it's been a while...

[bikerchick68]

since I've been here... I lost a ride buddy to Pancreatic Cancer on Nov 8... and with his death, my motivation left me for a while. His wife, he and I rode together all the time... (tprevost... if you read this, it was Mac. The black guy with us when we rode together )

Anyway, I'm ready to be back on the bike again. I don't have any specific goals now... just wanna get out and feel the wind in my hair and the sound of everyone clicking in when we take off. Not many people understand that but I know you all will.

I leave for a 2 week active tour (hiking, kayaking, snorkeling) of the Galapagos in 3 weeks and it's been good to have that to look forward to.

Hope this finds everyone else healthy and happy! I look forward to my return to riding...

[Veronica]

The Galapagos! How cool... on my some day list.

V.

[SadieKate]

Glad to have you back. I was lobbing mini-marshmallows at ya at Thanksgiving and wondering . . .

[solobiker]

You have been missed. Have a great time on your trip.

[maillotpois]

Hey! Welcome back! So sorry about your friend. Have a great trip.

[jobob]

I was lobbing mini-marshmallows at ya at Thanksgiving and wondering . . .

Aha! Which explains this

(Welcome back )

[SadieKate]

Ooh, you found out my sekret!

[bikerchick68]

thanks all! sadiekate... hahahahahhaha! you cracked me up. Can't believe you remembered I like those marshmallows. I bought a bag to make some brandy cream cheese balls for Xmas... ate ALL the leftover marshmallows.

maillotpois... thank you. He was a terrific man and a good friend. He was diagnosed Sept 17 and died Nov 8. If I ever have cancer that's not curable I hope it's that fast too. His wife is going to sell his bike. It's a 63cm Yeah, he was tall! We took it and his helmet and shoes to display at the funeral service. I thought that was a cool tribute.

Veronica... I am pretty excited about this trip. The woman who runs the tour worked for Darwin Station for 4 yrs and her DH is with UNESCO, so they're very eco-friendly. There is talk of closing the Galapagos to tourism due the toll insensitive vacationers are taking on some of the fragile environment.

solobiker.. thank you

jobob. EEEWWWW! That is NO marshmallow

[Brandy]

Welcome back. I am so sorry to hear about your friend.

Your trip sounds great...so much fun!

[crazycanuck]

Hi BC!

I'm sorry to hear about your friend

You're back with the Californiayyaaa ladies! Enjoy your trip, it sounds cool!!!

C

[Brandi]

I am so glad to see you back!
i can relate on the level of your friends death. MY dh and I to lost a really great friend very suddenly to aids right before christmas. It was a major shock how sick he got so fast. He's partner didn't tell him he was sick with it when they met. And so our friend found out to late. So sad...
But I have also moved on and finally reconnecting with our friends and family again. We have grieved enough. If not maybe to much. He would want us to live for him. He was very active in dancing. Travled a lot with a dance troop. He loved to just go. So we are!

All our avatars have changed since the last time I saw you (well some of us). Hope you remeber us all by our names.

[jobob]

Hee hee, it's a bit of a shock when someone changes her avatar. It's like a new hairstyle.

[sundial]

I leave for a 2 week active tour (hiking, kayaking, snorkeling) of the Galapagos in 3 weeks and it's been good to have that to look forward to.

This may be the best medicine for a troubled heart.

I'm sorry about the loss of your friend. Perhaps he will be with you in spirit on the island.

[bmccasland]

Bikerchick - welcome back. Sorry about the loss of your friend. I do like the tribute that was done at the funeral.

Are we going to see bike-on-the-beach, bike-meets-a-really-big-tortoise pictures from your trip to the Galapagos???? Bon Voyage!

[bikerchick68]

Brandy... thanks it should be a great experience. I'm going ALONE! I will be meeting someone I only know from a forum when I get there. She loves to travel and her DH doesn't... so she goes with her sister and friends. Could work out well for me for the future as I am the last single of my friends...

crazycanuck... thanks! LOL... I'm not sure I'm "back" but I'll get there. I imagine if I had to go ride a century I could... but I'd be whooped!

Brandi... thanks! Good to see you too. I'm sorry for the loss of your friend too. You're right about what THEY would want for us tho... Mac loved it that I was such a go getter about life in general. As to the avatars... I actually remember names better and glance at avatars but don't recognize people by them. I know... I'm weird! LOL

sundial... thank you. Mac would love the Galapagos... he was a Planet Earth junkie!

bmccasland... thank you. I am not taking my bike on this trip... the majority is on a boat going from island to island. However, there is an opportunity in Ecuador (we land in Quito) to do some bicycle down the hill thing like Haleakala in Maui. I had to laugh tho... they warned us if we choose to do that to be sure to check the brakes before we take off Apparently bike maintenance in Ecuador can be iffy at best. I may do a hike of a beach that day. LOL