Bike and canoe, I’ve missed you both. It’s been too long. There’s been a lot of bike commuting, boating of various kinds, dog walking, and weight lifting but precious little time for weekend long rides or weekends away paddling, let alone time for weeks away. Unlike Kim I haven’t managed a real vacation this summer. Why? Well, we’re still unpacking as we stare down the barrel of the start of the academic year. It’s been a summer that’s focused on moving houses really. Yikes.
My canoe was still in its canoe bag and my bike’s Garmin isn’t exactly racking up the miles.
The immediate future isn’t looking much better either. Come September every single weekend is spoken for. And don’t get me started on the subject of losing our evening light.
Instead, what I am doing is grabbing time when I can.
After our canoe camping trip in Killarney was aborted (that’s another story for a different blog post) we substituted instead a day canoeing on the French River on Friday. I was so happy paddling. I’ve booked a few weekdays off to get out and do it again. French River, we’ll be back!
Late Friday night we ended up back in Guelph for the rest of the weekend.
Saturday, I was determined to get out on my bike. I needed to ride. But the weather had other ideas. Torrential rain, thunder showers, winds 30 km/hr gusting to 50 km/hr. I’m tough, and I thought about riding anyway, but I’m not foolhardy. So on Sunday I was single-minded. Yes, there was lots to do about the house but I was going for a bike ride.
Sarah and I hopped on our bikes and did our usual route past campus out into the countryside. Here’s me by one of my favourite local roads, Hume Road. That’s me below in my Rotman Institute jersey from Western University. I need a Guelph jersey, with a gryphon. Hint! It was just 33 km but we went fast and raced some of the Strava segments. I was amused when we got back that Strava informed me that I was working harder than I usually did. That’s because I usually commute in a dress and sandals! It wasn’t really a long, weekend ride but it met my need to get out on my bike.
We got home and had to walk dogs. So went to Starkey Hill Conservation Area and took Cheddar (and Gavin’s dogsitting charge Cooper) on the trails through the park. After we got home I got a beep on my phone. It was Google Fit telling me I’d met my active minutes goal for the week. Thanks Google. Time to up the active minutes goal from the default, I think.
All in all, a happy, active long weekend. Dog hikes, canoe trips, and bike rides are three of my favourite things. Not exactly vacation but boating, biking, and dog hiking with some of my favourite people and dogs. I’ll take it. I’m also booking now some long holidays for next summer.
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