IIDD, May 20th

Hi Generalissimo!

Just returned, about an hour ago, from a wonderful ride. Whirlygig and I were to meet outside our place at 7:00am but somehow missed each other. I rode around my place, covering a distance of 5K, total elapsed loop distance, before going inside to call him on his cellulare. He assumed I wasn't coming when I wasn't out front so headed off around Stanley Park. He was near Coal Harbour when I reached him and he agreed to ride back towards Science World. We met close to Cambie Bridge and after I hurled a few vitriolic insults at him, we proceed around Park. It was simply glorious, snow-capped mountains, ocean surface almost as smooth as a mirror, freighters seemingly almost near enough to touch. Not that many people around so it was very pleasant not to have to play dodge the small child or large dog!

Whirlygig made for home at MacDonald/Point Grey and I continued on out to UBC, doing a variation of the SW Marine/Wesbrook Village/16th Ave loop to clock 107K by time I was back at The Island Inn. Quite pleased with how I felt so seems as if the accumulated K's are building more endurance.

With respect to riding together, Flamin' wants to ride at 11:30am tomorrow, probably out to UBC, some variation of ride mentioned above. Whirlygig, as you mentioned, wants to ride on Sunday and I'm up for it as well but need to set off around 9:00am or so, as we are off to Squamish to stay overnight, in early afternoon. Unfortunately, weather looks like it's going to deteriorate as showers are forecast well into next week! One of reasons I wanted to log a lengthy ride today. Kits Beach was filled with Sun Worshippers when I cycled past on way home. Molto Difficile to keep one's eyes on the road with all the female pulchritude on display, now that the sun is out!

Had you wanted to ride on Saturday I was going to invite you to stay for dinner. Sarge left this morning to fly to Halifax, to start his holidays. Flamin' doesn't leave until next week so we have invited her for dinner. I thought we might play some bridge. At any rate, you are welcome to come for dinner even if you don't come riding. If you decide to ride you could bring a change of clothes and have a shower here, if you wanted to do so, other than going home and then coming back. Anyway, let me know what you'd like to do and we'll plan accordingly.

With respect to Il Conductore, name goes back to days when I was the Captain of Team II, (VRC had two teams in Div I Squash Singles League in those halcyon days!), and initiated the levy of a fine for games lost. I bought a small piggy bank and each player had to "Pay The Pig" a dollar for each game lost, plus $1 penalty if the match itself was lost, and an additional $1 if the evening was lost. We used the money to buy steaks and hootch for our annual weekend, with wives and girlfriends, on The Sunshine Coast at Roberts Creek, usually in May or June. Furthermore, if any players were not playing well, I "benched" them and then threatened to send to them to Albuquerque, to the farm team, unless they started to perform according to expectations. One week everybody lost and so the joke was that we needed and entire Team Bus to take everyone to New Mexico. Consequently, I became The Conductor and eventually I italianized  it to Il Conductore! 

Cheers, Patrizio!