Yellow Vetta Helmet

Remember the feeling, "I'm toO ExCIteD tOo SleEp."

The night before our childhood big summer bike trips I would never sleep. Whether it was Pender with the cool pool & marina, Mayne with the pig farm, Saltspring's Ruckle park, Galiano with the since closed delicious burger shack, Grand Forks to Fife on the KVR, or riding up the goose to Leechtown, my eyes were wide open the entire night before.

Right now, the summer after grade three sticks out in my mind. I remember sitting in bed all night; first listning to the final packing downstairs, then reading some Jungle Book. Finally it's time to "Wake up."

Lace the Converse All Stars, throw on the Yellow Vetta helment, saddle up with the Mini Mountaineer (BC liscence plate and all), and head off down Meadow place. First stop would be Matticks Farm. I remember the trees along Shelbourn & the Mt. Doug parkway being especially big.

Next stop was Blackie's Cafe. They made the biggest and therefore best rice crispy squares. The cafe is no longer, but it's right where that dentist sign is along the Pat Bay Highway, just before Island View Road.

Final push along the highway to Swartz Bay and the Gulf Island Ferries. We would ride up and down the Islands, checking out all the cool places along the way, retiring for the night in on of the Provincial Parks, back at it for more for the next few days.

You can clearly see how it would be near impossible for a 9 or10 year old to sleep before a weekend like this.

It's almost time to retire for another evening & tomorrow morning will be the last bit of swim work in Commonwealth Pool before we depart on Wednesday. We'll see if I can sleep. Either way, I have become fairly practiced at pretending.

Rest well.