July rides

[emily_in_nc]

nwg, you are being smart. I too have changed some things about my riding since my accident last year. If I am approaching an area with no sight line, I go much slower than I was going the day I crashed. I no longer expect the road to be clear around that next bend -- I expect there to be a problem and ride with that in mind. Still, you can't foresee everything, no matter what you do. Some of it is just dumb luck.

I did manage my ride today but left off one of my small loops, so ended up with 34 miles instead of my usual 36. It was a bit cloudier but even more humid than usual, and my speed was low for me, but I got it done. The pool sure felt great afterwards!

Good for anyone who is managing to ride in this summer heat and humidity. And Happy Fourth of July to all those in the US! Tomorrow is our day off for laundry and errands, and I am looking forward to a break from the bike. I will work out in the air-conditioned gym instead.

[rebeccaC]

and a happy fourth for you emily!!!!

Stopped to ride Caryl road again on my way home today……the poplars are in full leaf and the geraniums are reaching 10 ft high into the trees in places…..perfect way to decompress after a day of work. Low 70’s with a slight cooling breeze from the ocean.

[north woods gal]

Nothing like your pics to bring a smile to my face, rebecca. Thank you, as always. We both live in beautiful, but very different, kinds of country. Love the flowers. Seldom see that kind of display along our roads.

Emily, part of me thinks it's a shame we both had to have accidents to rethink how we bicycle, but a much bigger part of me is so grateful for a second chance. Now it's up to us to use what we have learned.

Good workout on the indoor trainer, yesterday afternoon, after a brisk morning walk. I still prefer the walking for th sake of variety and being outdoors, but this darn neck brace is really, really uncomfortable in this heat. It's going to give me a mighty strange tan line.

[Crankin]

That made me laugh, NWG.
Emily, I always have anticipated issues on rides, and while perhaps it slows me down in certain spots, I feel like it has helped me avoid crashing with other people on the road, or with road hazards. I know people who come on my rides when I lead, always tell me they appreciate me warning them in advance about stuff like this.
So, on that note, we both decided to be a little more cautious today, because of the weather. Although it is slightly cooler (only 87 as I speak) and noticeably less humid, the real feel prediction for 12-1 pm, which would have been the end of the group ride was 99. What we ended up doing was riding to the new part of the bike trail around 8 AM, 5.6 miles, and then riding to the end of the new part, since DH had not been on the trail. Then we turned around and got off the trail a bit before the point we started at, so we could go out to breakfast. Had a fairly healthy breakfast and an almond milk latte, and headed home about 6 miles on the road. This ended up being 20.2 miles, mostly shady. We went really slowly until we got to breakfast, although we did pick it up a little on the way home from there. I always say how much more pleasant riding slowly is, but I am not ready to totally give it up at this point.
Probably will go out in the early AM again. Friday I have boot camp and finally, the heat wave will break, with thunderstorms all day. My DIL is coming over with my granddaughter, but we won't be able to try out the trailer because of the storms. Weekend looks awesome, though.

[emily_in_nc]

Man, those photos, rebecca! I just can't imagine riding in such a gorgeous area. You are one lucky woman.

Today was crazy. After putting two loads of laundry in the dryers at our RV park laundry area this morning and hanging out a load of bike shorts, jerseys, and our fitted sheet, which gets tons of clothes stuck in the deep pockets if I attempt to put it into the dryer, I went to the gym. Did my workout (light weights, abs, and some yoga), and stepped out afterwards into POURING rain. Couldn't even hear it in the gym because of fans and TV. The laundry room is close by, so I ran over and was able to get stuff out of the dryers and folded. But then I was stuck there for another hour as the rain was coming down in sheets, accompanied by very close and loud lightning and thunder. It was actually kind of scary since the storm just didn't move. This was one of those times that being car-free was not fun, as I was stuck just a couple of blocks from our motorhome, but unless I wanted to get drenched, I couldn't get there from here! Normally I would have had a rain jacket, but it didn't look threatening when I started out; this storm blew up outta nowhere.

Thank the gods, I had a book with me, so I sat in the laundry room and read for an hour, watching the lightning and thunder. I was starving, though, as it was past lunchtime at this point.

Finally, it eased up, and I was able to wheel the two folded loads of laundry back to our site in our laundry cart. There I found that all the stuff I'd hung earlier had gotten thoroughly soaked. DH was there, but the storm came up so fast, and so much was hung out, he just couldn't get it in before it got wet, so let it hang. With more rain coming on the radar, I ended up having to take all the stuff off the lines back up to the laundry room after lunch and re-washing it just to get it wrung out so it could dry. Put it all in the dryer on very low heat, as there was more rain threatening, so I didn't dare risk hanging it up again. By the time I got it out, it was sprinkling again, so I threw a garbage bag over the laundry basket to get it back to our site, finally re-make our bed, and put everything away. I got the bed made at 4 pm!

So, today's laundry took nearly all day. Ah, the glamorous RV life....NOT!

I did get in a mile or two on my cruiser bike, as I was able to ride back and forth to the laundry room when I didn't have to schlep baskets along and when it wasn't pouring. Tomorrow we're hoping for less early-day rain and plan to get out for our usual ride!

[Pax]

I rode to the beach and managed to catch a sunrise, it’s so quiet and peaceful at that time of day.

[rebeccaC]

I rode to the beach and managed to catch a sunrise, it’s so quiet and peaceful at that time of day.

....good to see your words again!!!!!

thanks nwg and emily!!!!