Saturday morning at 10am the Bravehearts met at the Switch Bridge (SB)
My ride started at home at 9:20am some 6km from the SB which gave a total ride distance for the day of 30.4km
And did it rain! That is not a quetion it is a statement!
With having over $500 of rain gear on I still got soaked to the skin. Yes, brother — it poured.
Eleven of us Bravehearts wound up at QV restaurant near Chinatown in Victoria
We had a great ride outbound to Atkin Station and inbound on he E&N Rail Trail.
Thanks to Darryl for his fearless leadership in getting us all back togther again.
Saturday morning Bravehearts Cycling Group was lead by Darryl.
We took off NE bound along the Lochside Trail to Blenkinsop Greenway then picked up along the San Juan Greenway to Arbutus Cove park.
From there it was SW bound via Arbutus Road to Sincliar Rd. in Cadboro Bay Village.
Up we went along Sinclair Rd. to McKenzie and Lee's House Restaurant on Shelbourne St.
After lunch, I headed the one kilometre distance to home.
The Bravehearts returned to the Switch Bridge (SB) for a 29km loop while my loop was 24km.
My morning's ride atarted at 8;30am when heading over t visit my wife in teh carehome which is located just 400m from the SB.
The day before I bought a pair of heated gloves for $134 bucks but stil my fingers got cold.
It was zero 0°C during this early ride but then warmed up by 10am to 4° for teh group's ride.
Maybe I'll keep the gloves or maybe not. Probably no heated gloves keep the fingertips warm.
Note to Bravehearts Cycling Group (BCG) on WhatsApp"The Heights at Mt. View (HMV) long-term care-home is located 400m NW from the Switch Bridge(SB) and my plan for Saturday is to visit my wife of some 45yrs there before arriving at SB before 10am. I hope it all goes according to this plan."So that's how my day started at 8am as I setup for my 6km bike ride to HMV.
As noted HMV is only 400m from the SB which is BCGs rallying location each Saturday morning at 10am.
Derryl was our team leader today as 13 riders took off northbound along the Lochside Trail.
The first stop along our 19km was atop Mt. Tolmie that provided many good photo-ops on this severe-clear morning. The distant Coast Mountain Range (Mt. Baker) to the east and the Olympic Mountians to the south (Mt. Angeles; Bogachiel Ridge and Mt. Olympus) were the highlights.
Our ride ended at the Univeristy of Victoria's Cove Food Services: Built with one of the largest Passive House kitchens in North America, this brand new carbon neutral dining facility features a 700 person seating capacity across two levels with an open concept, food court. There was plenty of room for all Brvehearts and the undreds of students alrady using the space.
Wednesday morning I cycled a 27km loop to Victoria General Hospital (VGH) then on to Sannich Commonwealth Place (SCP).
My guitar buddy is in VGH with serious heart problems
His wife Marg and son Don Jr. were there so we got to talk.
Marg says the prognosis is not good.
I then rode the on-again-off-again, dedicated bikes lanes along Wilkinson Rd. to SCP.
Three Bravehearts Cycling Group member were three and Nurse Sandy gave us a tour of the exercise facilities.
I'm a morning type guy so rode straight home by 11:30am then I drove back for the 1:30pm meeting.
Bravehearts Cycling Group members numbered 15 souls who gathered at the Switch Bridge Saturday morning at 10am.
The skies were overcast but at 7°C and no rain not a complaint was uttered.
Bravehearts Cycling Group (BCG) is an eclectic mix of aging gentlemen (mostly retirees) who enjoy cycling more with others than by themselves.
Each week, an original, group member appoints himself leader for that day's ride and off they go in single file.
Sometimes the location allows tandem riding and scintillating conversations have been known to occur.
A meaningful part of each ride is the break; usually, per-selected by the ride leader and with sufficient seating for the group's numbers.
The day's ride was led by Ken and he chose the Coffee House at Shoal Point for snacks, coffee, soup and conversation.
The distance covered on this day's ride was 26km. Living 6km away from the Switch Bridge brought this riders distance to 38km. Just right for an 89yr old ebike rider.
Saturday morning I cycled a 26km loop from home out wet to Esquimalt and return.
A cycling group meet every Saturday at 10am at the Switch Bridge.
The group appears to vary in numbers from a few to 16 riders — mostly men.
This day we were four riders all on ebikes.
Once the three regular members decided where the ride ma ytake us we took off to Downtown Victoria.
We stopped at Marina Bay Cafe near West Bay Marina in Esquimalt for a snack.
I finished my ride off at the Heights at Mt.View (HMV) visiting my wife at noon.
HMV is located some 500m from the Switch Bridge from where we started.
A.W. McMorran & Elizabeth (nee Whittaker) McMorran and daughter Doreen
RBC McMorran/Elizabeth/Whittaker 48°24'42.33"N 123°20'17.23"W
McMorran Elizabeth Whittaker (Wallace McMorrran) Engraved: McMorran Elizabeth Whittaker
Write a short report on the part Wallace McMorran played as manger of the Gang Ranch 1921-25 in British Columbia
Alexander Wallace McMorran:
The Gang Ranch is located 45km northwest from Clinton, BC. In the 1920s it covered 1.3 million acres (526,000 hectares)
During the early 1920s, the Gang Ranch — the largest and most storied cattle operations in North America — was in a period of consolidation following significant ownership and organizational changes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Within this context, Wallace McMorran served as ranch manager between 1921 and 1944, overseeing day-to-day operations at a time when large ranches were adapting to postwar economic fluctuations, evolving labor conditions, and modernizing expectations for livestock management
Wallace's wife, Elizabeth (nee Whittaker) was the daughter of Samuel & Christina (nee Irvine) Whittaker and Sam served as taxidermist at the British Columbia Museum in Victoria BC circa 1895. All the stuffed animals seen in the museum after that date — bears, cougars, deer and birds — were Sam's creations.
Remembrance Day I cycled a 23km roundtrip to The Nest and back.
The Nest is located at the 9.5km location beside the Galloping Goose Goose Regional Trail (GGT)
My sister and bro-inlaw live just another 500m beyond so I rode out to see them after downing my bowl of soup.
Both are looking well and are hail and hearty (not hardy).
It sure was cold for me cycling at 25km/hr. The temp was 9°C but in my (achalasia) condition I froze.
The friendly Nest staff gave me a mug of hot water to wrap my hands around and warm them up.
Monday I cycled iZip Pro on a 15.6km loop to our kids place in Oak Bay
My circuitous route took me firstly to Cadboro Bay Gyro Park then along the promenade at Willows Beach
The kids invited me in for some scintillating conversation and moral support.
Ben led me and my ride into their underground parking for security of my chattels.
My inbound route was more direct: up Oak Bay Avenue to Foul Bay Road to the University of Victoria and home.
Gil McDougald, the Major League Baseball player, was born on Saturday, May 19, 1928, in San Francisco, California. McDougald was 22 years old when he broke into the major leagues on April 20, 1951, with the New York Yankees.
Gil McDougald played his first major league game on April 20, 1951. On May 3 of that year, he tied a major league record, since broken, by batting in six runs in one inning. Later in the year, in the World Series, he became the first rookie to hit a grand slam home run in the Series. Gil McDougald was the 1951 American League (AL) Rookie of the Year. 1951 was also first year Mickey Mantle came up to the Majors (Yankees). Mickey's in the Baseball Hall of Fame — Gil is not.
McDougald skyrocketed through the Yankee farm system. Playing for the Twin Falls Cowboys of the Class C Pioneer League, he batted .340 and was selected as the league All-Star at second base in 1948. Promoted the following year to the Victoria Athletics of the Class B Western International League, he turned in a near mirror-image performance, batting .344 (with 64 extra-base hits) and was again chosen the league’s All-Star second baseman.
While playing and living in Victoria, BC, Canada, Gil & wife, Lucille were neighbors and Bill Irvine (11yrs) baby-sat for their first-born daughter, Christina. McDougalds rented a home at 1540 Edgeware Rd., Victoria. BC, at the corner of Edgeware Rd. and Doncaster Dr. before moving on to Texas the following season. The Irvines lived at 2848 Doncaster Dr. (in 1948 the address was 2940), just 60metres from the McDougald's residence.
At that time — while still attending highschool — Bill served as a concessions' waiter selling refreshemnts from a tray supported around his neck. Due to this fact, Bill got to see all the Western International League's baseball game held at Athletic Park in Victoria in 1949.
On nights when Bill was not 'working', Gil took him into the game for free as he entered for the night's game. Gil at 20years old and Bill a decde younger became friends and Bill fondly rmembers him sitting and talking with the elder on Gil's front steps.
At season's end, and Gil moved on to the Texas league, Bill soon put it all behind him and took up golfing at Cedar Hill Golf Course. It is all now, just part of history.
September 11 2001 (will live in infamy) and I went out for a bike ride today.
After cycling up Cedar Hill Rd. bike lane to St. Luke Church, I turned around and headed for UVic.
The ongoing construction at Shelbourne St. is a hazard to cyclists but once past there it was up the hill to Gordon Head Rd.
After cycling thru the Alumni Trails, I emerged onto Cedar Hill X Rd. and back home by 11a.m.
The son (61yrs) of our late friend, is leaving to cycle in northern Italy. His destination is the City of Riccioni and its world-famous; Hotel Dory.
The hotel is best-known as one of the world's best locations for organized cycling adventures. One only has to show up and everything is at one's fingertips for a guanteed, lifetime, cycling experience.
The Dory Hotel has now been family-run for three generations. It all began in 1954, when it was still a small guesthouse with just a few rooms.
Things have changed since then. Now, the Dory Hotels & Suite comprises three buildings: Hotel Dory, Residence Dory Suite and D-place. They’re all close to each other and share the same passion. The love of the Giuliodori family has been the glue over all these years.
Hotel Dory, Residence Dory Suites website
Saturday morning at 10am the Bravehearts met at the Switch Bridge (SB)
