My computer has just kindly reminded me that it is six in the morning. Still I managed eight hours of sleep, so, that is not a bad thing. That I’m about to watch the sunrise over the mountains on the other side of Canmore is a great thing. After another OK nine hours of Air Canada (watched too many TV programs, not quite enough food & a very chatty guy from Oxford going to Seattle for work) we made it in to Calgary. We were rerouted across the north of Iceland (usually fly south), but it was cloudy so we didn’t see Boris (Eyjafjallajokull) – looks as though I may have left London just in time. However, the cloud was absent for most of Greenland & the views were spectacular – mountains, glaciers, icebergs & just generally white. Then it clouded over again.
Getting my work visa stapled inside my passport was a breeze & I was through the arrival formalities a little before Megan arrived. Always nice to be greeted at an airport – Megan looking well, with an expectedly larger belly (expecting late-August/early-September). We didn’t hang around Calgary, it’s hardly the most inspiring city & perhaps even less so when it’s not covered in snow. Canmore seems so much more alive with no snow around (in town that is, the peaks either side of the valley are still capped) – there are people everywhere out & about, a lot more cars around & most pleasingly a lot of mountain-bikes around. Megan & I started what will be a days-long process of moving from their one bedroom basement to their new place which has two bedrooms & a huge living area (compared to the current one) & did a little grocery shop. When we arrived home, Alex was back from work & bleeding the brakes on the Kona softtail that he has bought since I was last here – always a good sign when a friend buys a new bike – more riding to be had.
Not much other news, today (Sunday) Alex is back at work, Megan is volunteering again at the women’s running event at the Nordic Center & I’ll probably whip the bike together sometime soon & go & hit some Canadian singletrack at the Nordic Center! The rest of the week will be filled with things like getting a tax number, bank account, looking for a job, moving house interspersed with more riding.