Hello Monday!

Well, yes, it’s a little late to be greeting Monday, but I work with what I’m given.

Kevin & I have just arrived home after an epic 300 kilometer grind through the Rockies.

Triumphant would be a good word to use for our return after such a feat, and I’m sure if I were Mel Gibson starring in my own movie I would indeed look triumphant, but alas I am Colleen Friesen and I return merely Tired and with whacks of very smelly clothes…such are the problems of a woman without a film crew, staff or her own supply of steroids.

However. It was done and done in grand style. No rain. No flat tires. Nothing but pedaling forever and freakin’ forever up, up, up…with some serious descents thrown in (that were over much too fast).

We particularly loved the Mosquito Creek hostel with the lovely wood-fired sauna and then tucking into our Hansel and Gretel bunks and falling asleep to the sound of the roaring creek. Utterly divine.

As for the Dorothy Parker quote in this post’s title? The fresh hell is that this over-fifty-year-old body seems to be on a rotating schedule of new aches and pains. I seriously thought I’d be hitchhiking back the first day when the left knee started screaming, but icing it at night and eating ibuprofen like M&M’s helped.

Not sure if the Arnica gel and the homeopathic Arnica pills helped or hindered, but I really don’t need a control group. I threw every remedy I could think of at the problem and something worked! Perhaps I return triumphant after all?

Except that my left ankle is a little wonky and though cycling didn’t bother it, walking does, and the next plan is to hike the 285-kilometer Welsh path with my husband.

I’m thinking that my backpack will be sporting a drum of ibuprofen and a whole lot of attitude. I’m going to need it.

Because here is what I know for sure; when the body is happy…I’m happy.