We've been in Tucson for the past few weeks and yesterday I spotted another crested saguaro. Maybe you've seen it? We were on Old Spanish Trail Rd. heading east toward the entrance to the national park. We got on that road via Valencia. I think it was on one of the climbs - on the left.

Thanks, Janice! We can hardly believe it’s so close now. Somehow this ways comes as a surprise at the last minute.

Good luck with your remaining preparations. Looking forward to following you on una primavera italiana.

Frame them! But, I suppose you need a wall to hang it on. Scratch that!

You look marvelous!

NP. It works now.

Thanks, Ed!

Thanks!

The link to Another Italian Spring doesn't work: it goes to the editable version, I think, not the read-only public view.

My patches got sewn onto a nylon windbreaker, until I filled it up. Next I filled up a windbreaker vest. I have several more waiting for the next garment.

Last summer I switched to pins, which I mount on a pannier. My panniers, like yours, are Cordura and not the rubberized waterproof sort so there's no worry about poking small holes in them.

Pretty exceptional, arranging for your only dry days to come on your day off. And you’re right, there are a few rollers on the way to the island and back. Great once you’re out there but kind of Ma slog getting there.

In anticipation of adding German to the curriculum of Park City High School where I was teaching at the time, I was invited by the Goethe Institute to attend an intensive two week seminar held on the campus of Lewis and Clark College. Intensive meant that we only had two days off the whole time and these were the two Sundays. It rained every day for the whole two weeks except for the two Sundays. So I had two Sauvie Sundays although I spent one of them watching the ski team kids ski on the Mt. Hood glacier. I maxed the other one, however, by pedaling to and from the island. Going was fine, a little traffic, but there were some stiff climbs on the way back. So, two weeks and two Sauvie Sundays.

David Alston

We think Rachael always looks great. A shorter cut will be easier to manage for her though.

The saddlebag I use now has lots of badges on - it was one Debbie used on a tour of Europe back in 2005.

Unpicking and resewing would be too much for me!