Sleeping with the Giant - a rest day off the road

SNM Tour Day 32

After a feast of outstanding homemade pizza at Mama Alfa's last night, we were all exhausted and crashed.  Ignoring the 5:40 alarm on the iphone (why was it still on?) felt absolutely heavenly, knowing I could sleep in for an hour or two more, do a bit of gentle stretching and give my muscles a break off hard running and cycling today.  There's lots to be done today, but no road work which is better than good. Newspaper article made page 2 in the Chronicle Journal with a picture, all very, very good

It is amazing to think that we are already in September and that we have completed an entire month. Victoria seems like such a very long time ago! I know that we have some hard mileage ahead without the homecoming breaks of Kelowna, Calgary and Winnipeg. We are now entering the grind of rural Ontario where there are many days in a row of heavier mileage as there are less speaking events.  I need the relaxation of today as a brief preparation for what lies ahead. It's all about routine and pacing, all will be good.

Today is the last day with B+B and Les joins us for the next leg of the journey.  Byrnes has been much more than a videographer for this trip.  He has fixed all kinds of things, given us much needed advice, has gotten some cycling in and did a lot of driving which gave Monique a break she really needed.  Barb was a godsend, driving when needed, cooking and cleaning, giving us wise insights and just a pleasure to have along given her good-natured personality.  Neither asked about helping, they just did.  We had a lot of fun and we will miss them, they have been more than a pleasure to travel with and have been great friends, regardless of "the tour".

Tour Day Sponsor is Robert Hobbs - thanks again!

I've been getting more feedback about the blogs - it's especially great to hear that people back in Calgary are following along and enjoying the stories, comments and quips.  So to the Hungates and Lambs - I will keep posting and hopefully keep you all amused until I get back home (and back to work!)

Random quotes of the day

Jump off cliffs and build your wings on the way down

Ray Bradbury

Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be

John Robert Wooden

Now we need to pick up Les, get to the laundromat, get to a cell phone store and sort out how we can bet better coverage for the Canada that lies ahead, get to a bike store and pick up a few things, fix a few little things on the RV, give a talk at the hospital, get some documents printed and faxed in, reorganize everything (again) etc etc etc - hey, it's a rest day, what do you expect!!

FYI - we had lunch at the famous HOITOS as per Jennifer's recommendation.  Finnish pancakes rule! When I start a company, I want Jennifer Turcotte as my point person, in charge of PR, HR, R+R - you name it.  (Jennifer by the way is a mental health clinical educator at Thunder Bay Regional hospital, arranging the talk I gave at noon and giving us a tour of the hospital, giving dining suggestions, helping us wash the RV, agreeing to drive a leg of the tour while cooking and doing all our media relations (OK I've exaggerated the last part - although I'm sure she probably could handle it!)