Tour Atlantic - Transition day

So yes - here I am sitting in the dorm rooms at Mount Saint Vincent University. Blogging, assembling my bike and trying to figure out WHY do I do these crazy things!!!!

My temporary computer home away from home!!!!!!

Hope you enjoyed all those blogs yesterday!!!!!    The benefits of scheduling posts!

My flight was at 6:30 AM which meant that I had to be at the airport at 5:30. Oh boy - that was not pretty since I had not gotten to bed until midnight. I was TIRED!!!!  

Arrived at the airport and got rid of the baggage and through security with NO PROBLEM. However I had left my bike box untaped since security sometimes wants to have a peek so by the time I got rid of the luggage and through security, the line at TIM's was crazy. No time to stop - must get to the gate. I did get breakfast at some pita place - good grief - $3.25 for a bottle of juice. That is highway robbery!!!!  

I am in the SECOND TO LAST seat on the plane - how did that happen????   Well I did book the flight late so I guess I got relegated to the back of the bus!!!!   But it was so weird - a woman came on with two kids. She had purchased THREE tickets, but they could only find two. The youngest child was just over two. Then a man got on, then the ticket agents came on and said he had to leave, then he was OK, then they found the woman's third ticket. It was a bit crazy - partly because there had been major fog in Halifax the night before and the flight was diverted to Toronto!!!!   So these people were trying to get home. We were all just happy to be on the plane.

Then we are 180 miles from Halifax and the pilot comes on and says we are going to do things a bit different on this landing. Oh boy - what does that mean????   Well more fog in Halifax. So we are going to attempt to land (yeah) and if they can't see the runway well enough - we are going to go back up and go to Montreal!   So we are flying and then I hear some kid say "look at the land". Well - I am thinking we are still UP IN THE AIR. Oh not - seconds later the plane hits the tarmac. That was VERY disorienting!!!!!   I think a few people were surprised by it - you could see NOTHING until we hit the runway!!!!    Anyway - we made it and no diversion!!!


Arrived at the university by taxi. My room wasn't ready yet, so I hopped on the bus (after excellent instructions by the lady at the front desk). I was going for something to eat, a pillow and a folding chair. Made it to the Halifax Shopping Center where I had a great breakfast at Tim's and then snagged a pillow at Wal-Mart, but after visiting NUMEROUS stores - there were no folding chairs to be had. NOTHING. Everything went on sale last week and they were GONE!!!!!


I decided to do a bit of geocaching and was unsuccessful at the first one. I am sure I found the hiding place and after practically ripping the tree stump out of the ground (OK - it was rotted and I got a little over zealous), I gave up. But I managed to snag the next one which was on the third level of the parking garage of the mall. You know you have a problem when you are standing in the location, but still 17 Meters away and there is a structure above you!!!!  


Did I mention the weather????   While the temperature is around 24, it is HUMID - it feels worse than it was at home. It is MUGGY MUGGY MUGGY.

By this time - I just wanted to get back to the university. But not before I tried one more store - the Super Store. I had to walk there and NO CHAIRS. So then I grabbed a sandwich and waited and waited and waited for the bus. On my way to the Super Store, I spotted a Fabricville. Hmmmm - got to stop there and have a peek. I didn't take a picture, but their stores are sure laid out nice. All the quilting cottons are on shelves.

Now this brings to mind - what quilt related quest will I set for myself on this trip????   I decided when I was at Wal-Mart to buy FQs of orange, so I can make an orange lap sized quilt for me when I get home. So I bought one at Wal-Mart and one at Fabricville and that is all I bought. Remember - we do NOT have a lot of room here!!!!!

My TWO FQ of orange so far - the one on the right from Wal-Mart - the other from Fabricville!

When I got back to the dorm room, I met one of my room mates - Diana - a nice girl from Brooklyn. We chatted a bit and I started to assemble my bike. My LEAST favourite task of the entire trip. What if it doesn't go together like it is supposed to????  

UNASSEMBLED bike

Well I managed to get the wheels on, the seat and the handlebars. And then my bugaboo - the BRAKES. Why can't I get the damn brakes to work?????   I think I just need a bit more muscle power for that. So I left them. I will work on them today - they just need to be pulled into place, but they are TIGHT. NOTE TO SELF - get quick release brakes installed for the next trip. I mean - why didn't I do that before??????

There is the bike together and it seem to work - except the brakes - which are important????

Then Diana and I grabbed the bus again an went right downtown Halifax (I think) to Quinpool Street. We had a nice dinner in a greek restaurant. Then back home.

These beds at the univesrity are HARD as a rock - was tempted to set up the air mattress, but it wasn't bad, but no air conditioning here so a tad difficult to sleep. I could have got the tent out and set up on the lawn??????


And what is with these showers - this morning, I went to have a shower and how the heck do you get the water to work out the shower spout??????   After having a semi-bath/shower, I still did NOT figure it out. I guess they think university kids are smart!!!!   I asked Diana and there is a stupid ring on the spout - how stupid is that???????

STUPID STUPID shower - good thing it was well attached to the wall!!!!   I almost pulled the stupid thing apart.

And the worst part - I think I have seen these before, but I must have been half asleep and didn't even think to touch that other part.
Had breakfast where I met up with Bud (the tour owner) and one of the drivers. When I told them about my quest for the chair - they said -NO - there are tons on the truck from the two previous tours this summer. AH - never thought about that. So no need to get a chair. Good thing, I didn't get one yesterday after all!!!!!!


Well we have FREE internet here, so I am listening to the radio (CHUM-FM) and working away on the laptop that I borrowed once againf rom Sharon. Hey Sharon - you should just sell me this laptop. All my stuff is on it!!!!!!


OK  so let's see if I remember how to edit the pictures and bring them in. This laptop is so tiny, it kills me!!!!!    And I must file my nails down - they are driving me crazy on this tiny keyboard.


So that is it for today. Our official meeting is at 1:00 PM. Then we get the scoop on the trip which I know already having done two before this. Then we can pack our crap on the truck and hopefully con some guy into putting my brakes in place - those men are SO MUCH STRONGER than us weak women!!!   And now that I know how the shower works, I can have a good shower in the morning.

And these pictures are for M - have a good look at what dorm life is like. These rooms are NOT big. We are in a quad - so four bedrooms, two baths and a common kitchen/living room area.

My bed room

The common room

Looking at the front door

Oh M - where oh where will you put all your junk!!!!!!!
I guess - I will head out and snag a couple of geocaches close to here.

And remember - I have NO idea what kind of interet connections we will have over the two weeks, so you may get small updates, you may get pictures. No idea. But I will be postig updates on Facebook.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



PS - let me know if you can see those pictures. I don't have my photoshop and can't remember from last year what size worked.