April Showers bring... riding

[azfiddle]

Hi all- checking in after being distracted for a couple weeks. I've been riding to work daily- so getting in 95 miles a week just commuting. The weather has been decent- a little breezy (always a headwind) in the afternoons. Two "perfect commute weeks" in a row.... I'm up to 48 commute rides since the start of the year.

I did some short rides last weekend and am looking for the motivation to get out this morning... it will probably happen.

I'm still tracking the birds on my commutes. I rarely have time to stop in the mornings so it's a mental tick by calls as I roll past or catch a glimpse of something. On the way home I sometimes stop and try to roust out some of the lingering sparrows or check out something in the bushes. Yesterday near sunset I was rewarded with a kettle (circling group) of migrating Swainson's Hawks. I called my husband and he was able to drive down to meet me, but they had flown south. I rode and he drove a mile to the next parking area / bridge along the bike path and he was able to see them. That was pretty cool.

[azfiddle]

I forgot to mention that I had an unbearably cute moment on my commute home that almost made me forget about the rotten cheating incident with my classes and the last class of the day that couldn't follow instructions and had to stop doing the fun activity I had planned and got to read silently instead for 20 minutes.

The little guy is not a baby- he's a two year old miniature!


Untitled by Sharon Goldwasser, on Flickr


Untitled by Sharon Goldwasser, on Flickr

[emily_in_nc]

Oh how cute is he!?! Thanks for sharing those adorable photos, Sharon!

I had a nice ride yesterday, though it was very very breezy. Still, it was a gorgeous sunny day, low humidity, temps in the 60s. After the hot, humid weather just a few days ago, I didn't even mind wearing a long-sleeve jersey. The weather sure has been up and down here in Florida!

[Crankin]

I rode 21 miles today, with our riding friends who are in from Amherst for the weekend. Despite tapas and copious amounts of sangria last night, along with an excellent play, we got out around noon. It was about 47, partly cloudy, and windy. I think we got the wind that Emily had Friday. I had several moments of my back hurting on both sides, but I kept stretching while riding and while stopped, and by the end of the ride I was OK. It seems ike we had a cross breeze almost the whole time. At one point, I got blown into the middle of the road. Thankfully, no cars around. The ride was moderately hilly, mostly rollers, a few 8-10% grades that are short, but at the beginning of the season feel like torture. By the time we got to one of my favorite roads, I felt better. There's one kind of obnoxious small hill right before we turn to get within a mile of our house. It comes after a long down hill, but near the end of a ride, it can be a bit tough. I made it up at 10-11 mph, not much lower than my normal pace. Of course, I was behind DH, so a little drafting going on.
I was dressed too warmly, but glad I went. It was my friend's first ride of the year, so her DH stayed behind with her at the end. We got home and then prepared for our early celebration of Passover (I know, the lightening is going to strike), after which we had more wine as our recovery drink and some cheese, until my son and family arrived to start the Seder.
My back is still feeling pretty good; I have stretched like crazy, used the pulsating shower head, and stretched some more. Here's hoping it's OK, as the next few days are going to be warm.

[Crankin]

We rode about 18 miles today, doing one of the flattest rides we can do from out the door. It ended up my first short sleeved ride of the year, as I took my arm warmers off, after about 8 miles. I always stop at the same spot and take off layers on this ride, as it's not as shady as most of the rides we do.
Still windy, though not as much as yesterday. Bright sun, blue skies, and almost 70 when we got back. No incidents, tons of riders, and I had my first 15 mph average of the year. This only happens on flatter rides most of the time, and I don't usually care, but between my back and my foot thing last fall, I am feeling a bit broken!

[north woods gal]

No riding, today. Bummer. By the time we got back home from our Sunday grocery shopping, some storms moved into the area. Very hot and humid - for us in April, that is - then some heavy duty T storms with marble sized hail. That would not have been something I would have liked to endure on the bicycle. Ouch!

On a more peaceful note, our frogs are beginning to sing and we saw some Wood Ducks, so spring is coming. If you've never experienced the annual rite of spring frog music in the north woods, you are missing something very cool.

[Crankin]

Yep, the peepers have been out in force in the wetlands behind our house. And the pair of mallard ducks that were in the small pond when we moved in, in March 2016, have returned. The summer and fall was so dry that all of the water dried up, so we really only saw the ducks for about the first 6 weeks we lived here.

[azfiddle]

Saturday- short ride on the Surly to a nearby park and then groceries... maybe 7 miles?

Sunday- ride with my husband to 3 parks and Sweetwater Wetlands. 61 species, including an American Bittern at the wetlands, a Peregrine and a Prairie Falcon. We stayed on the bike path most of the way- his wrists are very sensitive after a fall while running a few years ago and he doesn't do well on bumpy roads....Oh and a brief stop at the spring bike swap meet, but most of the vendors were packing up. I got a new little backpack to replace the little Camelback type pack I use on my birding rides. Used, but only $7. I don't use it for water, just for carrying shoes, a lock and extra layers that I've shed after it warms up.