Canada Line Blackberry Blues: Friday, August 22nd!

The television, that insidious beast, that Medusa which freezes a billion people to stone every night, staring fixedly, that Siren which called and sang and promised so much and gave, after all, so little. -Ray Bradbury, science-fiction writer (1920-2012) 

P, Carlos has ordered one his agents -- code named Margo, to attend to us. There is no going back now or else.

Thanks for setting up the Squamish gig. I will see you Sunday evening. Let me know what i can bring. I will let you know when I intend to travel across the Salish Sea -- either in town late morning or mid afternoon. W

P, Have they misspelled this? Is it not pussyance? The power of... Maybe I have been out here alone too long? W

Hi Whirlygig Wordsmith, Hermit Monk of Galiano! Yes, the might and insidious influence of The Sisterhood seems to be waxing rather than waning!

Don't worry about bringing anything on Sunday. Apparently Margo is taking care of everything, and I mean "everything"!  We took a quick trip to Squamish yesterday afternoon so hootch is in place, along with my changes of attire. Even told Squamoids about your dietary preferences so they will be slaughtering a fatted calf just for you!

Must away as I'm meeting with Robo Cop. We are off to Iona, via Cypress, and then stopping, (yes, stopping, Dear Reader!), at the base of Cambie SkyTrain Bridge to pick blackberries! How the Mighty Have Fallen! Ragin' Bull will be ecstatic! Perhaps I can persuade Sylvia to bake a crumble with Burning Ground Berries for Sunday night's dessert! Talk anon. Cheers, Il Conduttore! 

Patrizzia: Marques de Casa Concha, Puento Alto, 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% and  Marques de Casa Concha, Limari, 2012 Chardonnay, 14%

For my part, had quite an eventful day today. Met Robo Man on Cypress and 37th and we proceeded south to cross Fraser on Arthur Laing and then on out to Iona. Gorgeous day and head wind was not overly strong so we sailed along, chatting, catching up. On way back we stopped, as planned, near the south end of the Cambie SkyTrain Bridge to pick blackberries.
 
There is a semi-trailer parking facility there and it is enclosed, for the most part, by huge blackberry hedges. Once we'd set our bikes against a small building just inside the entrance we started to pick in earnest. Thorns are pretty vicious so one had to be extremely careful. As it was my legs were pretty scratched up by the time we were finished, our hands sticky and purplish-black from the juice!

Raymondo had picked there before so after twenty minutes or so he moved down the road to the empty lot which adjoins the one where we started harvesting. Once the largest container I'd brought along was almost full, I followed him, leaning my bike against one of the large concrete barriers blocking entrance-way to vehicular traffic. Didn't take long and container was as full as I deemed practical so I secured the lid and stowed it in my camel pack. Took the next largest container, leaving my knapsack and riding gloves on top of the barrier, and went back to the trailer lot. 

I assumed Ray was planning to stay nearbye, picking along the brambles there. A few minutes later he joined me so I went back to collect my possessions only to find my camel pack had disappeared! My gloves were still there so I assume somebody had come along on a bike and simply scooped up pack without even stopping, the better to escape, quickly and undetected. There is not much, if any, pedestrian traffic, along River Road, at this point, so I can only surmise that this is what happened. At any rate, I had to ask Robo Man to carry the remaining container as I literally had no way to transport it. Blame myself for not taking pack along when I moved to adjoining lot but I really thought it would be fine with Ray still picking there. Perhaps same individual who nicked your bikes did this job as well!

Although we took a careful look again, at all the places I'd picked, I knew in my heart of hearts that pack had been stolen. Almost as disappointed about loss of small marinating container and its full complement of wonderful, wonderful wild blackberries as I was about loss of hydration pack! Anyway, we rode back to Ray's house and I arranged to collect my surviving berries later that afternoon. 

Knowing I'd need another camel pack for Whistler Granfondo I'd already decided, once theft was confirmed, I'd go to MEC to pick up a replacement. Waved goodbye to Robo Cop, (Lucky for thief that Cudgel Man hadn't caught him in the act of stealing or else he may very well have found himself tossed into the thick of the blackberry bushes, not a happy situation, as my legs and arms can well attest!), and made for home, dipsy-doodling around Kits Point so that I'd at least have 51+ km on the clock, even though, or perhaps because The Dreaded Burning Ground had intervened with such calamitous results!  Stats for ride:

http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/571301417#.U_ezJuDm5R0.email

Had a quick mug of java and some crackers, slathered with crunchy peanut butter and Durston buckwheat honey, (from Durston Honey farm in Dauphin), and then headed out to run my errands. Made for MEC and found a snazzy red Mountain Fountain 9 litre Hydrapak with the help of a staff member, a young woman from near Wangaratta, itself just south of Rutherglen, one of our favourite wine regions in Australia. Then on to London Drugs where I hoped to find a cheap, generic, replacement battery for the Nikon Coolpix , (Sad to say Cora Lee seems to have lost both the battery and charger!), which I hoped to use until I decided what to do about my "frozen" Canon G11 and its probable, not-worth-repairing, ominous "lens error", a sign that some major electronic component had failed. (This occurred in Dauphin!) At any rate, the knowledgeable salesperson informed me that a battery and a charger, (Of course, store didn't stock latter, [Not that I couldn't find one somewhere.], and not really feasible, in long run, to buy one without the other), would cost about $110 and so I made a quick decision to buy the latest Canon Powershot, the G16, so am now the proud owner of the new and improved G11. I now spit on the G12, the model I gave to Chloë a couple of birthdays ago. However, she has the last laugh as the battery for the G16 is smaller than the one for the G11/G12 so she will inherit the two batteries and charger I have, unless it turns out that G11 can be repaired. For now, however, I am a very happy, if much poorer, camper!
 

On to Young Brother's for fruit and vegetables for coming meals over the weekend. Fully loaded, both panniers bulging, I made for The Constant Gardner's plot and found Robo Man watering the gorgeous flower boxes on their deck. Sat for a bit, recounting my trials and tribulations to Sylvia and Raymond, and after a much needed glass of water, collected my blackberries and wished them both farewell and bon voyage. They are off, on Monday, to Oregon, via Wenatchee, for ten days so that should be a terrific road trip to Bend/Mount Washington.

Stats for errand ride: 22.17 km, Max 24.16 km/hr. No AVG on this odometre. Home just before 7:00 pm to find Zircon, (Our host in Medicine Hat.), locked outside, on the patio. Dominic, (Zirc's step-son), and Dennis, (his partner), had just dropped him off. When we'd chatted a few days ago Jim had thought he'd be at The Islay Inn around 9:00 or 10:00 pm so I hadn't worried about being back before then. 

 At any rate, had a chance to say hello to Dominic and meet Dennis before they took off. Once they'd departed, helped Zirc move his possessions inside. He stayed on the deck as he had been given a large box of pictures and papers, once belonging to his brother Glen and he wanted to look through everything. Glen died about 15 years ago and his partner, Gerald, died last month. Jim was here for Gerald's memorial service on Saturday but had stopped by Gerald's apartment that afternoon to meet Gerald's brother and sister-in-law. They were in the process of packing up the apartment as it must be vacated by month's end and had passed along any memorabilia that Jim cared to have.

He had enjoyed a wonderful meal at Nook Pizzeria, (Gluten-Free Friendly!), so he wasn't hungry. While he sifted and sorted, I put away the fruit and vegetables I'd bought and then had a much needed shower, scrubbing the dried blood from my scratched legs and ankles! Much refreshed, I made myself a small salad, (tomatoes with cheese that The Sisterhood had deemed too, too old to eat!), and zapped the remaining overlefts of the chicken dish we'd enjoyed on Wednesday. 

Jim and I chatted while I ate and he repaired to his bedroom shortly after I finished my dinner. It had been a long, full day for him, with flight from Medicine Hat to Vancouver/time change and then the afternoon with Gerald's relatives. I felt pretty sleepy, myself, so shortly after 10:30 pm I brushed and flossed and went to bed myself. Could barely keep awake to enjoy the Globe Books Summer Crime Fiction reviews, by Margaret Cannon, Raymondo had given me when I collected my blackberries. So many titles I'd like to read. Guess I'll have to join Whirlygig in hermit exile on Galiano and do nothing but turn pages and tipple! 

HI Charlie and George:

Charlie I have successfully registered you online and you should have a confirmation email in your Boni Maddison email account.

* Note that each rider must show photo ID and pick up their rider package containing their bike plate and wrist band on the day before (Friday September 5).  Details are found here -

http://granfondowhistler.com/packagepickup

Margo, Please forward to my brother George the registration info for the Fondo. He will in turn register for himself and friend Pat Dunn. If you can, on my behalf please register for me as well. Thanks, Charlie Maddison Architect AIBC, Boni-Maddison Architects

Hi Charlie and George: Charlie I have successfully registered you online and you should have a confirmation email in your Boni Maddison email account.

* Note that each rider must show photo ID and pick up their rider package containing their bike plate and wrist band on the day before (Friday September 5).  Details are found here - http://granfondowhistler.com/packagepickup
  

George, here are the registration codes for you and Pat

GFW-GF BTWW BoniMaddisonArchitectsXXXX
GFW-GF-BTWW BoniMaddisonArchitectsYYYY

Please see the instructions for registering attached.  If you have any problems, I will be happy to help.The registration asks you how long you think you will take to complete the ride so they can slot you at the start line.  I guessed " 6 to 7 hours". There is also a "7+ hours" category and various faster categories.  I can change Charlie's registration if you want to choose a different category. Hope you have lots of fun - it sounds great!  I might see you up there as I'm taking the shuttle to cheer on some friends. Enjoy, Margo Boyd, Office Manager, Bookkeeper, Boni • Maddison Architects 

P, herewith from Agent Margo -- all we need to register -- although it seems we must do something in person the day before the ride? You know more about this than us. I will register on the registration code that ends in XXXX. You get t'other. Sunday I will bring hootch and some organic blueberries from the garden here. Look forward to seeing you all, W


We just have to decide how we want to get back to Vancouver. Can we get someone to be our sag wagon or shall we bus for $70. each -- 30 for bike, 40 per person?

Hi Corinne & Patrick, Would you like to join us next Saturday August 30, 2014 around 5pm for a (potluck-if want to bring something) casual dinner at Henning’s house in Abbotsford (35477 Stafford Place- exit Mission USA Border). Yda, Arni & Kayjo will join as well- possibility to car pool together (I will be in Abby already). Tommy, Min & Edi will be there of course- with Edi possibly going to bed at 6pm though (if he actually will). Let me know if you can make it, Laura :)