Flo's back on Vancouver Island

I'm so happy to have been able to meet Flo's ferry today. Mind you, we had to go twice, and it was absolutely pouring rain both times.

We got there at about 2:15... had a really nice interview with Bill MacFarlane from A Channel. Lisa also arrived and got interviewed. We were waiting with total excitement, expecting Flo and her brothers and Jenn and BC Biker guy to arrive at any minute. Good job I'd passed on the cell phone number for A Channel's producer, cause before too much longer we were told by them that Flo and Company had missed the 12:45 ferry and would be coming on the 3:15 ferry. Dang, we got soaked for nothing that time out. Well at least I got to ride my bike there. It was a baptism of sorts: my first ride in the pouring rain.

Silly me, I was wearing chaps, and let's face it, they don't cover your crotch. I got soaked! My boots got soaked. The chaps got soaked. The only thing that didn't get wet through and through was my jacket. I have to thank Stephen for waterproofing it some.

We turned back for home. I had to put my jeans and both pairs of socks in the dryer. Vic got soaked too... his rain pants didn't do much to keep his feet dry, and somehow the bottoms of his jeans were also drenched. Our gloves could be wrung out, but certainly would not get dry for our return to the ferry at 5:15 pm.

Yep, I rode "bitch" for that return. Not sure I like that expression, but it means I was Vic's passenger. This time out I wore my yellow rain suit, rubber boots over several pairs of socks, several sweaters under my leather jacket, and that under the rain suit. But the gloves I tried to warm and dry before leaving for this second run got terribly soaked again.

A Channel was there again, waiting for the riders to come off the ferry. Vic managed to speak to one of the ferry workers, and she called the boat to see which deck they'd be coming off and arranged for Vic to be able to ride out just ahead of them so he could lead them down the road to the A Channel van for an interview. It's going to air on the early evening news tomorrow and should be a great feature. Flo is looking beautiful, and her brothers are terrific. Jenn was there too, and Lisa. BC Biker Guy, another Victor, was there, but didn't stick around for the interview. A Channel filmed us riding toward the Tim Horton's at Southgate Plaza, and they followed us there too.

We were wringing out soaked gloves and creating a small lake in Tim's... but all soooo happy that Flo had arrived. Poor girl has about another two hour ride up to Campbell River. The forums are filled with posts about her... everyone South of the Border aching to know she's safe and sound at home. She's going to have a hot bath once she gets there, and then the trooper that she is (with almost 6000 miles under her belt and almost 3 weeks of riding), she'll go online and make everyone happy to know she's made it safe and sound.

I'm thrilled to have been a very small part of this wonderful Conga ride. Way to go, Flo, you make us all so very proud. You've shown us that we can do anything we set our minds to. My hat's off to you sweet Tumbleweed.