When we hit the 30 min mark, she was still smiling

After a quick stop with the kiddies as they got ready to head out to the Marine Museum of Manitoba (Selkirk) Inc. Lori and I headed over to the Centennial pool to get in some laps. The Centennial offers lap swim from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., so it really fits the schedule. Lap swim is the whole pool except from 8:30 - 11:30 when they offer lessons and you can only use two lanes. Regardless, there was no one there and we were able to have a lane to ourselves.

I polished off the set Pat had left for me in about 40 minutes (20X100 at slightly above race pace) and we were off to the Daily Grind for an Americano and a bit of a hang.

After coffee, we went over to the L.C. for a bottle or five of wine and to check out the remodeled store. In a glass case as you walk in, they had some Rémy Martin Cognac for a mere $2,200....... all that for 750ml. You know.... some of you may balk at that, but I would love to try it just once...... not the whole bottle of course..... just a well sipped ounce or two.

Part two of the day involved me slowly and gently conning Lori into joining me on an easy spin. We loaded up the bikes and drove out to the White Horse in Saint Francis Xavier. For those of you following along from places foreign to Manitoba, I should tell you an interesting Manitoban factoid. Small town Manitoba has a history of building large ornate monuments to attract tourists. Click here for a list of the more famous - Manitoba Photos - Town Statues

So as you can see from the list. St. Francis Xavier has the "White Horse," which, as I read this morning, was donated in '66 by the White Horse Blended Scotch Whisky in Scotland.

Why a white horse and not a larger than life statue of St. Francis or a big bottle of Glasgow Scotch? Well..... the story goes something like this.....

Anyhoo.... we parked at the store in St. FX

.....and headed out North on Hwy 26.

Now, I had told Lori that we would do an easy spin out for 30 minutes and then come back. In reality, I was hoping that after the 30 minutes, I could convince her to do more, as I really wanted her to see some of the places I have been yammering about all year.

So as you can see, when we hit the 30 minute mark she was still smiling.

... it was only natural to gently invite her to continue on and see the splendour that awaits at the turn to St. Eustache. Me and my bridge.... I don't know what I like so much about this place, but I do love it. Maybe it is just the secretiveness under which it was discovered... kind of like I have a special place that is just for me. Not sure her.... words a failing miserably in describing my happy spot.

Well, after checking out the infamous turn to Marquette, she soldiered on for another K or two until we hit the turn to the bridge.

Here's the two of us just before our romantic lunch of 1/2 a Cliff bar.

Here is my attempt at capturing the marvelous engineering and design of this simple, yet eloquent, bridge.

All told back to the store it was just over 40k and it was the longest ride of the season for Lori. As a result, when we arrived back at the store, we needed to celebrate. Of course I treated her to a real lunch..... ice cream and a pepperoni stick.

Ain't I just the bestest!