2022 Christmas Letter

 

My mom, my hero!

I’ll admit I had not taken the whole thing very seriously. But standing atop the 70-foot concrete wall, looking down at the makeshift dock that was floating in the old port of Montreal with 50 bobbing bathing caps about to launch into the port waters, there was a part of me that feared for my wife’s safety. In a pandemic silver lining, there were spaces available for “volunteer athletes” in the Triathlon World Championships on the Canadian National Team and Carolyn and her sister Jenn had managed to snag two spots. For a glorious weekend in June, we all got to support them as they competed alongside the best triathletes in the world. No more pandemic stupor, the event was back on, the gun went off and there were high fives all around at the finish line. 2022 was the year we took a post-pandemic laxative and got on with it.

Carolyn was not the only one to take the plunge this year, Maggie and David were married in October. I am sure that you saw the engagement video in your Tik Tok feed at some point.  In the gamified world they have now gotten to Level 3: meet, engage, marry. They earn a badge and get showered with gifts. The event was a joy, but the unvarnished Dazed Dad take on it is,” wow that was a lot of work for a lot of people” (mainly not me). Something more akin to a barn-raising rather than just a barn wedding

The literal moving this year was done by Hannah. Now that real school was back in session, she moved to Boston get a graduate degree at Tufts. Prior to that, the University was paying her in her job as a Lab Manager at UofT…now she is paying the university. Tufts is an archetypal red brick, green lawn private university with everything a budding academic could require. Hannah loves the Child Development program and has a shared house with good roommates. There is really no reason to ever leave that platonic Shangri-La except that after a few years you have to face up to the serious financial implications of your actions.

Driving the 'new car' to Boston

171 College St., Somerville

Carolyn and I spent about 2 months cycle touring. In May we rode north along the Danube from Belgrade and then west through Hungary, Austria and on to Munich. In November we drove to Nashville and rode to Baton Rouge mostly on a linear National Park road that passes through Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. Needless to say, the two rides were vastly different. The first ride is the Old World, the second is the new reality. But in both places, you meet kind and interesting people along what is, at times, a challenging journey. There is still marketing consulting work to be done, we just squeeze it into the times when we are not out riding a bike.

On the Natchez Trace Parkway

The mighty Danube

Now that we are all moving on, we are sad to lose the Zoom cocktails and social hibernation. But we are excited about actually spending time with friends and family this year. In person, in real life. I will still be riding my bike in the metaverse of Zwift during the winter. Too fun to give up.  Apparently, this is the online future of everything (doubtful), along with endless sports betting…or at least endless ads for sports betting! We hope you have short odds on a happy and healthy holiday. See you in the new year. 

"America" - Counting the cars on the Natchez Trace Parkway....(Solby Version)

 With a nod to Simon and Garfunkel

"Let us go touring, we'll tackle the tough climbs together 
We sold our real estate back in TO
So we packed up our thermarests, in search of warm blue skies,
And drove off to look for America. 

"Marc", I said as we crossed with our Nexus in Windsor
“High Park seems like a dream to me now"
It took us six days to cycle to Tupelo
We’ve come to cycle America

Laughing in the tent
Watching games on our cell phones
Kim said the bakery at French Camp worth a stop by
Dave said be careful in Jackson it's really a city 

 
“Toss me a Builders Bar, I think there's one in my tube bag”
"We ate the last an hour ago"
So I looked at the scenery, he read his average speed,
And the sun rose over a cotton field. 

 
"Marc, we're lost”, I said, though he knew I was teasing. 
Waters empty, butt's aching and I do know why 
Counting the cars on the Natchez Trace Parkway 
They've all come to look for America
All come to look for America
All come to look for America

https://youtu.be/Eo2ZsAOlvEM

Day 21 - That's a Wrap = 1,092 km (678 miles)

The final few kilometers, through very nice suburbs. Gorgeous old trees, beautiful homes, safe roads. It was a very nice ride. 

And then we took the pedals and front wheels off and loaded up our bikes. DONE

1,092 kilometers / 678 miles

And off we went.....(hit it Paul Simon):

The Mississippi Delta
Was shining like a national guitar
I am following the river
Down the highway
Through the cradle of the Civil War

I'm going to Graceland, Graceland
Memphis, Tennessee
I'm going to Graceland
Poor boys and pilgrims with families
And we are going to Graceland

(Graceland was closing as we arrived so no gift shop, no tour, but we got a feel for it and got some photos.)

Picked up our Subaru at Leipers Fork, dropped off the rental at Nashville airport (that was absolutely insanely busy at 10:30 pm😳), and we are safely in a hotel room outside Nashville. 

Tomorrow. Home. 

Day 20 - Sorry We Are Closed

It is nice to cycle into a city on a Sunday. You get quiet streets, not much traffic. 

However. 

When you wake up Monday morning (of American Thanksgiving week), you learn that ...

The Capitol Building is closed today. 

The Old Capital Museum is closed today. 

The Arts and Science Museum is closed today. 

The whiskey tour is closed today. 

The Farmer's Market - only in Saturday. 

Heck, even Discover Baton Rouge Visitors Center  was closed today!!

So we wandered the quiet streets and took in the beautiful architecture (from outside the buildings), the library and arts center, parks and art. 

The Old Capital Building is beautiful. 

And the old live oak trees around it are incredible. 

The USS Kidd* was open (woot woot!!) and we had fun doing the tour. Very well done, you get to explore the whole ship, down into the bowels and up to the gun deck. 

*Fletcher-class destroyer USS KIDD (DD-661), the "Pirate of the Pacific" located in the heart of scenic downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she is the centerpiece of a memorial which serves to honor the men and women of our American armed forces. 

The balance of the day was admittedly indulgent. Watching some HBO, some world cup soccer, a visit to the fitness room and a quiet (Monday Night Football) night. 

Stats of a quiet day. 

Tomorrow we roll outta here 

Day 19 - Baton Rouge

It's all downhill from here!

We left our mansion after a ghost-less night, and found our way south to Baton Rouge. The ACA (Adventure Cycling America) does help with traffic free options, but we didn't take the gravel roads today. The suburb navigation was hard enough. 

Not warm, but sunny. 

We did have to stop for a DETOUR. 

We were huddled on the corner of a small road looking at the detour sign and our route and trying to replan, when a large truck came along and wanted to turn. 

It was a tight turn. 

It was a small road. 

We got out of his way, but that didn't help. 

He just didn't make it. 

His back tires went down into the soft side and then the back of the truck hit the road and, well, he was stuck. 

He was NOT happy (don't blame him). 

He asked us "are you PO-lice"?

😳 Um no...

"You just regular cyclists?" 

Um yes ...

We could just fit our bikes through to the detour route - nobody else was taking that detour until a big tow truck got there! 

We paralleled the "Scenic Highway", which was scenic in the Exxon industrial plant kind of way. 

We did have a lovely lunch stop in a nice little park in Scotlandville. Complete with a community garden growing eggplants. But we were surprised at how FEW people there were out today, anywhere. Where is everyone?

Riding into a city takes you through many neighborhoods. Yesterday our new friend First (at the Star Market) said, "yes that route will get you to Baton Rouge, but some of those neighbors, well, just don't stop."  True at times. Some places less economically viable than others. 

The Thruway was interesting. We rode a path underneath it. It was a concrete park. Clean. And some basket ball hoops. But right under the Thruway. It was a bit strange. And we saw only 2 kids there, with their ball. They looked uneasy to see us.  Different world under there for sure. 

Admittedly we kept thinking, oh this is the sketchy neighborhood that Ford was warning us about. But then, oh, another one. Lots of stops, stop lights, rough roads, pot holes, but no issues. We honestly saw so few people it was perplexing. Sunday - Church? Football?  Maybe it is just too cold. I get that. 

The Capital Building comes into view long before anything else in the city. And then we even got a lovely bike path for a few miles. 

And then we rolled into the Marriott (with a Starbucks 😊) and happily took off our bike shoes! 

A little tour of the very very quiet city.

and a lot of resting and relaxing watching NFL football on TV and watching the F1 race on Marc's phone and monitoring the CFL Grey Cup on mine. 

ARGOS!!!  Happy Day!

1,075 kms 

But we still have a few miles to go before we drive 🙂

Day 18 - Louisiana Luxury

We had a cold night, but a sweet alarm clock. Ok not really that sweet to have a cat around your tent with her claws. But she did no damage. All good. 

As we packed up and ate our oatmeal our bonfire friend came to say good bye and offered us his phone number in case anything comes up between here and Baton Rouge. He said he could be there in 2 hours (we are taking 2 days). So kind. His name is Wesley. 

But wait, I thought his friend who was at the fire last night was Wesley. Not wrong. Best friends since childhood. Same name 🙂

We decided to take the less travelled roads. We didn't want to risk traffic and trucks, so we decided to risk dogs.  The dogs stuck to their own property. A few loud ones telling us off, a few shy ones looking on with interest. 

But sometimes when you choose the road less travelled, you get gravel. And gravel we got! At least 10k. Definitely slowed us down. The ATVs that went by had no trouble on it.  But it was low traffic, so low we saw several deer crossing. 

And then we got rain. So we stopped in Norwood for lunch under a picnic roof - ok some people would call it a drive thru bank, but it is Saturday, the bank is closed, and it worked perfectly! Just ask the roosters who came to visit. 

A few more wet and chilly kilometers. Paved quiet roads now, with some large ranches and some small ones. We saw piglets and a great farm that looked like the Big Little Farm.  Hello Louisiana. 

And then we pulled into Jackson Louisiana and stopped to get a beer and some chips. 

Super nice people everywhere we stop. They engage in easy conversation and are curious about our ride. Some have helpful advice for our route, others simply encourage us to stay safe, and today of course quite a few people suggested getting warm and dry. 

We had been looking and looking for a place to stay. We had called the historic Bed and Breakfast in Jackson, but they had no rooms for Saturday night.  She gave us an Airbnb lead, but he was booked, he gave us another Airbnb lead but she was booked... It was not looking good. 

But then.

Bonnie called back. And she does have a room, actually an entire house. The guests coming don't arrive until Sunday and then they take over the whole house for the whole Thanksgiving week. 

So.... She said we could stay, and called us "her cyclists". 

We seriously have this entire mansion. It is incredibly decorated and beautifully kept. More like a museum than a bed and breakfast. Wow. 

Hot bath in the claw tub. 

Luxury. 

Local Mexican restaurant for dinner. We were the only guests NOT wearing camouflage. I am not joking. 

Happy to be warm and dry and sleeping in a bed tonight. 

Today's stats, admittedly we are going downhill.