Weekend Rides

[Trek420]

I did a short ride to my local farm market. I'm wondering if there's a sign or a post-it on my vest that says "former souse chef. Ask me what to do with that fruit or veg" because I often end up with someone asking out of the blue "what do you do with that?" and showing how to prep. I should just put a cutting board and French knife in the bike rack.

So I'm almost done, just picking up some of the last of the summer peaches as it turns Fall. Woman at the booth is looking puzzled, baffled. "What's this?" she asks, holding a cucumber. A cucumber Another gal correctly id's the item telling her "it's what pickles are made from"

Discussion ensues of how to make a pickle. "Soak them in brine." "What's brine?" the vegie education deprived gal asks "water, salt, lots of salt, garlic, dill, herbs ..." "Oh, I don't need any more salt"

Well, she probably does not, she is very over weight but here she is at the farm market trying, like me to eat healthier.

So I start on things you can do with fresh cukes and how to prep them: peeled and sliced very thin with a little Japanese Rice vinegar as a side dish, sliced very thin with a bit of dill sprinkled on and toss in salad, cuke sticks and dip, sliced thin and on sandwiches or diced small in a salsa and all you need for that is right at the booth; peppers, tomatoes, onions ...

I don't know if whole new worlds of fresh food options opened up for her but it was fun.

[Velocivixen]

I rode to & from my volunteer gig with the Police Dept., which was just over 6 miles, then I rode over to a new pump track open house at a local park and back which was another 8 or so miles. I'm debating as to whether or not to ride today. Not so much due to the potential of rain or the clouds, but it's really blustery & windy.

[Crankin]

So, I followed the LBS's instructions and went for a short ride without the innersoles in my new shoes. Perfect. 15 miles, no pain. Lots of riders out today; DH feeling the effects of time zone changes, coming home from China and Japan.
I came home and actually looked at the innersoles; no wonder I was in excruciating pain yesterday! They are thick on the bottom, with an extra protruding layer near the back, for arch support. No way. I can't stand padded anything. It evokes an almost arthritic response. I always wear my shoes very loose and my old shoes have a minimalist innersole. Sooo... don't care about the fancy molding process on those innersoles. They will have to find me a thin, barely there set to put in these shoes.

[Fredwina]

after losing a pint to mosquitoes, I think I'm ready to write about it!
going across the hudson:

Replica of Henry Hudson's ship, the Half moon:

Change of seasons:

A Sculling competition and the Albany aqua duck:

The trail was too muddy, so I crossed back over. Open road

almost home:

[Dog]

Last Saturday I participated in the Wounded Warrior Project Ride - Seattle. It rained for most of the ride, but once you are wet - your wet. Good cause and I raised $870 for the cause. Yesterday, I rode a quick 15 mile loop on Whidbey Island - beautiful sunny day. So, glad that I did since today is really windy and the clouds have rolled in. Good-bye summer!

[owlice]

I was determined, in a procrastinating, major avoidance kind of way, to ride today, as I need to prep for the Wild Goose Chase. After having breakfast, doing a lot of work on an ongoing project, having lunch, then distracting myself with (ick) things like vacuuming, and finally taking a shower, I moseyed out of the house in the late afternoon and racked the bike for the drive to a nearby trail. It was 5:00 PM when I got out of the car; I had 2 hours until sunset. A leisurely ride, 20 miles, I thought, just to shut up my inner nag.

Darn nag. I did just over 25, saw two Great Blue Herons, a cormorant, and the usual evening/dusk/dark kamikaze bunnies.

I've lost my biking will and am having a lot of trouble getting it back. I think that's why I procrastinated so much about making a reservation for the hotel for Wild Goose (and now they are sold out, of course). I'm glad I got out there this weekend, but had told myself last week that I really needed to get in two 30-mile rides back-to-back this weekend. I really need more seat time. I don't plan my weekends around long rides, as I've done in the past, and haven't been riding during the week at all. I just am not feeling it; it's taking longer and longer before I feel as though I am in any kind of groove (now at least 10 miles). It's not quite agony, but I have to tell myself, "It'll get better; even if it doesn't, it'll eventually be over." I hate this.

[Owlie]

It happens--you sound like you're stressed. Your bike will still be there once it's over.

I want to ride, but alas, school won't let me--I have a test Thursday, and if you've read my posts over in Dear So and So, I'm not optimistic. I'm not sleeping too well, so on weekends I sleep in and miss my prime riding time, and then I have all the other stuff to do. I did sneak out for a 4-mile ride around my neighborhood this evening. Hopefully next weekend I'll be able to go out and ride!