Midnight Mass May 24th

For Royalists, May 24th is the REAL Victoria Day. (Just a little aside). I headed to MM with purpose. To make sure that Simon's baby has a life of its own. The 1st one while he is away. I arrived 23:40, mere seconds behind the first arrival. It was his 2nd one (his 1st was last summer) so he wondered where all the people were. Sure enough, 23:47 a few more arrived, and by 11:55 there were at least 20. The atmosphere was a little subdued, being Simonless I presume, and people seemed a little hesitant, not sure how it would turn out. There were some new faces, a good bunch of regulars, and some newer to MM in the past few rides.
At a couple minutes past midnight, somebody asked when the ride would leave. Another person responded with 'then call "5 minutes" '. Then Kati J showed up, and I said "here's Kati J, we can go now" and another person seconded the motion. A few people made the roll-out call of "2 minutes", somebody else called "5 minutes", and another started calling numbers randomly, like a rocket launch count-down that had been jumbled. But we actually started rolling about 00:10. Destination 'Oak & 33rd'.
So we go along Commercial and turn onto 10th Ave, nothing unusual in that, after all 10th is a bike route, but the leading riders pull into the China Creek skate park. There were a few boarders there, eventhough it is pitch black, no lights, and we start talking with a couple of them. Then a couple bikes go for the bowls. I took a couple of spind too. Never having visited them in daylight, it was kinda eerie, a black abyss when going over the edge, then the bike light is at the right angle to shine into the bowl and then the bike is in the bottom, and speed nust be maintained to get out the other side or to ride the bowl itself without sliding down sideways. If you don't go fast enough you can't ride at an angle which will allow full pedal rotation, and if you can't pedal fully, lack of speed means side-slipping into the bottom, and not enough speed to ride out of it. It was a fun little detour, but it didn't last long, only 1/2 dozen or so tried it, them we aboandoned it to the boarders.
Onward to our quest. At Oak & Douglas a few stopped as the lead goup carried on, and asked if we weren't going to "The Ghettodrome" (alias 'The Crescent' to motorists and Shaughnessy residents). The response was 'no, Oak & 33rd, we can always come back if it sucks'. Further along Oak st we attained 33rd, and Eric Hamber S.S. in particular, noting the oval track. In we go. After stopping briefly to extinguish headlights and putting rear ones in 'steady' mode (no flashing) we boot it around the track a few times. OK, so not EVERYONE did, but most went around at least once. After testing the track a bit we hung out as usual. As the night went on, a few people departed bit by bit till it was suggested to go for food. About a dozen of us headed for the Naam again. Some turned left at 12th some at 10th, but I like going down Broadway at this time of night (it was only about 01:30), so I did. Then when I hit Arbutus, I felt like doing something different. I was at the Naam 2 weeks ago with the gang, why not go to Seigels. So I did. Only problem was that I didn't know Seigels is no longer 24hrs. I check my watch, lots of time to catch the 02:09 NightBus back to Whalley. Went to Vanier Park, took a few pictures of the city lights and their reflections from English Bay, then cruised over Burrard Bridge, down Hornby to Dunsmuir and wrong-wayed it over to Howe, put my bike on the N19's rack, and waited for the driver to get back. Had a nice conversation with another couple waiting for the bus. At 02:15 we note that he's a little late, and just then he arrives. The woman had been saying that they usually leave right on time, and then notices that their bus isn't one of the ones in line. Turned out their's waits south of Dunsmuir, while all the other are on the north side, and it had left already. Ah well, they'll only have another 20 mins or so to wait now.
The bus driver sits for a bit, and we don't leave until 02:20. The run was quite busy, therefore quite slow. But that just meant we didn't have to wait at the various 'timing points', and arrive Scurvy Central 03:23. I arrive home after a 48 min ride. Some time in the future I'll have to race this guy. Without telling him of course.

One More Reason to Hate Anaheim Mighty Ducks

'Cuz now I have to hope Ottawa wins the Stanley Cup!

Add'l Add'n

So last night after I got off the bus I checked out where the bikes were left for pick-up, and yes, the one I didn't take was still there, so I wheeled it home. Maybe I'll hack it up and make a skookum trailer out of the pieces. Also, the 2nd one's handle bar looks like a perfect fit to be my mini's new seat post. Hah! Full leg extension here we come!
It's nice that our neighbour's WiFi is more predictable these days (wink wink, nudge nudge)
1st day off of 3, errand day, 'cuz tomorrow is Midnight Mass, and Friday Critical Mass (THE PIRATE RIDE! YAAARRRR!!!). Oh yeah, this evening is a pre VeloDeco gathering. What is "VeloDeco"? Check the Bicycle Bee link the the right.
JE(A)F: Woodward Hill is the one on KGH from Colebrook Rd to 64th Ave, Johnston Hill is the one on Hwy 1 from the Port Mann Bridge to the 152nd exit, and for further knowledge, Peterson Hill is the one on KGH from 128th St to 108th Ave (East of the Patullo Bridge).
Ripped a couple of CD's and scanned the booklets for David.
Well, I'm off shopping for now. I need comestible supplies.

Another addition

On my way to work I found 2 more bikes somebody on the Surrey side of 16th had put out curbside with the recycling. But I didn't have time to take both back home, so I just took one. Perhaps the other will still be there when I get home. They were older mtb's, ladies frames, steel, not bad shape mechanically on cursory inspection. Good chopper material.

Carrying on the week-end's activities (read scans 1st)

So I watched the polo Saturday, looked like a lot of fun. But as I really couldn't risk accidental dammage to my main ride ('cuz bike polo can be hazardous to your bike's health) I didn't join in when any of the games started. I t did rain off and on, at one point enough for me to put on my rain pants. I did have some left-overs from Fri. night, so I drank them (4). I took a few pictures, I'll put them up on Picasa soon. Ditto for Fri's BBQ. Eventually the last few players started to pack it in, and I headed for the bus. It was into the hourly service time, so I had to wait 45 mins, and got on @ 19:11 Broadway & Granville. Got home an hour later, had some bulgur again, and went to bed.
Sun. 0300, alarm goes off. I'm still tired and I have preparations to do, but I decide to wait for alarm #2 (0315), same again, but for #3 @ 0330 I actually get up. I have my pre-ride drink (an own preparation of Creatine, açai powder mix (from Nu Greens, has other stuff in it), Glutamine, Chromium/Vanadium, and some other pre-mix I can't recall at present, mixed in juice). I pack up my breakfast and put in in my pack, along with my ride drink, stuff I might get around to doing during the slow times at work, snacks, lunch, cameras, etc., put on my gear. Doing these things while tired takes alot longer that it should. Now it is 0400, what I consider ideal departure time. But I was hoping to rig some way of taking the mini with me for "RolloDerby" (like rollerderby, but on mini-bikes). After about 15 mins I thought I had it all set, but when I tried it in the driveway it became obvious that it wouldn't work. So more time wasted as I detatch the mini and put it back in the house. A quick time check, 0422, eeek, gotta hammer it all the way now. The usual removal of now superfluous clothing at KGH & 144A, time check KGH & #10 0445 means I've made up some time, but I'm still behind schedule, got out my drink early @ #10Hwy & 138th (the street doesn't actually go through, but one can see it through the trees), on 128th turning left onto 72nd its now 0500, and I should be at Scott Rd, so I'm doing OK now, as long as I can keep up the pace. I boot it down 72nd averaging 37km/h, but when I hit the downhill by 112St I'm up to 60km/h (I think the car behind me that is inchingly gaining is surprised, I past by him/her at stopped at a cross street a ways back). I know 60 really isn't that fast, but when carrying weight it makes a big difference to the handling, and that hill isn't steep enough or long enough to go much faster than that. The weather starts to change as I'm on the Alex Fraser, so mid-span I put my jacket & pants back on as well as reverting to the full fingered gloves. The sidewalk is wet, so I can't go more than 35km/h down the other side (when dry it is safe to do 42km/h). I get accross the footbridge over Hwy91A at 0525, meaning I'll get to work on time. When I make it to Westminster Hwy west of the 91 overpass I settle in to a 30km/h-90rpm groove which lasts all the way to Sidaway/Jacombs. Cool. Usually I change up my cadence and gearing because it feels better, but this time I really hit "the zone". I felt great. I had been travelling on the bike path on the South side of Westminster, but now I had to change to the right side. I didn't do it when the path ended because of traffic (didn't want to spoil the groove), and now on the Frontage road at Sidaway there was more traffic, including a cop car, so I had to stop & hit the "walk" button. When I restarted my legs didn't feel to co-operative at first, but then it was OK. The groove was gone, but I still maintained a decent speed, varying from 27->32 km/h., and got to work with a few mins to spare. Time check 0556. 1 hour 34 mins. My best "loaded" time yet. About 6 yrs ago I did 1hr 25 min trip, but I wasn't carrying any weight, and I had slept in and was going to be late. Younger legs + incentive = better time.
The work day was pretty much the same crap as always, unfortunately, and it pissed rain most of the time, and still was when I left. So not having the mini was OK, I just went home. After a while I made a fire from the willow I stashed away the other day. I was looking forward to tomorrow (today) with a planned group ride from E Van to Sasamat Lake before going to work.
Unfortunately, when I got up at 0800 I had a kink in my back, and its muscles were sore, so I decided not to go after all. Reported such on the Fixed Van. forum, had breakfast, and went back to bed. Got back up at Noon, went to work, and here we are in the present tense. Ahhhh, holiday Mondays! Extra slow (how else could I finish this long narrative), and real money to boot.