PALM: done. Sailing: It's time.

The PALM ride ended, but not happily... Toby took a spill off his bike on the last day. I drove the car to the end of the ride and Bryan drove our truck and trailer; when we arrived Bryan, Erika and Toby took my car to Urgent Care (6 stitches in his leg!). I waited with the truck (can't drive it one-handed).

 It was not a long wait--Bill and Laura came cruising in on the tandem with Tom right behind them.

This was Laura's first week-long ride and she was thrilled to complete it! The previous evening Laura and Erika were interviewed by a reporter from the Monroe Evening News and their photo and story were on the front page! See it here: http://www.monroenews.com/photos/2013/jun/28/4854/.

We watched as hundreds of cyclists finished their ride, then talked with Tony, who also is blind. We met him and his wife on the PALM 2 years ago. He and Laura were introduced and we went in to lunch before heading home.

We always plan to get the Troika in the water in May, but once again it was July 4 when she splashed. Bill, Erika and Bryan launched her at Lake Erie Metropark and motored home. They installed the sails at our home dock, and we'd planned to go on an overnight trip yesterday, but alas, the weather did not cooperate. That's OK--the hard part is done--she's in the water and rigged for action. Sunday we plan to do our usual Sunday afternoon family sail.

Hand update: on ice at this moment while I type one-handed, I start therapy Monday.