Robbie Burns Tasting Blues: Sunday, January 26th!

It is never the shallower for the calmnesse. The Sea is a deepe, there is as much water in the Sea, in a calme, as in a storme. -John Donne, poet (1573-1631)

Gung hay fat Choy I am happy to cocoon! Xo Judy Judy has bailed and Lynda has a late meeting Monday so we will see you another week. Have a good round of games Monday 👍 AEB Hi Ann! I hadn't realized that Jos cannot play so if you are still free and interested we'll need you for just one table, with Carol and Susan. Lady Dar is off to Winnipeg tomorrow morning so she won't be around to play. Let me know and i'll plan accordingly. Thanks and Cheers, Patrizzio!

Your head must spin with all of us females ..in ,out, maybe, could be 🤯 I will be there ....lopking forward to it. However....I am pretty flexible if some other unknown development arises. I am into cupboard cleaning etc. 1 more 1 less on Monday makes no difference to me 😉 AEB Hi Cupboard Cleaning Lady! Thanks for putting down your cleaning supplies for a deck of cards! Much appreciated! I'll have large containers of Mr Clean for bridge prizes! Cheers, Patrizzio! Perfect...that's my brand!  I will strive to play to win 🤣 AEB Patrick, If Anne would like to play I will step back. Susan Hi O Susannah! Who all will be there? We need you to complete one table as Jos cannot play! See you this evening. Thanks and Cheers, Patrizzio!Confirming that I WILL BE THERE. Ta, Susan
 
Hi Hiker Cousins! Trust you are both well.  As I mentioned last Monday, I was hoping to join gang tomorrow but, as things have turned out, I will be driving Lady Dar and Chloë/Rowan James to the airport in Kelowna. They will attend The Celebration of Life for niece/cousin Marlo, to be held on Wednesday. Enjoy the hills. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Given the fact that we were attending the SOWTS Robbie Burns Dinner and Malt Tasting in the early afternoon, I knew that if I wanted to ride I'd have to do so reasonably early. At one point, forecast had suggested rain was in the offing but although it was cloudy the day looked promisingly dry. Furthermore, there was very little wind, particularly at the beginning of the ride, although it did pick up as outing proceeded, coming out of the N at 8 km/h but only gusting to 9 km/h. The temperature really was "balmy", hovering around 2º. Lovely quiet Sunday morning as I headed out at just after 10:00 am. 

Given that there was an outside chance of precipitation I decided I'd just follow my route regulare from PTC to the Riverside Mall and then describe endless mini-loops off Power and then head for home as quickly as possible to cheat the clouds and not incur the considerable wrath of Lady Dar if I was not home in plenty of time to ready myself for the evening's festivities. Did just that and was extremely pleased with outing as it was one of the most pleasant rides, in terms of lack of wind and quiet streets, that I've had in some time. Cheers! Map and Stats for ride: 

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/4482131057#.Xi51jvPcYeo.email

hi pat, been off the air so have not been on top of the email. spoke with liam who has been in touch with corinne so i guess logistics are being handled. the vehicles are both automatic transmissions so no problem there. i spoke with delia who last drove the volvo and she had left it at our local service outlet to have a brake light and the battery checked. i’ll confirm all systems go tomorrow a.m.
 

regardless, the ford is a half ton which is easy to drive and nimble enough if the volvo is at all questionable. i suspect the easy thing is to have whichever at harvard when they arrive so they can simply leave it there when departing. i’ll arrange with liam.

mom says ian had offered to pick them up if need be, was that discussed with liam? let me know and i can connect them if not. would smooth the arrival process to have a chauffeur…i’ll leave you to find your steel toed boots, hard hat and high viz vest so you can prepare for the week ahead. don’t forget the tylenol 3’s. regards from all of us and mama. (thought perhaps the middle photo was her “support bernie”, “power to the people” salute) 


Hi Kevin! Trust Harrison was more than relaxing. Thanks, again, for all the time and effort you have put in to help out the family. Corinne has been in touch with Liam, via email, and everything is set up. Pamela will collect them from the airport and Volvo will be parked at Harvard with its keys and house keys left in a secure location, that even I don't know, as security is that high! On a need to know basis, only, it seems!!! 

If it turns out that the Volvo is not in working order perhaps Liam can contact either Pam or Corinne. Apparently he has both of their numbers. We plan to leave around 7:00 am tomorrow morning, from Burns, to collect Chloë/Rowan James and hope to be on the road to Kelowna by 8:00 am so if you feel you need to be in touch while we are en route to Kelowna you could contact Chloë or Corinne.

Just back from a Robbie Burns dinner and malt tasting. Loads of fun and some pretty wonderful malts. Thanks again. Fondestos from Corinne to one and all. Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Local wildlife this morning! Malt lineup with Tullibardine 25 YO, 43%, $405.42! Piping in The Haggis, followed by Toast to The Haggis. Friend Neil.

Best beer in Loreto, if not México, if not the entire NAFTA/USMCA area. -Ross 

Baja2020 — Day 15 (Jan. 21) Playa Buenaventura —> Loreto (94km)
 

OK Dear Readers, the distinguishing feature about this fairly long and arduous day is that I have very few pictures of the ride, suggesting it was mostly more of the usual desert scenery — cacti, etc., rocky hills, a road that from time to time climbs that seem needlessly long and drops too short.

However, my few pictures do bring to mind the key events of the day. We rose early to a beautiful sunrise over Bahía Concepcion. After breakfast (for those mortals who eat it) and packing our tents (for those tough enough and/or cheap enough to use them) riding began. As mentioned, it was what has now become routine. My one scenery pic is of some devotional items deposited in a cliff face grotto. Other pics are of the one roadside restaurant, where Don, Ken, and Tony each enjoyed an impressively large plate of scrambled eggs with ham, plus frioles and tortillas. I was on a diet (having recently eaten) so demurred on the food.
 

Suffice to say we made it to Loreto in due course and checked into our well-above-average digs, where we would stay for two nights. It had been a hard ride so Captain Ken force marched the troops to the hot tub where beer was served. While there, we tried to contact Birthday Girl, Julia, to do a group sing over FaceTime video. Unfortunately, she wasn’t available so, having heard that Michelle and Barrack Obama were in town (true story), we decided to try again when we went for dinner and get them in on the fun. Unfortunately M&B must have got the meet-up time wrong cuz they didn’t make it. Instead Ross selflessly drank a marguerita in Julia’s honour — thinking all the while of her — before joining John, Ken and Mark in sampling the extraordinarily good beer offered at the brew pub we had happened upon. And so went the day.

Hi all, Here is the plan for this coming Thursday…It was agreed we would go towards Apex from Winter's Creek Road, and depending on interest and group strength, attempt the Saddle, Beaconsfield, the Scout Cabin, Secondary, Apex Proper, or some combination thereof (likely not all of them, however....). Better weather on that side with SW winds of late, so we have lots of options and maybe some views.

We will: -meet at 0900 at the Cherry Lane north parking lot (0840 at IGA parking lot in Summerland) -carpool and drive to the “power line” parking area just before Nickel Plate Nordic Centre -snowshoe as above in red. -have a debriefing and coffee, likely at The Edge at Apex village. -return to Penticton.

Are you interested?  If so, let me know. Cheers, Jim

 

Baja2020 — Day 20 (Jan. 26) Las Pocitas —> La Paz (112 km) Another day, another long straightaway ... but this time with the prospect of a couple of days rest in La Paz, so riders generally hustled along. Yellow butterflies (moths?) were everywhere, including an unfortunate few upon the road. Ken and Ross stopped for quesadillas at a roadside restaurant where we provided a welcome distraction for the children. There were some surprisingly large desert mule deer antlers on the wall. The ride into La Paz offered a welcome downhill (every downhill is welcome) but this was followed by a fairly long haul into a headwind along the flat edge of a wide bay, then some city riding on fairly crowded, bumpy and often sandy roads. But soon our destination — Hotel Blue — was reached and after checking in (and some cold beers) we strolled down to enjoy the evening along La Paz’s beautiful waterfront promenade where local families were out in force.