Ready or not, here we go!

April 30, 2022

We got our freshly-tuned bikes into their cases on Thursday, before heading off to attend our younger son’s graduation recital. Each student in the program (Capilano University Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies—Performance/Composition option) “will conceive and execute a significant final project featuring original compositions which includes some of their own compositions” as described in the course description. It was great!

OK, proud parent hat off, bike helmet on.

We’ve packed everything, made sure we had our passports, printouts and digital versions on our phones for proof of vaccination and completed EU Digital Passenger Locator Form, weighed our bike cases to make sure they are under the weight limit (we bent Air Canada’s rules a bit about having only the bike in the bike case), ordered a taxi to take us to a Canada Line stop (much less expensive than taking a taxi all the way to the airport)…I sure hope we haven’t forgotten anything. We leave tomorrow (Sunday) morning and should arrive in Florence mid-afternoon local time on Monday.

We don't usually train for a tour but this time we are at a new low. We've each had only one short test ride since we packed our bikes back in Malaga in December. The ski area where we skate ski (way way more exercise than downhill skiing) closed April 10 so the only exercise we've been getting is the stairs in our new place, which has 5 levels if we include the roof deck and basement.

I’ll finish by adding that I’m up on the roof deck of our new townhouse writing this. We only got possession at the end of March (3 months late) and are still dealing with a large number of deficiencies. Colin, our new grad, will be house sitting for us and (I hope) dealing with this in our absence. We had hoped to be in and settled before departing for two months. But we are not postponing this trip again!

View to the north from the roof deck (taken on a clear day, not today). The closest houses will come out, to be replaced by a park. We hope it won't take too many years.

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Steve Miller/GrampiesOh goodie, you will be scribbling on the same continent as us by tomorrow. We wish you a marvellous tour and look forward to reading along with you daily.
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2 years ago

Susan CarpenterLooking forward to following along - it should be a fantastic trip. And I feel your pain re moving into a new construction, having experienced many, many, many delays and “deficiencies” in my recent move. Looks like you got a great place to come home to.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonSafe flight! Good luck with those suitcases!
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2 years ago

Suzanne GibsonBon voyage!
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2 years ago

Jacquie GaudetTo Susan CarpenterI think Al wonders why we're leaving but it's not too hard right now because the spring weather in Vancouver has been cold and wet.
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2 years ago

Jacquie GaudetTo Scott AndersonWe sure hope so, both when we check them for our flight and when we send them on to our departure hotel near Venice.
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2 years ago

Jacquie GaudetTo Steve Miller/GrampiesThanks, Steve and Dodie!
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2 years ago

Jacquie GaudetTo Suzanne GibsonThanks, Suzanne! We hope the voyage is indeed bon! Less than 24 hours from right now we should be landing in Florence--or should I say Firenze.
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2 years ago

Patrick O'HaraSusanna and I are looking forward to following along. So, you, the Grampies, and the Anderson's all in Europe at the same time? Bon Voyage.
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2 years ago

Jacquie GaudetTo Patrick O'HaraWe are, but we won’t cross paths with them, nor with the other Canadian Cycleblazers I’ve been following, the Fenwicks and the Maher-Wearys.
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2 years ago

ann and steve maher-wearyYou made it! We will be following along your adventures too, happy cycling!
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2 years ago

Jacquie GaudetTo ann and steve maher-wearyThanks! I’ll be catching up with other people’s journals (including yours) once I get mine on track.
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2 years ago