Leaving Helsinki

The three separate alarms I set go off in a symphony of noise welcoming me to a full day of airline travel. This is low key stuff compared to my normal pilot workday. Missing a wake-up call or a meeting time could be a major, major issue. Not so today. All we have to do is meet our driver and traverse the lonely streets of this town, negotiate the airport check-in and security and we are basically into relaxation mode.

As I sit, we have made it to the gate at Vantaa airport and even made a coffee and pastry stop. I commented in the limo that I could live here and I could. I told Jean that this is the "Land of the thin haired people." I might as well be strolling through an Anderson family reunion. Everybody looks familiar and has hair like Abby and me, (that is when I had hair). Whispy thin hair. The city is so clean. This is so remarkable after enduring the filth of China for a week.

Getting home means I can once again ride my bike. It has been ages. The last time I rode was the day of the Ann Arbor PH race. I needed the time off pretty badly. My bike thoughts now gravitate towards long fall-ish rides through Waterloo and beyond. CX?j Maybe but it isn't what sounds good. There are some maintenance issues awaiting me when I return. A couple of wheels need to be trued and some other little issues. Bikeboy and his sister are on a fall retreat with their school so It will be Mrs. A, Abby and myself for a couple of days.