RAIN ABORTS THE “NO SWEAT RIDE”

Well sure, there was rain forecasted for much of the day, but who knew when that would happen? It wasn’t raining for us to load bikes and drive to the start of what Steven names the “No Sweat Tour”.

We arrived at the start in good spirits and Steven gave his usual thorough explanation of the route.

 We were mainly all smiles because we had thoughts that there would be no ride today.

Bede and Jerry, from Atlanta, are ready to go. 

Betty, from Chicago, waves a postive riding day wave.

Mary, New York, and Cherylann, Chicago, smile for the dry start of our ride..




Joy, co-owner with husband Steven, points out an alternative plan if necessary.

We ride!! About half a mile to the bakery. Only in Canada and Europe would there be a bakery with no neon signs pointing to it.

By the looks of it, you would never guess this was a bakery with so many tasty homemade goods.

There are so many bikes here (ours) — it must be a bakery!

Retracing our route a short distance from the bakery to the main road, we turn in for our next stop the Chocolate shop. YES, we all say.

While we peruse the shop and make some choices, it begins to rain in ERNEST! Pouring. We hold up for a while with hope.

Here’s Kathy, hoping.

Some of us get a chocolate chaud (Hot Chocolate and I have no idea if this is the spelling— thank you Deborah for the spelling ;’-)) for the wait. REAL chocolate for this drink makes SUCH a difference!! Delightful.

Intrepid Jean shows us how it can be done in this heavy rain. But none of us take him up on it. He has plastic grocery bags over his shoes.

Steven gave us the vote and it was unanimous to take a tour of our intended bike route ... in the van. So some drowned (no pun here) their sorrow in wine at he local winery.

The pouring rain not only continued for our entire drive, but it got worse for a while and a heavy wind kicked up. Lunch today was back home in the dry and warm living room. We needed sustenance after the six mile ride!