Thoughts....Things....and a bottle of wine.: What I did on my summer vacation!

So I know it's been a long time, and I am sorry... I have signed up for Facebook and it seems to have become my defacto way of posting... So.. This array of images is from my most recent vacation. Which I would like to point out… was really wonderful, we really do live in a great country.

It all started with the RBC Banff Gran Fondo, in essence a 145km bike race. Well they say its not a race.. But I knew better, and I did race it...and I am very happy with my effort, 4hrs & 54mins, 19th out of 171 in my age group and 37th out of 474 females overall... It might not sound that impressive but given the fact that I had been sick for almost 6 weeks and ended up on antibiotics two weeks before the race for bronchitis ... I thought it was not too shabby!

I have to give some great credit to my coach Mike Neill from Human Powered Racing, while I did not get formal coaching this year, last year Mike not only coached me to prepare for the ride but during the ride as well! It was his support and guidance during the ride last year that help so much this year, I was able to pick myself up after getting dropped by the group I was with in the last 20km and talked myself into moving forward at the pace I needed to… thanks Mike, I know you thought you were being hard on me last year…. but you were not and it helped!

The Trip…

So three nights in Banff with a great visit from my sister in law and it was off to wonderful Chateau Lake Louise, 6 nights; hiking, biking, canoeing, eating... And yes wine.... I can not even express how wonderful that place is! We were in a 1 bedroom lake view suite, yes… it was that nice!

Then one night in Radium Hot Springs, where we made friends with a waitress at the golf club that was sure we should do shooters, luckily we were sure we should not :) after a good nights sleep it was off to Nelson BC.... Historic, beautiful... But just a tad odd..... That's for sure...

Now after a very scenic drive we are staying at a little slice of heaven in Naramata BC, vineyard views, birds chirping, and breathtaking sunsets....

Want proof of all this wonderfulness? Here you go!