To Orillia This Weekend

This weekend we drove 220 miles from Point Edward up to Orillia to watch our good friends John and Cheryl participate in two very strenuous events. Cheryl was doing a triathlon swimming 750 meters, then riding her bike 33 km, and if that’s not enough, finally running 7 km. John, not a floater or a great swimmer, was biking and running in a duathlon (run 2km, bike 33km then run 7km) I could never, even when I was young, do any of these so I was amazed that they still had the energy left to host a barbeque party the afternoon after this early morning race. They started the contest at around 8:15 and were all finished before 10:30.

We had reservations for a room at the Quality Champlain Hotel right downtown, close to the waterfront park and all the action.

Saturday night, before the big race, we enjoyed a sumptuous meal at Theo's Restaurant. From left to right - Wendy, Cortney, John, Cheryl, Tim, and Jeff (Cortney and Jeff are members of Cheryl's running club). Pete and Donna had an evening wedding to attend so they couldn't come.

The lot with all their stuff is called the ‘transition’ and it’s where they change from one part of the race to an other. A light drizzle has little effect on this race and may be better that sweltering heat.

 

I timed things wrong and missed a great shot of John and Cheryl at the finish line - together!

Cortney and Jeff pose together after the event.

There isn’t really a lot to see on a race that covers miles of open country, but we enjoyed seeing them when they got back. I think just being around this energetic gang helps Wendy and I keep younger, at least in our minds.

John enjoys some energy food, peanut butter and jam on a pita.

Wendy, Teresa, Ed and Me after a long lunch at Studabaker's. (note: spelled with an 'a' unlike the car 'Studebaker') (Mariposa 'guitar art' in bg) Click any picture to enlarge.

Since we figured John and Cheryl would be resting after the race, I invited my old high-school buddy Ed and his lovely wife Teresa to come over from Wasaga Beach to join us for lunch at the beach bar Studabaker's Beach Side Bar and Grill, 211 Mississaga St. E.  

Ed had read my blog last year (see blog Orillia from last year) and said if we ever come back to Orillia we should let him know. Of course I had their house special 'Pint and Pound'. A pint of Coor's light and a pound of wings (10). I must say they rank right up there with the best. They offer over a dozen different sauces and also battered or plain.

I was actually worried that I couldn't keep a productive conversation going for very long. How much could we have in common, being out of touch for so long? Wendy hasn’t seen Ed since 1971, and I since a school reunion 15 years ago, and neither Wendy nor I had met his wife. 

Obviously I was wrong about running out of things to talk about. Three hours went by in a flash and there was still more stuff to cover, but as it turned out we ran out of time. We hit it off as if we only missed a few months and his wife Teresa was great. The meeting ended with all of us vowing not to let years pass without linking up again. I promise!

Above, John and Myron ham it up at the barbeque. Below, Wendy, Barry and Holly.

Bye bye - Donna (tonight's non-sipping dd) driving with Francis and Pete riding. (kids in back with their dad)

Off to the BBQ at John and Cheryl’s. Pete and Donna were there along with Donna’s sister Francis and her husband Myron, with their two children, and Holly and Barry from Waubaushene. Tall tales abounded and the steak and scallops were superb, cooked to a turn by John and Pete and aided by John's new digital read-out thermal fork. Lots of drinks and talk. 

We're not sure about a fall cruise this year since Cheryl and John are off to China, Pete and Donna are working and Holly and Barry haven't solidified any plans yet. Apparently Chris and Deb have already boked a 7-day Caribbean. Maybe we'll wait 'til spring???

John and Cheryl live in Toronto but have a condo in Orillia. Pete and Donna and Francis an Myron live in Orillia and as I mentioned, Ed and Teresa live in Wasaga Beach.

All in all we had a great weekend, in spite of a little rain. Departing at 9:30 am, I set the Garmin GPS on 'shortest distance' and took a long (5 hr) scenic drive back to Point Edward on Monday arriving without incident around 2 pm.
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