I don’t know about you but the weekend was excellent. Bikes, bikes and more bikes. Friends, friends and more friends. Really does the summer get much better than this? Throw in some great music at Bluesfest on Friday night – can’t get enough of Great Big Sea and some relaxing times with good people and it all adds up to an excellent weekend.

And the best part of all of this? I’m healthy again. Yes, I’m in a remission. Don’t know how it happened but my guts and colon are being friendly and nice to me these days. This means I’m back doing everything I enjoy. High on this list is eating raw vegetables and salad. It might sound strange to be excited about eating salad, but you try eating rice cakes with peanut butter and smoothies for six weeks and see how you feel… Exactly – nothing quite like a big salad with fresh avocado on it to make you feel good.

Cap all this off with having the energy to get out and ride my mountain bike and road bike – and well, I’m pretty happy. The weekend truly was all about bikes. While Marc and the Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery Team were sweating it out with six laps of the Gatineau Park during the OBC Grand Prix, I escaped with my mountain bike and enjoyed riding along trails 36/50/52. Highlight of the ride was spotting two bear cubs – this did make me a bit nervous and made me ponder my bear defense mechanisms – I decided that trying to call someone and using my bike as a shield would be my best options… Luckily I did not see the mother bear or she decided I was too pale and boney to be worth her trouble… What really made Saturday special was hanging out with Stevens Racing boys for the afternoon – entertaining conversation, some haphazard swimming (and kayaking) and great barbecue thanks to Connie and Dave all made for a good afternoon.

On Sunday I was able to treat my friend to one of my favourite rides – the flat roads south of Barrhaven that found us munching brownies and cookies in Merrickville. It was a great ride with smooth roads, very little traffic and great conversation. Though it did get mighty warm at one point and I don’t think I’ve ever sweat that much in my life – it was a most excellent time. I do think it is the only ride when I wished it would rain…

So yes, summer living is in full swing and I’m loving it. This week looks to be full of pre-work rides at Kanata Lakes, after work trail runs in the Gatineau Park (have to get myself ready for the I2P Trail run on August 25 – I signed up for the 15 km run…), after work road rides and maybe some yoga to keep my bones limber and loose. In between I’ll do my best to squeeze in some time at the office and make sure there is some salad in the fridge!