Aug 2nd rides

[salsabike]

I did 44 miles on a mostly flat trail but did a significant hill at mile 5---and then decided I could do it again at mile 40! Yeeha! The weather here is beautiful, low 70s, early morning clouds and afternoon sun. Bald eagles. Herons. Goldfinches all over the thistle that lines part of the trail. Did not eat any recognizable bugs today--hurray!

[Pascale]

Did not eat any recognizable bugs today--hurray!

So, is that to infer that you did, indeed, eat unrecognizable ones?

[Dr. Liz]

40.5 miles today, on a local 'circuit' that DH and I do pretty regularly. DH was all psyched after his bike re-fitting (which included him putting down the deposit on the new Seven), and I was outfitted with my new Camelbak (I'm having issues with water bottles at the moment), so we managed to crank out a 17.6 mph avg, including a total ascent of 1800 feet. The ascent is fairly normal, but the speed was my highest average speed ever.

It was a good way to go into my bike fitting (I'm getting DH's old bike, as the budget can only handle one custom bike at the moment). I felt like a 'real' rider, and so I wasn't so intimidated by the 'serious rider' bike shop.

Oh yeah. And the hit of the day? 3 red-tailed hawks riding the thermals and talking to each other. They sounded like they were 3 feet away, they were so distinct! So totally cool!

And for the record, most of the bugs I eat are unidentifiable....

[salsabike]

So, is that to infer that you did, indeed, eat unrecognizable ones?

Of course. Tiny ones, like gnats, get regularly ingested without clear ID. It's the bigger ones, whose wings I can feel in my throat, that get recognition from me.

[Geonz]

Glad the birds cooperated to make for good scenery!
I successfully got out to Office Depot in the nasty business-strip-mall part of town that I ahve to go over the interstate *with* interchanges... even at 6:55 i didn't *like* it. Successfully picked up bike club newsletters. Further happinesses:
1. I followed my "gut instinct" and a truck in strange territory and made a turn when I needed to... would have been 10 *more* minutes late, at least, had I not.
2. Successfully hopped onto the grass where the road into college was totally torn up (and major construction equipment was driving around), and DID NOT WALK THE BIKE. Didn't even get out of the toe clips and did not fall down!!
4. Got the final exam for that class done! (Still have to do some more on the final project, thoiugh).
5. Got stamps and labels and staples on said newsletters (much wrestling with mail merging, too), and saw my trail in the grass on the return trip to the post office past the construction, and WOW! There was the little package of socks that my friend had mailed to me, that bounced out during that off-road "adventure"! (it's neatly mowed grass and only slightly lumpy terrain.) Picked up socks and rejoiced that I had decided that grass was better than Mattis Avenue.
6. Bummed because they changed pickup time from 8 to 7. People will not get newsletter in time for tomorrow's "new member welcome" monthly ride.
7. Successfully got 'puter home on bicycle without hurting it.

Now, to go finish that final project...