Well spring has definitely arrived in Manitoba.   It has been very busy here the last week so now that it is raining today it is time to catch up with this blog.

On May 1st we did have a set back in the weather again.   This is what we had to bike in.  I think we opted out for the indoor trainer yet again.

Blow out

On May 4th the snow was gone again.  Joyce and I went for a nice ride around Birds Hill Park again, this time a little later in the evening.   The grass was starting to get green along the road so the deer were out eating the nice fresh green grass.  I stopped to take some pictures of Joyce and the deer, and awhile I was standing beside my bike taking the pictures the rear tire on my bike blew.   I sounded like a gunshot, and Joyce was sure someone was shooting at us or the deer.  The deer did not seem to mind, though because they did not even look up and just kept on eating.  Well that was the end of our ride, and the start of my first walk in clipless bike shoes as we were not prepared to fix anything on the road yet.

On Sunday afternoon May 5th it was very nice out again.   I convinced Fred Jeninga to take his bike out of his basement and ride along with us.  He kept up a very good pace.  I think he thought it was a race. We did finally stop to discuss the economics and politics of building a $2,000,000 foot path and cycling bridge across Hwy 59.  It is a beautiful structure, but no one seems to be using it.  Maybe because the trail leading up to it is just gravel.

On May 6th,  Joyce went to Pembina ND to pick up some bicycle accessories she had ordered online.  She felt this was a good excuse to keep driving on to Grand Forks for a shopping trip.  

On May 7th Bonita and I decided to finally leave the confines of Birds Hill Park.  We did a road trip all the way to Lockport Manitoba.  We had the wind behind  us at first so I was thinking that this trip would not be that hard after all.   Well on the way back against the wind I found out that I had better keep on training.   It was very hard to keep up to Bonita.  

On May 8th Joyce was back so I took her out to eat at the A&W in Lockport.  Of course we went there by bicycle. 

 As soon as Joyce got her bike off the truck she was off to the races.   I had to make a few adjustments to the new equipment we had added to our bikes, so I was a little slow in getting going.   We did not communicate very well as to which way we would go.  The road in Birds hill park is a big circle and you could go left or right.  Joyce went  left, and by luck I also went left.  Only trouble is I did not catch up to her on time.   She exited the circle and went to the Park exit to head to Lockport  .   I did not think she would do that and after waiting for her to come around from the right side, I continued around the circle, but never did find her.  I got in the truck and went looking and found her coming back.   She had been waiting for me at the gate.  

 This time we had the wind against us as soon as we left the park.  The day before we were cruising at about 25 MPH.  This time we had a hard time going 8 MPH.   After the first mile I stopped and asked Joyce if she was having fun yet.   Her reply.  "I don't think this will ever be fun."  We kept at it and made it to our dinner date.  On the way back she had a big smile on her face as we were cruising along at 20 plus MPH with the wind.  

After getting back from Lockport, I was loading my bike and Joyce decided she did not want to walk even one step if she could help it.   She rode right up to the truck, but she forgot to unclip her shoes.   As you can see she did not stop very gracefully.

   On Saturday May 18th, spring field work started for me.   I hauled fertilizer for Wayne Edie as he spread it on our Winter Wheat.

On Sunday May 19th,  Joyce and I had to step way out of our comfort zone.   We had to make a presentation in our church for Sea to Sea as we had a collection for it the next Sunday.  Since it was Mother's day I did the speaking and Joyce was there to catch me if I fainted. I think it went well.   I have no recollection of the event.

As you can see summer has arrived.  The dog is really enjoying himself.  I also set up the tent we would be using   It fit nicely on our deck.  We are giving up the big house in the background to live in this tent for 9 weeks.  It should be interesting.  

On Monday May 13th, I parked my bike and traded the little seat of the bike for the nice air ride seat in this machine.  That is all I did for the rest of the week.  I made many miles going 6 MPH up and down the fields.   The conditions were very nice and dry and we seeded over 2000 acres.   On Saturday morning May 18th, I rode my bicycle to work and by the afternoon we had to park this machine because it was raining.  

 

 On Sunday May 19th, Joyce and I again went to Birds Hill Park.   We did twice around the circle and then it started to rain again.   I could still keep up to Joyce even though she had put in three 30 mile days while I was riding up and down the field.

Today it is still raining, but we are not complaining as our crops really need this rain.  Hopefully it will stop soon though and then dry up so I can spend another week seeding and then I will be ready for our adventure across North America.