The
Squamidian Report – Oct. 12 / 13
Issue #594
Including:
The Ontarion
Hi All,
Well, I’ve had several really nice rides this week. A bit on the chilly side but nice. Tuesdays are our chapter meet evening and the weather was nice and clear so I was able to ride in to Horseshoe Bay on the bike. We had just come through 3 weeks of November rain. By the time we were all heading for home it was getting dark. The moon was a nice crescent with Venus just below and to the west, and both shown brightly over the southern end of Howe Sound. A couple of our woman riders wanted to ride up as far as Porteau Cove, which works well for me because I go right past there on my way home. We rode along the Sound as it got darker, the sunset colours changed as the sun set further while we rode along. By the time we pulled onto the Porteau parking lot it was fully dark and the moon reflected off the water. I headed on for home and they headed back to the city. One thing about clear nights this time of year, as the sun goes down, so does the temperature. I hadn’t needed my heated vest on the ride up to Porteau but it was nice to have for the rest of the ride. The stars were bright and traffic was light and the bike was purring like a kitten.
Then, on Thursday afternoon I ducked out for a short toot, rode back down to Horseshoe Bay, not because I particularly wanted to go to the Bay but because this time of year that ride is even more scenic than usual. Yes, we do have fall colours. Nothing like eastern colours but nice none the less. Due to the lower sun angle, the colour of the water is different than that of the summer, and of the winter. The rock faces along the highway seem to come alive with silvers and grays that didn’t seem to be there before. Even the moss on the rocks seems more vibrant. The trunks and branches of the Arbutus trees glow in the fall sunlight. The mountains are tree-covered and those trees tend to stay green all year round as well, although the shade of green changes with the seasons. The low shrubs turn nice reds and oranges and yellows for visual contrast. So, it was a scenic ride indeed. Not at all warm though. We are into the time of year where riding a motorcycle on the highway requires bundling up. While 11 or 12 degrees is warm enough to only require a t-shirt when out for a walk, it necessitates the use of lined clothing and full leathers when sitting in a 90 k slipstream. Once it gets down to or below about 10 C, that old heated vest comes in real handy.
And then yesterday, (Friday), I scooted back down to the Bay to hook up with a bunch of riders again. Friday seems to be an unofficial coffee meet afternoon and there were lots of bikes there including 8 or 10 of our guys and gals. Basically, everyone who doesn’t have to work. Wow, that’s a 4-letter word if there ever was one. Again, a bit on the chilly side but not quite cold enough to warrant the heated vest although I have now switched over to my full-face helmet. Those things are heavy and very loud inside but sure keep the cold wind, or rain if its raining, off your face. When I rode home on Tuesday night I was wearing my ¾ helmet and my riding goggles. My goggles kept fogging up because it was cold enough that my eyes would water a bit and that moisture fogged the inside of the lenses. Not good when seeing is important. So, most of my riding from here on to the end of the season will be with the full-face. Perhaps its obvious, but we are all frantically getting in as much riding before the weather turns again. Once that happens this time of year, it can mean the end of the riding season. At least for me. We get ‘winter’ here in Squamish. Many of my friends who live in the city can ride all winter if the sun is out, there will be no snow or ice to worry about. Up here the roads can be very slippery even on a sunny day.
I even intend to do one more longer, over-night ride yet this season. If the weather holds for next week, I’ll be riding over the Alison Pass to hook up with a friend who lives in the Kootenay’s. He’ll ride in from that direction. We’ll meet in Princeton and then head to Kamloops. The next day he’ll head back and I’ll finish the circle by coming back over the Duffy. No matter how nice it will hopefully be, I’ll definitely be using that heated vest. The mountain passes have already had snow and can be quite cold on a warm summer day. Winter comes early up there.
doug
****
****
THE ONTARION REPORT
Hello everyone!
I’m sure you are all
looking forward to this “Thanks Giving” weekend and another lovely family
gathering with turkey and all the trimmings! I know that we’ll be enjoying a
fantastic meal once again thanks to the culinary skills that Carole has
mastered so well over the past 40 years. Every year at this time (and many
other special occasions throughout the year) it’s the lady of the house who
makes these occasions special by working her magic in the kitchen and although
the rest of us always make an effort to express our joy and gratitude at the
results of her efforts it somehow never seems to be quite enough. I want to be
the first to dedicate this weekend’s Ontarion to my
amazing wife, cook and home maker, Patricia Alexandria Elizabeth Carole Payne
and once again thank her for the hundreds and hundreds of meals she’s produced
to mark all the special occasions we’ve celebrated over the past fourty years together as well as the past thirty seven that
have included our son Adam! You’re an amazing cook and an amazing woman, wife
and mother and we appreciate everything you have done to make our house a home!
I dedicate this
weekend of Thanks to you for all the hard work and love you have extended to me
and Adam and I hope you have felt the same in return from both of us!
Lots of Love and
Thanks to you on this special weekend Carole!
Greg and Adam! xox
That’s it for this
week folks!
Thanks for tuning in
and allowing me to use The Ontarion to express my
“Thanks” to Carole for everything she’s done and been to us for many years!
Bye for now … Greg
PS: Something To
Think About>
Once in a while one
has to stray from the beaten path and
thank that special person in their life!
PPS: HAPPY THANKS
GIVING TO ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF “THE SQUAMIDIAN” CLAN!
****
Have a good one..
the doug
The Fine Print!
The articles in these issues are the sole property of the persons writing them and should be respected as such.