it has been an absolute age since i frequented the old blogstead. absolute age. i cant believe im back. as you all probably know, the facebook craze has gotten a hold on us all. even gordon. and thats saying something.
so if any of you ever get a facebook, you can look me up. im there. with pictures. but no amusing stories. alas.
so we just got back from our north american adventure. and let me clue ya, it was a goooood time. i enjoyed every minute. every single minute was enjoyed. but im not going to wax eloquent on our US/Canada trip... im going to wax eloquent on the WORD AND DEED BIKATHON!!!
so word and deed arranged a bikathon to raise money for my mom's clinic. noble of them, it realy was. they raised alot of money. however, we miskins youths were recruited for the charity bike ride. and we, being of the miskin consitution, did not relish the thought of going 20 or 50 kilometers. it was done tho. we did the 20.
so at about 9AM we set off down the keldermans drive way, to the church where we would be given the bikes that were being loaned to us. they were... amusing to my mind. i found mine, and promptly burst out laughing. it was a schwinn. one of those granny kind of bikes. with the nifty little rack things on the back. complete with elastic band things. morgy had a different kind of bike, which would later prove to be not so great.
anyhow, we set off to jordan all happy and great. it was an hour bus ride or so, to the place where the 50 km riders would start. good times. we dropped the 50 riders off, and cheered their brave nobility. then we sat back down on our bus seats and heaved a sigh of relief that we were not one of that number.
about 15 minutes later we were dropped off on the 20 km starting point. there we had a few problems...i couldnt get my bike stand thing to go back up, and gordon had to raise his seat. after these were solved, we set off.
a couple kilos down the road we hit the niagra falls. a few minutes after getting there, and after almost running down a few thousand japanese tourists, i got off my bike (which by now had about 4 water bottles piled on the back thingy) and pushed the cumbersome contraption through the masses. i got some strange looks, but thats ok. i mean, not many tourists bike past the niagra falls, so its understandable.
anyhow, after the falls came a hill. it was a rather large hill, and wiped most of us out. however, i bravely pedalled up the hill. it was tough, however. and a trial of one's endurance. we made it however, and proceeded down a barely discernable incline. the wind was pleasant upon our visages, as it was a particularly hot and muggy day.
about two hours later we pulled up to what we thought was the end of the road. we heaved a sigh of relief, only to suck it back in in dismay when we were informed that there was a mere 11 km left to go. woopee, i thought. only 11. and here i thought we had reached the end of this exercise. owell. after drinking enough water to douse a rather large flame, and waiting for morgy to return, we set off on a pretty serious downhill. poor hannah kelderman went crashing into the bush... but she took it like a trooper. i admire that child immensly.
so the last 11 km were a torturous affair. i thought it would never end. it did, however, and i was never more glad to cast a bike from me. (figuratively speaking, i didnt actually cast it)
we ate hot dogs for supper. and got home at about 11 that night.
i tell you, i slept extremely well that night.