Riding the Saanich Penninsula

Today we were blessed by perfect riding weather with temperatures ranging in the mid to high 60's and NO rain. I rode with friends Margaret and Patti and we met up with three women from their local riding group - the "Sisters of No Mercy". I am an honorary member, and even have the cycling jersey, but had not met any of them. Today three members, Diane, Maureen and Christine were able to ride with us and we also have a ride planned for this coming Monday.

I was teased about all the extra clothing I was wearing, but hey, I am from Arizona!

We rode several miles on the Galloping Goose trail and on some lovely back roads that provided views of the Haro straight. This route took us through small towns, forests of fir trees, small farms and lovely neighborhoods. We passed by many fruit and vegetable stands offering both fresh eggs and a variety of local produce for sale. Our rest stop was at "The Roost, " a local coffee shop and bakery with a selection of delicious baked goods and delicious coffee.

On the way home we also stopped by the entrance to Buchart Gardens for a photo opportunity. We also rode plenty of "rollers" with climbs raging from 4% to even a few in the 11% to 14% range. Definitely challenging but the scenery was so remarkable that the climbing just added to the experience.

We stopped once on the way home to take a photo of a remarkable farm with a rock facade that was stunning. Total ride was 50 miles with 2500 feet of climbing. A lovely day topped off by barbecued salmon on Margaret's back porch.

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Bob's Update

I left Jackson, TN, this morning for a short 220 mile ride to Bowling Green, Kentucky. My goal was to spend most of the day at the National Corvette Museum. Since all Corvettes are manufactured in Bowling Green, it's the logical place to locate a museum, dedicated to this iconic American sports car. And what a museum it is! Very interactive with many multi-media displays, over 115,000 square feet of exhibits, and yes, an entire room dedicated to the sinkhole that happened a few years ago. Early morning, the ground opened up inside the museum and swallowed eight Corvettes. The security cameras captured the event that day and it's amazing to watch what happened: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijed6GBGXHE

All but two have been completely rebuilt; the two that were restored are on display just as they appeared after recovery from the sinkhole! The museum also serves as a delivery point for customers that have ordered their own Corvette as the factory is just across the way. I learned that buyers can actually schedule a factory tour and watch as their personal Corvette is assembled!

It's on to Ohio on Saturday on my way to Hamburg, New York for the BMW Motorcycle Rally. Stay tuned for more updates.