To Winfield and back!!

I began my journey at 6:30am. Mostly because I was taking the back road to Winfield which does not have a bike path so I wanted to ensure my safty as much as possible. The morning was gorgeous, full bodied sun, dew lifting and sprinklers nourishing the fields.

Okay, I started from my home and this section of road is close to where I live but not that close. Something I learned when I took this picture is to check the temperature before starting to bike. Primarily because I had to crest a hill to get to this point and it was only 1 degree out, my lungs burst and hurt from the cold air, something for which I will pay for, for the whole ride and the rest of the day I am sure! In any event the beginning looks promising!

I knew I should have taken the picture of where the bike lane ends because right behind it was a speed sign for minimum of 60km...both I found particularly funny since going up the hill I was doing 11km an hour and was dreading the reality of missing that precious bike lane...it basically meant there was no turning back, I was commited! (or should have been committed?)In any event I made it to Lake Country and I wish I could have gotten a better picture of the road included because what you don't see is the wonderous and glorious sight that gave my heart wings...downhill all the way baby!!!

I am now at my halfway point. It is clear to me that I can bike to Winfield and I am not sure how clear it is to me that I could make it back. However I am taking the highway back with a beautiful WIDE bikelane and NO POTHOLES!

I am back in Kelowna and the journey doesn't seem nearly as hard as I thought it may have been...although I am realizing at this point that it is getting close to eight in the morning which means getting to Winfield knocked the stuffing out of me!

When I walk home from the campus, this is the sight at the back of the campus that greets me daily. It is that space that only bikers and pedestrains seem to know about. I find this funny since it is only a step away from the campus and yet I am always asked about the back road into Glenmore...really just go look for yourself. Although I apologize in July and August for how barren and dead it looks, all the water dries and up and everything gets crispy...and if you are actually in it, it is terribly stinky! However right now it is beautiful and full of life and promise...the promise that I am home soon!

And finally I am home, gasping and grasping and mildly moaning. My knees are in protest right now, but the rest of my body is GREAT! I know I can do this AGAIN!

Hey Todd, give me a shout. I know we were talking about making this jaunt together. I suspect you are in better shape than me and will go much FASTER. I am going to go a couple more times for Winfield and then I am going to take a stab at Oyama...anytime you want to do the ride with me give me a shout!

And finally I want to thank Kelly, because without her generousity I would not have bogged you down with all of these pictures. I am now the proud owner of a digital camera and I hope from it will come many more mundane chronicles of my mundane adventures!