OK Gang!

She's getting close - maybe won't cross the finish back into here until Sunday but we can prepare 

Since the woman won't drink beer I've arranged for kegs of *snicker* interesting meade.

We will have chocolates with more interesting fillers as she will be needing this after her carbohydrate depleting trip.

The Masseur is lined up - nothing but a full body massage for those achy muscles.

All our crafty types can be making banners.

Our musicians can be picking out what to play - hmmmm, do I hear it for Charriots of Fire *snork*

Her hair will need lots of pampering so we can bring our favorite scalp and hair things.

Come on - we must be ready  ...g

Since she'll be all sweaty (and probably stinky  ) let's fill up some of those super soakers with rose water and give her a wet welcome, right after she breaks through Khrome's big banner! 

*brings also big, soft pillows where BB can be seated*

Yeah!  Maybe on a covered litter with silks and tassles and big brawny longhaired manly men to carry her around.  Then, when she's getting her massage we can take turns riding in it.

2-3 hair minions for hair pampering

play videos of Tour de France while getting her massage  *ducking as she turns those super soakers on me*

Great thought Anais - we will get six NR's to carry her off to one of those nifty beds with the drapes and they can fan her and rub her toes while she drifts off.

Then breakfast in bed and a selection of books and music to wile away the recuperative hours  ...g

Yikes G_L - how could we 

Quick - off to Trader's for huge bars of the dark with almonds.  Will it make it to the parade  ...g

Wow !  A parade, with banners, confetti, chocolates and mead!!   The massage is great and I love the guys carrying me around.  The super soakers were a bit much, but probably much needed.     I most definately need the hair minions for pampering my much abused hair. 

It seems likes months ago I left.  Soooooooo much happened this past week, I'm not sure where to begin.  Hubby and I biked over 360 miles in 6 days.  We had heat to contend with (96F on 2 days), thunderstorms (at night, thankfully - I hate riding in the rain), muggy cool temps (one day it only got to 70). 

Hubby and I helped with emergency help for a rider whose front fork broke going down a hill (severe road rash), helped get him off to the hospital, then babysat his $2000 bike until someone could pick it up.  I was stung by a bee on my arm, making my left hand almost useless for that day.  Popped my knee another day, making hill climbing difficult for 2 days (thank goodness for the massage therapists that follow the ride!!).

Showering facilities were horrible except for the last 2 cities.  The first night had water hoses that you could use to shower.  No temp adjustment.  The second night the water was sooo hot it would scald you.  The third night was ice cold.  The fourth night had lukewarm (the perferred temp), but the water pressure was described by someone as "having the strength of a 50 year old man peeing".  In otherwords, the water dribbled from the faucet.  Needless to say, my hair did not get washed until the 5th night.     I did rinse my scalp each day, but left my hair braided so it would not tangle excessively, and would unbraid, detangle, then rebraid when my hair was just damp. 

There was also an amazing experience with a good samaritan.  On Friday, we got to the overnight school.  I parked my bike in the indoor storage area and went to get my "purse" out of my bike bag.  This is a small, fabric zippered bag that I keep my cell phone, drivers license, credit cards, cash, etc.  My purse was not there!  I thought about where I had it last - and it was in the tent that morning.  So I went out to the camping area and checked the tent - no it was not there.  THen I thought maybe it ended up in my baggage when I threw a shirt in at the last minute.  (Keep in mind it was dark in the morning when I was getting ready to bike, and the bag is black).    Our baggage had not yet arrived, so I figured I would not panic until I could check the bags.  Hubby and I sat down to relax and have a soda, and he pulled out his phone to check for messages.  There were 2 messages on his phone.  One was from MY office saying my purse had been found in Harford (the city we were overnighting in) and gave him the name and phone number.  The 2nd message was from our daughter in law, saying she got a call from my office about my purse, had talked with the person who had it and had called hubby's sister (who lives in Hartford), and she would bring it over to us at the school. !!   We had been in Hartford for less than 45 minutes!  I had lost my purse, it had been found, calls had been made, and it had been picked up and was already on its was to me!  My bag had been retrieved before I even knew it was lost!  Apparently, my bag had bounced out of my bike bag when we were entering the town and going down a very bumpy main street of town.  A shop owner on the street, noticed the bag and picked it up.  Thank goodness I had a business card in it so they had a number to call.  I was sooooo amazed at this.  I still am.  I am thankfull that there are still some honest, careing people out there.


Thanks again for the parade!   

Welcome back!  What a great story!!  Glad you & hubby made it safe!!!