Back to Skewl

 After the long weekend, some people in Amanda's office were allowed to go back to campus to work. Many are still working remotely. They were given the option and Amanda jumped at it. She figured she'd be safe, as she has a private office and no one ever comes to visit her. While SOME people have LOVED working from home. Amanda couldn't STAND it - the rest of us were TOO MUCH DISTRACTION!!!

On this first day back I rode with Amanda for fun, and then carried on for a bit longer ride... 

A mix of overcast skies and smoke from forest fires raging across Western Canada - made for a pretty dark and gloomy morning. So dark, most of the photos I took were out of focus (these are the LEAST out of focus ones!) 

So dark and gloomy, if felt a little like going back to school in September!? 

There weren't a LOT of people entering campus as we arrived. Mind you it IS still summer, and a LOT of people are still working at home. 

But there was certainly more than the last time we came to campus to pick up computers and stuff - it was a total ghost town then! 

Rainbow pathway from Arts Building to the Library 

Thorvaldson - the Chemistry Building - where Amanda currently has her office. 

Masks still required here!  

After dropping Amanda off, I headed north on the Meewasin Trail. 

So much haze! 

I thought maybe I'd just do a loop up to the Circle Bridge and back home.... only 12Km - much less than I'm shooting for daily, but I did a LOT more Yesterday. By the time I was heading back downtown from the Circle Drive bridge, I decided I'd hit the South Bridge and make it a 20Km loop. 

Pelicans and Cormorants. 

By the time I got to the south bridge, however, I was feeling a bit more awake and decided to head out to Cheif Whitecap park and make it a bit longer ride! 

Looking back at downtown from the south bridge. 

Out of town and heading towards Chief Whitecap Park. 

Grasswood Road 

Strathcona Avenue

And back into town. 

Just past here I ran into my friends John and Amy who I haven't seen in ages, which was nice. 

and back downtown...

Ended up riding over 35Km.

June Rides

I did get a fair bit of riding through June... I tried to keep up 200Km/week I'd worked up to May and pretty much managed to do just that by going out for a 30Km ride most days.  I'm not fast. It takes about two hours. I enjoy the scenery. 

Here are some pictures I took while out for some of those rides... 

All the Baby Geese going for swimming lessons

Lot of hot, dry, cloudless days this month. 

And then there was that one day that it rained. 

Boy, did if EVER rain. 

Thought I might dodge these rain clouds... 

but wasn't so lucky - caught it for about 20 minutes near the end of my ride. the wide was so strong I was down to under 10Km/hr and my front was SOAKED, but my back was almost entirely dry!? 

Rainbow after the rain passed. 

still raining in the distance. 

Baby Geese getting bigger. 

this is about midway through the month. by the end of the month they were almost full sized and getting adult looking colours - but still hasn't developed wings to fly.

Sad scene - a cyclist was hit two blocks from our house one morning. This was many hours later when I happened to be walking by - van and bicycle still in the road waiting for traffic investigators. 

Happens EVERY time I ride down one of these separate pathways - ALWAYS people running or walking dogs in the bike track... 

More Baby Geese.

Crazy Clouds - totally thought I'd get rained on. 

Not sure it even ended up raining at all this day...?

Seriously, what is going on up there in the sky!? 

For a week or so, Amanda and i were getting out on the tandem, usually for a shorter ride, early in the morning. She was enjoying the rides.... 

First snake I saw this year, and it was dead. And a wee one at that, which made me ever sadder... 

More gravel rambling. 

Long, straight roads - but things looking considerably greener after the rain. 

More tandem riding. 

Another day of rain? 

Out for a ride with two of my favourite people. This morning I think we were heading over to a friends shoe store that was closing at the end of the month to stock up on some shoes! 

Friday trips to the library with Keira. 

They are always delighted to see the Baby Geese in the park downtown! 

So many of them! 

I'm not sure if they're Llamas or Alpacas... Not sure I even know the difference. Maybe I should look that up. 

Clouds. 

This last week it has been just CrAzY hot... daytime highs around 35°C... ugh... 

Cloudless skies, sweltering heat. 

It's been rough trying to keep up the riding the last few days. 

Friendly stranger took a good long look at me before bolting into the bush. 

Cows. 

Crazy clouds. 

More deer - but these were RIGHT DOWNTOWN at river landing - in the middle of the city. 

Last I saw them, they were running off towards the RBC Wealth Management office. Perhaps they were going to check on their investment portfolio... or maybe they were just going to poop at the front door. 

Pelicans flying by. Not as clear in the picture as when I saw them, but DAMN they are BIG BIRDS! 

those are all geese dotting the river in the foregraound. I wonder if that's all the goslings out for a swim?