Summerland Flatlander Blues: Tuesday, October 6th!

It's good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it's good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven't lost the things that money can't buy. -George H. Lorimer, editor (6 Oct 1867-1937)  

On our way to Italy

Hi Patrick Thanks for the newsy email and apologies for my tardiness in responses! I have no excuses only pure laziness! We just returned from Southampton late last night after looking after Tris for 4 days so that Marnie could continue with her blessed submission which has to be submitted in another 3 weeks. It was great spending time with him but exhausting!
 

Lecce

Glad to see you continue with your house projects, well at least organizing them to be done! The fireplace looks grand and yes I agree there is nothing like a real fire on a cold evening. Staring into the flames with a glass of something in hand is very therapeutic! We usually have one going a few times a week during the winter. I cut down three old cherry trees this past summer so have lots of wood available for the coming winter.

We had a good but short visit with Mark and Krissy. Of course they always have friends in tow so we didn't have them to ourselves for any length of time! It was truly unfortunate that Krissy had such a bad break towards the end of their visit but fortunately it did not happen at the beginning which would have been a disaster. 

Gayle enjoying the pool at the hotel

They had made arrangements to visit Munich two days before they were due to fly back to Vancouver. I wasn't happy about Kris traveling there but she insisted on going since they had paid for accommodation and plane tickets. Dave was traveling with them so At least Mark had some assistance. They had booked a flight from Newquay with Flybe to Gatwick for a connecting flight with Easyjet to Munich. In great Krissy and Mark style that didn't exactly go to plan!

I dropped them off at Newquay airport which gave Gayle and I a couple of days to get the house tidied and get packed for our trip to Italy. After a couple of hours we received a call from Mark saying they were still in Newquay. The plane was in the process of taking off when a flock of gulls flew up from the runway and hit the right engine! The pilot put the plane in reverse and slammed on the brakes coming to a shuddering halt! The prop on one of the engines had been bent and smoke was coming out of the rear of the engine. They taxied back to the terminal but didn't have a replacement aircraft so by the time a replacement aircraft flew in from London they had missed their connecting flight. 

Looking across the ravine at the cave houses Materra

They decided to take a chance and got the next flight to Gatwick only to find all flights were booked to Munich that day and the following day. However Easyjet got them a flight to Innsbruck where they had to take a two hour coach ride from there to Munich! All this just to attend a beer festival! They did say though that it was worth it since the drive from Innsbruck to Munich was stunning. We met them at Gatwick  on the Friday since  we were all staying at the Holiday Inn at the airport and flying out within an hour of each other. We thought we would have them to ourselves for at least one evening but no, their friend Nicky who lives in London came over to the hotel for the evening so joined us for dinner! The following day I helped Mark to get his bags and Krissy to the check in desk. Fortunately the hotel is located in the south terminal so is only a few minutes walk to the check in desk. Said my goodbyes then returned to the hotel to pick up Gayle and bags for our flight to Bari.
 

Delightful Italian meal in a cave restaurant in Vieste

We arrived in Bari late morning (flight was only two hours) and immediately took a coach to Lecce where we stayed at the Holiday Garden Inn for two nights. This was a very comfortable hotel and only a short walk to the old town of Lecce which dates from Ancient Greek times and flourished under the Romans. It contained a kaleidoscope of cultural wonders and it's Renaissance and Baroque churches and buildings were wonderful. From Lecce we went to Matera where we stayed at another Holiday Garden Inn hotel for a couple of nights. Matera is truly a remarkable ancient town and thought to be one of the first inhabited places in Italy which originated as a prehistoric troglodyte settlement. Even today people are still living in the same cave houses but with much upgraded modern facilities! We took a guided tour of the town and the guide told us that her father, as a young boy, lived in one of the cave houses with his parents, siblings and animals and by animals I mean donkey, and goats! He left the cave dwelling when the government rehoused all the occupants to modern housing. 

Service taking place at church of Saint Angelo built over a cave

The town later became a world heritage site and restored to its present state where people now live albeit without any farm animals! We also used this base to visit Alberobella which consists of Trulli traditional local houses unique to Apulia. We also visited the old town of Bari which was a thriving walled port even before the Romans. It also has the incredible Basilica di San Nicola which houses the 900 year old crypt of the final resting place of Saint Nicholas, Patron Saint of Russia. From Matera we headed to Vieste where we stayed for the remainder of our trip. Vieste is a pretty village dominated by a simple 13th century cathedral. It cascades down a promontory surrounded by the Adriatic.

With Tris on Sunday at Kingston Lacey House, Hampshire

We used Vieste as our base to visit Trani, a delightful place which was an important port during medieval times with its lovely Romanesque architecture and the Castel deal Monte built by Frederick II. We took a drive through the Umbra Forest or Dark Forest as it is known and visited Monte Sant Angelo atop a lovely hill top village with superb 360 degree vistas of the surrounding forest. The magnificent abbey built over a large cave where the Archangel Michael is supposed to have appeared in the 8th century to the then Pope. It became an important medieval place of pilgrimage for many including the Crusaders many of whom scratched messages of hope on the walls which can still be seen. All in all it was a very interesting trip. I can see why they call it undiscovered Italy since, although there is obvious tourism in this part of Italy, it does not have the same draw as other areas of Italy such as the Amalfi coast, Tuscany etc. The countryside is quite uninspiring. It is very flat and since the Puglia region of Italy is the main producer of olive oil and wine it is mile after mile of olive trees or vines. What isn't planted with olive trees or vines is mainly scrub-land.

You must be looking forward to your upcoming trip to India. I'm sure you will have some interesting experiences. My brother in law Pete spent three years in India and really enjoyed the experience. I mentioned that you were going there on a visit and he recommended you don't cycle there! Seems the only rule of the road is there are none and road accidents and deaths are an accepted norm! I think he may have exaggerated a little!! Have attached a few photos. Won't bore you with too many holiday snaps! Kind regards to you both, Derek

Given the forecast for the next few days I decided I'd better try to log a 100+ km ride today in case more cycling wasn't possible later in the week. That being the case I determined that I would try for a decent AVG and to enable this I'd keep to the flats, more or less. Left just after midday and only real climb I had was up Vancouver Ave, after PTC/Lakeshore/Riverside loop, as part of what has come to be a standard start. Whistled along 97 to Summerland, dipsy-doodling into the Red Wing complex, on the south side of the highway, for the first time, just to see what place looked like. Much the same, mirror-image, in fact, as community on north side. Still, it gave me a few more k's so happy about that.

By the time I was at Crescent Beach and had made three loops there, I had 40 km on the clock so knew I was in reasonably good shape, distance wise. On way south from here, I toyed with climbing Peach Orchard but decided I'd go for a higher AVG ride rather than a steep hill one. Soon back in Trout Creek and then on to 97 again. By the time I was finished with one loop of Red Wing North, I had 61 km on my trusty odometre, so I knew I needed to head for Green Mountain Road to collect a few more precious km's. Followed Channel Parkway to GMR and once there on it as far as Westhill Road before retracing my steps. Left onto Penticton IB Road all the way to 97.

Wind was at my back here but once I crossed the highway and cut through Skaha Lake Park to hit Eastside Road, making for OK Falls, it had become a head wind! Didn't mind all that much, as long as it stayed behind me on way home! Rode past turnoff to Blasted Church and up McLean Creek Rd for a km or so in order to give me the distance I wanted once back at Burns Street. Pleased as punch that the wind did push me along on return run so was able to push my AVG up to 23 kph by the time I hit South Main. Was able to maintain my speed on the slight uphill grades between there and Government so when I hit the final stretch I felt very optimistic about achieving my goal. Hit all the lights so didn't even need any minor dipsy-doodles to prevent myself from having to touch The Dreaded Burning Ground!

Just before home, pumped up White Ave to Government and said hello to neighbour, Doug Deans, owner of Grape Escapes, as I turned around. He was just getting out of one of his smaller wine tour vans. Form what he said when we chatted this past July, I think he is a pretty good cyclist. One of his regualr training routes is to Lost Moose Lodge! I've done it once but apparently group he trains with does it every Wednesday. Anyway, met my challenge for the day so can't complain!  Stats for ride:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/920641798#.VhRjEiapYGM.email

Hi Aarturo! Thanks so much for all the fabulous, more than professional snapolas! I'm going to "play" with Flickr as soon as I've a moment so please bear with me! Let us know about popping by for a drink, sometime this coming weekend. Not a big deal. Only if your family's busy schedule allows. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio

P & C -- C&P On behalf of Virginia-Vicky et moi Thank you for the wonderful Sunday supper the company. I trust this email connects! DBJS