Work, work, work, bicycling, back to work again.

I worked a full day, came home, and then the phone rang to come back into work. So I hopped on my bicycle first and rode as hard as I could for an hour before going in. I certainly don't nor could I bicycle all day, but bicycling influences my whole day. I'll think about riding often during the day, when I am riding, that is the best feelings, and afterwards often things that may have bothered me seem not to matter as much anymore. I arrived back at work after my hour of power with wobbly legs, and in some sort of euphoric bliss. Bicycling is my play for the day, even though it is the most strenuous and usually the most (pleasurable) painful (self inflicted) thing that I do, unless I hit my thumb with a hammer or something. So today sandwiched between work, I was able to ride, I pushed myself for the whole ride and as usual it was the best part of the day, I went over hill, over dale, through the parks, yadda yadda yadda. Fitness has never been the objective here, it is simply a byproduct of my style of play.

Take time to play.

Dave

YIKERS!!!!!

Well severe thunderstorms warnings, hail, 50 mph winds. Dubuque, where I live is right under the red in this picture. Sooooo, welllllll, ummmmmm, what I am trying to say isss.................I ummmm, will.......................................................................................................not be out on the bike tonight.

Damp, dreary, drizzly and fun.

Sat around on my butt after work, Judge Judy turned into the 5:00 news and one thing led to another. Couldn't seem to get myself going and saddle up the bicycle. The lazy fat blob part of my brain starting talking to me. Telling me things like it's starting to rain, I'm tired, my knee could use a rest, make something to eat, yadda, yadda, yadda.

So I tried to command myself and said, "GET UP!!!!" "GET GOING" "RIDE YOUR BIKE"

So I did, felt good, felt strong. Rode my hill climbing route, legs did their job, blasted the hills, pushed myself the whole route. I disappointed the fat blobby guy part of my brain, but that's a good thing. You can develop good habits as well as bad habits. Today I chalk one up for the good habit. :-)

Ride on, ride often.

Dave

Wabbits, Friends, and Creepy Baby

A bunch of Wabbits, in the neighborhood.
















A couple of my bike riding buddies. Never leave town without them. Who is that baby on the left side of the picture?



















Oh it's LiL Creepy Baby

Hmmmm, I didn't ride today. Worked in the yard after work, gave my legs a break. They were feeling toasty from all my pseudo racing yesterday.

Well I hope it is not a rain storm after work tomorrow. It's against the law to miss two days of biking in a row, unless, injuries, family or work requirements force it, and I am not planning on any of those to be the case.

Yeee gads, Josh is in the kitchen baking a cake. Well, I'll have to check this out.

Hope all is well in your world.

Dave

EgoMania

Cold starting out this morning. A lot of frost. The big difference between yesterday and today was today warmed up fast. With in 12 miles I had removed full fingered gloves, wind breaker, and head liner.

I was minding my own business, pedaling down a gravel bike trail at about 15 mph, actually dog'n it a bit getting lazy, and not paying attention to anything, and I got passed. So I picked up the pace to stay close. Sizing up the guy who just passed me, large muscular fellow, maybe late 40s, pedaling hard. Now he realizes I picked up the speed and he stands up and pedals harder. So after about 5 miles of this, I figure he is going to wear down he's about at least 50 lbs heavier then me, muscular but not built for biking endurance. We started up a long hill and with his extra bulk he started slowing down. So I pass him, and of course when you pass somebody in a "secret race" you got to keep going faster so you disappear from your opponent. So I picked it up and slowly disappeared from his horizon. I was maxed out, it felt good.

Then I pass by a couple stopped on the trail, adjusting something on his bike. They had on the full spandex, camel backs, etc. looking like they have done this before, so looking in my rear view mirror I could see here they come right on my tail. Oh No!! So now I have to push it again. So I ride as fast as I can and they keep coming, the harder I go, the harder they go. At some point I do not see them anymore, I do not know if I just widened the gap, or they stopped or whatever. Well no more secret races for the day. However the "competition" gave me a heck of a good work out. Man and his ego. Pedaled 65 miles today on dirt and gravel.

Enjoyed the day, knee behaved well enough, two dirt centuries this weekend, Went up and hung out with mama for a bit, fixed a light for my dad, so now I chill

Peace

Dave

Is this May?

100K on trails and gravel roads. Gloves, head liner, wind breaker, wool inners from ankle to neck. Never did warm up. Knee decided to misbehave, ice and Motrin afterwards. Hoping all body parts will be ready to go again by tomorrow morning.























Windy last night, This was a good size tree that came down. I see trees down everytime there is lots of wind. I would prefer not to get beaned by something this size.



















Mama and Papa Geese with all the baby goslings out for a water walk.



















Stopped at the Cement Slab Cafe at mile 37. All they had on the menu was Mountain Dew and Raw pop tarts. Well I had to eat something so Dew and raw Tarts it was.


















Sleep is starting to sound like a real good idea.
Ride safe, have fun.
Dave

A DAY OFF THE BIKE!!!!!!!!

I would have to agree with Tom . "It's a perfect day to be off the bike." I think for me to say that several factors have to come into play.

1. Lots of miles lately, a day of not riding is a rare day.

2. Anticipation of high mileage the next couple of days.

3. Running short of energy and typically a long week at work with lots of riding after work.

4. Cold, rainy, windy, dreary evening.

OK, OK I'll stop with the justification and enjoy the chill . (-:If that is even possible:-)

So I look forward to this weekend's bike riding. Plans are to get on my bike early tomorrow, and see where the journey takes me. I'll pack snacks, drink, and music, and head out of town on my cycle cross bike in search of gravel roads leading no where and everywhere and just ride, my thoughts and me.

Dave

Hill climbing.

Top picture is the sky tonight.

Bottom picture is Lock and Damn #11 on the Mississippi river viewed from Eagle Point Park

After a day at work I went out and had fun climbing hills on my road bike. Sorta oxymoronic making the legs hurt feels good. I try to time my acceleration so I am totally out of gas when I reach the summit, catch my breath and do it again. Did that 5 times and then just enjoyed a ride about town. After I got home tried to catch up on my chores around here, cut grass, work on my tree project, laundry, trying to get everything done so I can ride alotabike this weekend and chill out at mama's for mamas' day.

Well, I'll stay up and wait for son Caleb to get home, it's dark out and he is out somewhere motorcycle jumping and I feel better after I see the whites of his eyes.

Peace ya'll

Dave

WoW-Zer

The weatherperson said wind at 28 mph, with gust to 40 mph. Hmmm. So letting common sense prevail would say to leave the bike alone and do perhaps some of the following.

1. Ride my indoor bike.
2. Lift weights
3. Yard work.
4. Pick up dog poop in the back yard.

Well I never said I listened to common sense.

What a windy ride. Rode pavement in town, along the Mississippi River, through Eagle Point park, down streets in town, with wind knocking me around. Didn't see any other bikers out there, perhaps common sense prevailed for them.

Over and out.
Dave

Did the manly man thing.

Mr Manly Man, working on his lawn rocks.

























Came home after work thinking I'll chill a bit and then ride some bike. The longer I chilled the more zapped I became. Fell asleep for 10 minutes, woke up snacked and a drank a cup of coffee. Went downstairs to put on my bicycle gear and realized I need to take a day off. YES, the dreaded day off, the mind says go, and the body says NO. The legs felt like they were injected with lead.


So before long, as usual I decided I needed to do something. So I did the Manly man thing and worked in the yard all evening. Hmmm I don't know why that is manly except that is what the men of the neighborhood do. Dug up a tree stump that was from a auto accident that occurred last week and snapped off one of my 16 foot pine trees. Sawed the tree, into burnable firewood size, and then became the weed whacker man, etc. etc. etc.


Tomorrow I have an environmental monitoring meeting for stack emissions from coal burning.
I'll sit on my butt (_!_) all day.

And one other thing.


LEGS, do not plan on taking a day off tomorrow, ride we must. :-)

I hope all went well for y0u today, and thanks for stopping by.
Dave