Training on the lakes for the Kendukeag Canoe Race just past, I have been looking forward to this morning for the past couple weeks.

The first "official" ride of the year, seeing people I havn't seen since November, cruising out the #2 highway past the lakes and just having fun. As I have said in the past, in my mind the most enjoyable thing about the stuff we do is not doing it or thinking about what we have done, but knowing the next hike, paddle, peddle, or run is going to be the best ever.

As I spun into Waverly at 7:49am, I was blessed with the burst of colors worn by my fellow Gonzos-reds, pinks, purples, yellows, oranges, blacks. And so many smiling faces. Hoping not to forget someone there was Dipper, Geezer, Scrounger, Fireball, Recumbent Franz, Honest Abe, Betty Boop, Rocket Ronnie, Packitin/Packitout, Stalker, Darrin Gray, IMAX, his lovely daughter Erin, and myself.

After hugs and kisses and the checking out of the new toys (bikes and gear) some had acquired we were ready to move out. The arrival of VIKING and Helga gave us another few minutes to hug and kiss again.

Off we went in staggered groups of 3 or 4 into a fairly substantial headwind, not great for the first ride. We picked up Judy Hunt along the way making our numbers now 17.

I was cruising with the Geezer, about two miles into the ride, when we came around a corner to see a gathering of Gonzos on the side of the road. Thinking flat tire, there were 34 of them out here, we braked to see who we could make fun of. Things were not so funny. IMAX had got his stead parallel to the curb with both wheels touching. Unable to turn he went sideways off the bike landing on his hip. Darrin and Erin, yes they do rhyme, went back to get his car and took him off to the hospital for x-rays. On we went for breakfast not quite in the same spirit.

First report on IMAX is two fractures of upper femur, operation this pm to place metal plates, 3-5 days in the QE II, home for recovery. I will update as information becomes available.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, arriving at the BIG STOP to be joined by Paul Hunt, BIRDER, Motor, and Linda Banks.

We were reminded of our down biker when we went into the restaurant to find the trophy that the Consortium had won by coming in 2nd to the winning Foundation (refer to story Race within a Race in last weeks Kenduskeag race) had been dressed up a "little" bit by IMAX, replacing the beer can with a gorgeous sand blasted glass replica of the Bill Mason stamp. Gordon mentioned that it would now be going on his mantle for sure and he will probably be "trying" for 2nd place next year to keep the trophy.

After giving the grease 10 minutes to digest, we flew home with an ever present tail wind.

After deciding that our next ride would be to Peggy's Cove the weekend of May 6 since next week most Gonzos are travelling down the Annapolis Valley to Greenwood for the 10 km raod race.

Looking forward to seeing some of the present friends tommorow on the paddle and Monday on the hike into Cape Split along with others that do not bike, we said our goodbyes.

Love and kisses

Sungod