A Three hour tour ;)

My last blog, I’m not sure if anyone reads them , I know Elizabeth does but I encourage her to read them ;)

One of my favourite rides of the year was also my longest both in kms and time .

I decided to slow down and enjoy ,

get off my bike take some pictures.

When I finally arrived home Liz is kind of anxious, annoyed and asking the question where have you been?

I was getting worried something happened..

“ I sent you a message, Elizabeth said “

“ but I was live streaming , I said and didn’t get it “

If I could insert a picture here it would be of a babbling brook that I was live streaming from… get it , live streaming, , I was listening and watching the babbling brook…

Ok, let’s keep going. another favourite location not far from the brook.

there’s some land for sale..note to self check out the price when I get home it feels so good down here. ( $1.4 million for the land, no house, no barn, but it does have the babbling brook, so I’ll think about it )

I’m taking pictures, of the journey, so much to see, I wish I could share them all but I’m more attached to the feeling and as a viewer you probably wouldn’t see them the same way ..

When you slow down and take the time to appreciate where you are, who you’re with , what you see when you really look and listen, then you’ll reap the rewards Trust me they’re worth the time invested in your life .

We’re all different that’s what makes life interesting, find your passion!

Not everyone will stop and talk to horses but what if you did give a horse a nay or two and he responded back with a few to you and all of a sudden I’m rhyming too.

This could happen to you , hahaha, sorry just a bit of comic relief to lighten the mood.. ( FYI, I did talk to the horses )

Needless to say I had a great ride , and was fortunate enough to raise some money for a very worthwhile cause TheGreatCycleChallenge

Thank You, to all my Family and Friends for your wonderful support,

I sincerely appreciate your kindness.

Until the next time

Phil , Philip , Flip, Flipper

Madi and I, both completed our ride goals today, together

One month , and many hours of rides later we did it !

We don’t do it for the glory, we do it for children we’ll probably never meet.

Without the support of all our family and friends we are just out there riding our bikes.

Thank You everyone for your kind words and financial contributions.

In these economic time it still surprises how generous everyone has been over the years I’ve been riding in TheGreatCycleChallenge.

2Swans a swimming, there was 4 but that doesn’t sound as good

Another windy ride and my first time caught in the rain.. seems I’m a fair weather rider

It was another quiet ride today with more time for inner reflection.

I’ve noticed while riding there are spots, places that I ride through that feel good.

It’s hard to describe , but yesterday while riding, it’s windy, a bit cool, misty rain and as I round the corner the sun comes out, the fresh cut field is golden.

I feel the warmth from the sun on my face and I find myself smiling ;)

I start to purposely turn my bike and for a moment I’m lost in the feeling.

Just like life itself I’m quickly brought back to reality by a big truck quickly passing me and the clouds and wind start blowing again…

Like a golfer with the perfect hit , I’ll be out there again chasing that euphoric riding experience ;)

The day of the Monarch Butterfly

Today I felt blessed to see so many Monarch Butterflies.

In late August, the Monarchs are emerging from their cocoons and beginning their migration south to Mexico.

The Monarchs fly thousands of kilometres on their trip to Mexico, makes my biking goal of 550 look small ..

( but they aren’t sitting on a bicycle seat )

I thought today I’d bike a little farther and investigate the Tom Thompson trail.

I’d decided today to stay on the road , no rough trails, lots of hills, and lots of wind !

In saying that I was excited to find this park but it prohibits bikes on the trail.

As I continued southeast I encountered 4 young lads on small dirt bikes and it took me back to my youth.

My friends and I all had mini bikes, we never wore helmets back then and we’d ride the backroads like we owned them.

I wanted to stop the young lads and tell them to enjoy every moment of this day the ride , the friendships they shared

That they were living their best lives at this moment.

As I pedalled on I started appreciating the amazing views from this elevation the valleys the cloud filled sky with Georgian Bay in the background, it was spectacular!!

By the time I found the next part of the trail my battery had dropped a bar and I still needed to ride back home .

When my battery dies it’s like pedalling an elephant so I don’t want to be far from home if that happens;)

Pretty happy I made it home before my bike died completely and just shy of 60 kms…

Feels like a Fall day!!

Windy and cool out there today.

After some wet cool weather we’re reminded that summer is coming to an end.

Beautiful fall is just around the corner!

I’ve been riding around Balaclava this year and have noticed an older farmer .

I’ve been observing him over the last 3 weeks as he watches his fields now being cut and baled by a hired hand.

It could be his son , or grandson that is doing all the heavy lifting.

Now all the heavy lifting is done by a machine.

At the corner in Balaclava there’s a building, most of the roof has collapsed except for the front it still has the roof intact.

Today while I was riding the door was open and the farmer was in there repairing

something probably for the tractor.

I’m not sure if I’m alone in this but I’ve created a story in my mind about this man and his life here in Balaclava.

I wonder how he feels about all the million dollar houses being built in his neighbourhood .

If he ever decided to sell all his farm land he could be driving expensive cars and living in a big mansion on the water but I think he’s happier puttering around in this rundown building .

It’s raining a bit when I pass him again and he’s sitting inside his old Impala and he waves .

I wonder if he makes stories up in his head ,about me, drawing conclusions like I have about his life ;)

Changing gears , and stories here ..

I came across another biker , riding a road bike or race bike , just at the bridge in Leith .

I passed him and was averaging 31km, he was keeping’s up with me and eventually passed me.

My bike won’t go any faster than 32 , no matter how hard I pedal .

So I passed him again and then after awhile we have a little friendly chat as we biked together.

When you bike alone you appreciate a wave , and a bit of a chat goes a long ways..

The Path less travelled

I’ve been wanting to explore this path , that I’ve been riding past and today was the day.

While driving by there always seems to be cars at this location so I knew it was something special.

I went in a less travelled path , a little overgrown for biking but I’ll know better the next time.

After finding the main path it was a nice mix of forest with expansive bay views and now I know why there are always cars parked here .

Lots of boats on the bay with the Salmon Spectacular in full swing.

Passed a couple of bikers on a large hill north of Robinson subdivision, and the one lady yelled maybe throw me a rope but we were almost at the top ..lol

Madi and I ride , together for another Year

We headed for Oliphant this morning, one of my favourite places to ride and the first time back ( riding my bike ) since moving to Owen Sound.

It’s still shocking to see the water levels so low..

We were having a little break at the dock when one of Madi’s classmates recognized her .. the young lady was there with a group attending a horse camp.

The kids were jumping off the dock while the horses were being unloaded from the trailer.

We’re taking the horses swimming Madi’s classmate told us ..

I thought to myself what a cool camp , imagine riding a swimming horse.

We rode North after our break , visiting a friend and received a donation promise .

On our return the horses were galloping along the shore of Oliphant beach, and in the picture of Madi you can see horses in the background.

Madi has been asking for awhile are we there yet , similar to being in a car on a trip. ( Are we there Yet ? )

When riding a bike it’s different, it’s not as comfortable as sitting in a car being bored.

It’s hot , you’re uncomfortable, parts of your body are retaliating against your journey.

Madi is riding a single speed bike, she’s grown so the seat is too low making it challenging to ride .

I have to change her focus, so we start talking about ice cream.

What’s you’re favourite kind of ice cream, what size do you want and before we know it we’re back at the truck .

If your in Sauble Beach and you want lots of choice’s for ice cream and a healthy portion size go to the Trading Post

Address ( 13 22nd St South, Sauble Beach)

Congratulations Madi, on your longest ride and look forward to riding with you again.

Grandpa

( Sorry Madi, looks like your heads cut off in the picture)

The Marsh

Lots of wetlands between Ben Allen & Shallow Lake

A different direction !!

Yesterday it rained all day and I’d been away up North for a wedding so I needed to ride today.

Overcast and perfect weather for riding today .

I thought I’d take a different route today so I headed South towards town and west to Shallow Lake on the rail trail .

I hadn’t ridden it since last year when my granddaughter Madi rode it with me.

Pretty quiet ride , a few cyclists, a couple ATV’s , and some pedestrians.

The trail is pretty good, from Owen Sound to Shallow Lake, the last few kilometres are the roughest.

Saw a dozen Great Egrets ( White Heron ) and a couple of paint turtles in the marsh area between Ben Allen and Shallow Lake.

I thought of stopping for ice cream at Shallow Lake, they have great ice cream at the General Store and they give lots of ice cream.

A deep bog hole changed my plans, no I didn’t fall in it but I did get my feet wet and my bike dirty ( bike was pretty dirty already )

On my ride in to Shallow Lake I noticed a tree down on the trail and decided I’d remove what I could on my return trip.

The trail was passable with a bike but it would be tricky for a ATV so I thought I’d try..

I broke a few of the smaller branches but the centre branch wasn’t as easy .

The tree started to bend as I put some brute strength into it and then it snapped leaving me on the ground again ..

Before hitting the ground the branches I’d broken earlier slowed my fall down as they jabbed me in the back…

I just lay there for a minute wondering how bad am I injured .

I kept running my hands down my back to see if there was blood and thankfully they were just scrapes and not deep wounds.

Lucky day,

I’m grateful for another great ride .

New Roads

She was another warm one out there .

The only one I talked to was this Snapping Turtle and she wasn’t saying much of anything..

The roads were quiet and the shade trees along the way offered some relief.

Normally I ride alone, but I don’t mind .

gives me a chance to be grateful for many people in my life and my good fortune to be born here in Canada.

Feeling blessed