Oh Happy Day!! ;-)

Sometimes things call for desperate measures.  Some of us just couldn't wait any longer for some two wheel action that we had to go and hire some bikes.  A good time was had by all and it killed a few hours while we waited for the sign ...

Just as we were coming back in to return these, the long awaited txt message came through.  The bikes are cleared and taxis ordered to take us all to the bonded warehouse.  Apprehension rose for a few of us as we knew it meant a ride back across Vancouver city centre.  You will however see the extra wide smiles as the photos go on.  The next few photos are of us unpacking the bikes and getting ready to leave.

A great ride followed across the City.  It was very hot and the nerves made us sweat too.  The lights change from green to red pretty quick, you must give way to pedestrians so have to watch out for that and just keeping an eye on where we were going in general.  Felt great afterwards though and the interest from other road users was a surprise.  At least four of us were shouted at from cars when we stopped at lights to ask where we had come from and what we were planning.  There was a comment from a passer by that Garys Triumph was a rose amongst thorns with all the BMW's.  It made him very proud to be riding British.

I think we all now feel ready for the adventure and the smiles are huge.  Following picture of a few of us parked up at the hotel on our return

The hotel have been brilliant, kept an area clear for us to put our bikes in and our new friend Michael the hotel maintenance guy keeps an eye on them and has taped them off like a crime scene so that nobody can go near.

Planning a trip out in the morning to the BMW and Triumph dealers to say hi and then the afternoon at the tree top walk and suspension bridge.

Paddling in the Pacific

Well its been a bit of a slow day.  Lots of anticipation and little to show for it.  The original plan was that customs would be carrying out the soil check on the bikes this morning, then it was 1pm.  We were all put on standby to go and pick the bikes up at 2.30 when we received a text to say that customs hadn't done the checks yet and won't now do it until tomorrow.  Disappointment all round and at a loss as to how to kill the afternoon.

We now have most of the group with us.  The latest picture from the bar (its always in the bar) shows everyone except Dave who arrives tomorrow and Ian, our van man who must have disappeared for 10 minutes as for some reason he's not in the shot.

Barbara, Gary, John, Sam, Marion, Leighton, Paul, Tony, Andy, Jackie, Craig

After dinner four of us decided to go paddling in the Pacific.  At the end of the trip we will go paddling in the Atlantic. 

Nothing else to add today.  Hopefully pictures of bikes tomorrow subject to customs bothering to turn up to do their job.

Route March

Gary decided today he would take me on a route march.  He still has a lot of Army in him!  Up at the crack of dawn for a good breakfast followed by a 7 mile circumnavigation of Stanley Park.  The only other people we saw were walkers and runners and people doing "excercise", now you all know I don't do that.

I will give it to him though, it is a lovely park, the following photos are of the totem poles at the far end and the "must have" photo taken with Downtown Vancouver in the background (taken by a very nice Swedish bloke).

On our walk we saw the police doing what the police do best.......

They must have gone for breakfast somewhere but the bikes looked great.  Barbara came into the bar this evening with a similar photo of the three police bikes in a line at the back of Fat Burger... it must have been lunchtime.

The following photo really got me thinking about the conversation that must have gone before it....

Client...."I want a big oak tree in my garden"
Contractor..... "Sorry sir, I just don't think thats possible"
Client... "Just make it happen, I don't care how you do it"

Following the Park walk, he decided we should go and visit the local Triumph dealer which was the other side of the city through the druggie district and out the other end about another 5 miles to find out that it was shut anyway because they'd had a water leak.  We got the bus back and the bus driver felt so sorry for the stupid brits that he gave us the tickets for free and made sure we knew where to get off the bus.

The group is getting bigger by the day, we added Paul to our number this afternoon.

From the left, Marion, John, Gary, Tony, Paul, Barbara, Craig.

Craig and Barbara have done a good job today getting the bikes through the first round of customs clearance, however the customs officials have decided they want to give them a soil check to make sure we are not importing any nasties with them.  They are doing that tomorrow morning so hopefully we will be able to go and get them tomorrow afternoon.

Our mascots are patiently waiting for their transport to arrive

Just Arrived

After a very long flight have been here a couple of hours.  The group is getting together, Barbara and Craig the ride leaders were on the same flight as us.  John and Marion got here yesterday and Tony arrived not long after us.  Apparently the cargo ship carrying our bikes docked today.  Craig is off to customs in the morning to see what is happening and maybe we will get our bikes earlier than expected.

It is about 1am in my head but not yet tea time for my body so doing the blog has been difficult.

Us with John and marion in the bar just after we arrived and a couple of shots of Vancouver harbour and Stanley Park.  Better entry tomorrow I hope

Am off for a burger and some sleep.

Gary watching the news and lots of fires across parts of Canada coz its so hot!!

Problems with Posting Comments

Some people have suggested to me that they have posted comments on the blog.  However the only ones that are showing are from Carolynne.  I have just tested it with an Anonymous post and suggest that when you put your comment on you press Preview.  It may need you to do that a few times before it will come up in a Preview box with a "Publish Comment" box.  Once successful it will tell you that your comment has been published.

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Many thanks

aaaaagggghhhhh - soooooooooooo excited!!!

Only a week to go!!!! Gary and I had a discussion today about how we can't normally cope with a two week holiday and usually start talking about work after about 10 days.  Are we going to be able to do six weeks without work.  Seriously..... it IS a consideration.  Will we still like each other after six weeks of being together all day every day.  It will be a first run of how retirement might be in the future.

I have a special picture for you on this entry.  As I have been working on the Olympic site for the last few years, our mascots for the trip are Wenlock and Mandeville, our mad Olympic friends.  They are bikers too of course, just in case you were not aware.

Picked up the travel cash today and tomorrow will be all about final packing and making sure all the paperwork is in order.  This coming week is then all about making sure everything is covered for while we are away.  This time next week we will be at Gatwick.

Saying Goodbye

Well the time has come to say goodbye to the bikes.  They were dropped off this morning at James Cargo near Heathrow ready to be put into a shipping container for their journey to Vancouver.

The bikes were inspected and given a pretty clear bill of health.  Staff were really impressed with Garys and couldn't find any damage to note at all which they were surprised about for a two year old bike.  Mine of course has the damage from chucking it down the North Circular a few months ago.

The guys at James Cargo were great and I have no worries about leaving my best friend with them, I'm sure they will look after her.  We were the first from the group to drop our bikes off, but the others are due either today or Monday.  They will then go into a container, uncrated, and onto the CAPLI which is due to sail on 12th June.  Hopefully I will be able to track the ship during its sailing.  Next time we see the bikes will be in Canada sometime around 20th July.  Bon Voyage!!

Thanks to Dad for following us down in the car and giving us a lift home.  Think he enjoyed it really.