However, as it now turns out that my sister will be getting married in North Hatley instead of Norris Point (though still in June), those trips are now on hold. My current thinking is that I should go ahead with an even earlier idea of biking from York to Campbeltown via Edinburgh in late May and early June, getting back to Canada in time for Alice's wedding.
In thinking about this trip and looking at the map of the projected route, I am slightly unnerved by the fact that much of it covers places I went to on my very first trip to Great Britain. That trip took place just about 30 years ago (August of 1980). (I have very fond memories of that trip, though at times I am worried about how little I really understood about what I was seeing and exactly where I was. Don't get me wrong, I remember a lot, but not everything I feel I should have. Then again, I was only 9. I also pray that Granpa (my maternal grandfather who paid for the trip) understood just how thrilled I was to be there: i.e. well beyond my ability to articulate at the time. I hope he could see it in my eyes.) I am also somewhat annoyed at Air Canada as the ticket prices for Brits coming to Canada are far cheaper than those for Canadians going the U.K. at the same time.
My brother Stephen gave me an MEC Slicker long-sleeved shirt in royal blue for Christmas. In addition, he (and possibly Margaret) had prepared a choice of logos to go on it along with a list of the places I had been on my cross-Canada tour. These logos were based on the idea that my bike is called "Fledermoose" and featured moose with bat wings or bats with moose antlers. I had to inform them with regret that my touring bike is Leonardo whereas it is my city bike that is Floria die Fledermoose. However, it is an ill-wind that blows no good as one of possible logos caught my imagination. I am going to make a sticker out of it and put it on Floria. Stephen has gone back to the drawing board and is working on a "Bikemoose" type logo. This is my favourite of the "Fledermoose"logos, but I think I should edit the ears a bit. (Not that I think it is bad, but just that it could be better.)
Stephen also informed me that the "die" in Floria die Fledermoose, should be "das" or "des" or something. He took German in CEGEP. I must check with my German colleague about that. Then again, I could make her name "Floria la Fledermoose", "la" being Italian for "the". Possibly "Floria di Fledermoose" and she becomes "Floria of Flyingmoose" not "Floria the Flyingmoose".
Oh, yes. I looked up musical oeuvre known as the "Die Fledermaus" on Wikipedia. For some reason, I had been under the impression that it was an opera by Wagner. It turns out it is an operetta by Strauss. A little embarrassing, but hardly life-threatening.
Stephen's unfinished gift idea also precipitated an idea that had been lurking in my head about giving my cross-Canada project a snappier name, especially as I am now even less enthusiastic about Northern Ontario. "A Mari Usque Ad Mare, Just Not In That Order" has a certain perversely appropriate ring to it. "From sea to sea, but not in order" is pretty much what I am doing. As well, the source of the first part suggests a Canadian trip while being literally vague enough to allow using American roads to avoid the dreaded NorOnt T-Can. "Usque" makes a nice assonance with "Just". AMUAM JuNITO could be the acronym and possibly a war-cry ("Ah-MU-am ju-NI-to!") should one be required. ;-)
Update: "Die" is in fact the proper German for "the" in this instance. Consequently, I think I will stick with "Floria die Fledermoose."
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