a
handsome buck with a fairly large rack and a couple of does, trimming
somebody's evergreen hedge! Shortly thereafter I came across Hanneke and
Doug Button, out for a walk. Hanneke asked me if it wasn't too cold to
ride but I assured her it wasn't and we wished one another Merry
Christmas before I made my way back to Eastside.
With
the wind helping me the climb up the hill past their place was much
easier than it might have been and I was soon descending into OK Falls
itself. A quick loop past the beach front there and then up Maple to
Oliver Ranch Road as I wanted to do the loop around Stag's Hollow and
Wild Goose before the long climb beneath Peach Cliff on McLean Creek
Road. I always forget that it really isn't all that bad an ascent, the
steepest, and shortest part, fairly close to the beginning but after
that more of a steady roller coaster pull between the two or three
plateau stretches. Across from Meyer Family Vineyards I noticed a large
tract of the open field where Bighorn Sheep often graze had now been
planted with vines. Hope this encroachment will not adversely affect
this particular herd.
Once
I'd reached the top it is slightly downhill through the valley and
there are quite few acreages where horses are kept. Passed four gleaming
Chestnuts, the shining coats obviously extremely well-cared for, their
glistening, liquid brown eyes tracking me as I rode past. A little
further along I noticed a stunning Palomino keeping company with a
delightful black miniature horse. Quite a varied parade of animal life
on this outing so doubly pleased that I had chosen this route. Noticed
the small sawmill outfit, mid-valley, was in operation but other than
that not a soul in sight. The quiet was enormously blissful.
Past
the last horse enclosure, a very well-maintained property, I then
swooped down the hill, being extremely careful to watch out for any sand
on the turns as didn't want to take a spill. Have learned, from bitter
experience, to be mindful of any grit or the small pebbles which often
litter the road, especially after any precipitation. Then back on
Eastside I was rather chuffed to find that the head wind didn't offer as
much resistance as I had feared so the open stretches along Eastside
were not at all unpleasant. Soon back at Skaha Lake Park I needed to
make a decent dipsy doodle to bring up my distance. I had approximately
70 km on the clock by then and decided I'd go for another 10 km since my
legs still felt pretty strong. In fact, only needed to add 6 km as from
SLP to home is roughly 5 km.
Didn't
take long and before I knew it I was headed up South Main, passing four
Mallards, a male and three females, waddling along the sidewalk. I have
often seen them here as I think they use the small slough which is part
of the part. Anyway, caught all of the lights on Government but once I
turned onto White I had to ride past our house, back to Eckhardt, as I
needed a tad more mileage to push me to my goal for the day. Not a
particularly high AVG but I was more than happy to have logged the
distance I did, the furthest I've ridden since being back from Europe.
If the weather continues to be so mild I'm hoping that I'll be able to
put in a 100+ km ride between Christmas and New Year's. Anyway, most
thankful for the opportunity which presented itself. Probably all the
dark rum which I drank the night before. Jet fuel!!! Cheers! Hic! Map
and Stats for ride:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3239092563#.XB2SwbM22xs.email
Hi Naramata Elf! Lady
Dar was out running errands and I riding when you must have popped by,
this past Friday, to leave such an unexpected and wonderful, wonderful
gift! The BCSPCA called shortly after we were both home to say that the
cat food we had ordered was in so I opened the front door to go to the
MarriageMobile to collect the crunchies, as place wouldn't be open again
until the 27th, and discovered Santa's Naughty Helper had been by. The
plant holder is lovely and the Wyatt is simply delicious. We were out
for dinner that evening up at Sendero where our close friends, Flamin'
and Sarge, were visiting their son Corey and daughter-in-law, Rebecca.
F/S were grand-parenting four children, two from Kamloops that they'd
brought from there. They will spend Christmas in Kamloops so had come to
Penticton to bring gifts and visit for a day or two before returning as
their two other children and families live there.
At
any rate it was a fairly early evening as F/S were quite tired having
dealt with the Fearsome Four all day so we wished them a Happy Christmas
and drove back home. Once there, lit the fire and cracked the Wyatt.
Lady Dar was most impressed, as was I, so we had quite a romantic
evening, snuggled on couch, lights out, gazing into embers and sipping
Wyatt! Thanks again and please pass along compliments to Legend! What
are your plans for hols? As I think you know, Lady Dar is flying off to Mexico
on New Year's Eve so if you and Wild Bill are around before that perhaps
we can arrange to get together to have a drink and a chat as we missed
you at our Open House.
[Michele Darrow-Sutherland Newborn pictures of our newest little angel Kaiya]
I was sorry to learn that you were not at all
well and trust you are feeling much better now. Nothing worse than
feeling ill, anytime, but particularly at this time of year. I remember
suffering from flu, or some such ailment, when a child of about five or
six when we lived in Cyprus. The mining community always had wonderful,
wonderful holiday parties, of all sorts, especially at Christmas time,
and I recall lying on a couch in host's home while all around were
enjoying fabulous food and plenteous drink, it goes without saying,
laughing and chatting and making merry while I felt even more miserable
than I already did knowing what I was missing and that I was unable to
participate in the festivities, holding my sore tummy and feeling sorry
for myself!
Anyway,
give us a shout or send along a message and we'll see if we can arrange
something. Thanks again for your most generous gifts, Pamela. Must away
to wrap some of my own. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!
Pics: Dinner at Sendero: three grandchildren;
Flamin' and Lady Dar planning our trip to Europe next September; saying
goodnight to Sarge!
Hi Naramata Elf! Lady
Dar was out running errands and I riding when you must have popped by,
this past Friday, to leave such an unexpected and wonderful, wonderful
gift! The BCSPCA called shortly after we were both home to say that the
cat food we had ordered was in so I opened the front door to go to the
MarriageMobile to collect the crunchies, as place wouldn't be open again
until the 27th, and discovered Santa's Naughty Helper had been by. The
plant holder is lovely and the Wyatt is simply delicious. We were out
for dinner that evening up at Sendero where our close friends, Flamin'
and Sarge, were visiting their son Corey and daughter-in-law, Rebecca.
F/S were grand-parenting four children, two from Kamloops that they'd
brought from there. They will spend Christmas in Kamloops so had come to
Penticton to bring gifts and visit for a day or two before returning as
their two other children and families live there.
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