Finally spring is here.  Last week we went from barely making it above 0 C to having three nights in a row where it didn't go below 0 C.

And there seems to be less than average water sitting around, I guess we can thank the lack of soil moisture going into winter.  Now we are having a spring rain and soon we'll hear the frogs singing.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeoNF_DwyRU  ( A URL to the sound of Manitoba singing frogs).  I love that I live in a place with seasons.

We had a busy weekend,  April 26 &27, although we had to stay indoors when we should have been outside enjoying our first nice weekend.  Bonita, Harvey and I led a team of great volunteers who   catered the Hope Center Ministries Spring Conference "IN 2013".  We did this as a fundraiser for Sea to Sea. 
     I didn't get to hear the speakers (Barbara J. Newman & Brian Doersksen) but conference attendees said they were excellent, moving speakers.  We also got compliments on the conference food, I would like to thank the Transcona and Covenant CRC members who donated fresh fruit, vegetables, dainties, cookies and cheese.  A big thank you goes out to the businesses that donated food - Lucerne Foods donated milk and the Carver's Knife donated luncheon meat.  With these donations we could put on an impressive lunch and two coffee breaks for just  $100, feeding 111 hungry conference attendees.  One more thank you goes out to the ladies and teenagers who helped us assemble the food and decorated the venue, you made us look good.  It is impressive the amount of people God is using to help us achieve our Sea to Sea fundraising goal.
    In the end we had food left over which we were able to sell to  the sold out crowd for the Brian Doersksen concert.   This went towards the Hope Center Ministries Fund raising efforts. 

On Sunday Harv & I and Bonita treated ourselves to a nice 25 mile (40 Km) bike ride around Bird's Hill Park.  We finally were able to take off our winter clothes.   Harv says if you laugh at his legs you have to make a donation.   Them are the rules.  A you can see most of the snow is gone.   This will likely be the last time we can use the snow drifts as a bike stand.   

I'll end this blog by posting the URL to a song that Brian Doerksen sang at the concert that closed the IN Conference.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGkXleEBbZ0 

Joyce

It is April 23rd already.   Time keeps on going by, very quickly.   To bad the snow did not go as fast.  When I look outside most of the front lawn is still covered with snow.  This picture to the right was taken April 13th, in Emo Ontario.  From your left to right, Tony Schweitzer, Bonita Vanderveen, and of course Joyce and myself. 

 On a closer look it looks like I could still loose some weight before this trip.   No sense in carry all that up the mountain. 

We were in Emo to host a pancake breakfast.   It was very well attended, and they very generously supported us.  We were going to go on a short 40-50 kilometre ride, but they had a blizzard the night before so all the streets had a new covering of ice and snow on them, and we neglected to take along our studded snow tires.  (We actually don't have any studded snow tires, but maybe they should be on our list of things to do/get).

We had to cancel the ride. 

This picture was taken in Birds Hill Park.  I think it was on Friday April 19th.  This is the entrance to the campground, which is closed.  I am not sure why, but maybe they did not use all of the snow clearing budget, but in any case the day before they were in there with a big loader and cleared all the roads to each and every campsite in the campground.   I guess they are expecting a sold out group of hardy campers or something.





This picture was taken yesterday, April 22nd.  This is one of  the camp site roads.   He did not do a very good job on this one.  Joyce advise me that she had her first spill.  She was trying to bike in the snow and started falling, but forgot until it was too late to unclip her clipless shoes.  (I know it does not make sense, but that is what they are called.  That is one of the things we have learned already on this adventure.) Anyway she did not hurt herself, because of all the nice soft snow to land in.  When I tried that same procedure,  I was not so lucky and landed on the hard pavement.   I have not forgotten since though.  I always unclip my clipless shoes now.

We had a very nice ride yesterday in the park though.  Most of the campsite roads were cleaned a lot better then this one.   We did about 10 miles just trying each and every bay.  We also got ambitious and rode from the east gate to the west gate.  We are really starting to spread our wings.  We may even get out of the park pretty soon.   

Here Joyce is looking at the campground site map.   I think she is tired and is looking for a good spot to set up camp.   We have the pick of the whole campground.  It is still very cold out though.  Yesterday was just above 0 C., but the wind made it feel a lot colder.  My iphone quit after only one  hour, likely because it was so cold.

We will have to keep this a bit more interesting, but the weather is still the main story.  

This weekend we are going to cater the IN2013 conference, which is put on by Hope Center Ministries.  There will be about 100 to 150 people there so it should be fun.  If you would like to come, check it out online at the Hope Center Website.  Tickets are still available.  The money we will make for catering will be going to Seatosea.  

Harvey

Well it is April 6th, 2013, or is it Nov 15th, and I missed the summer.   A few days ago, my driveway was black.  Just the driveway, nothing else, but at least that was a start to spring.   Now it is white again, and the snow is falling. 

We are anxious to get out and do some cycling on a road, or in the park, without our winter clothes on.  I guess we will just have to have patience. 

Maybe the reason Spring is so slow is  because we are still fundraising.   That part of this adventure we had hoped would be completed by now.  I guess we have to have more patience in that area too.   If you plan on supporting us in that way, please do not procrastinate any longer so that Spring will come, and then we can start on summer and start the tour. 

To make it easier for you we have created a tiny url.   Just go to www.tinyurl.com/Harveyvaags, or www.tinyurl.com/Joycevaags, or if you are an American cousin/friend go to www.tinyurl.com/Harv-Joycevaags

I hope this will help to get spring on the way.

A big thank-you to all those who have supported us already.  As a result we are about 1/2 way to our goal, and if you include the promises that were made we would be 3/4 of the way.   

Thank-you,   Harvey