What a perfectly timed day to run out of coffee and bread! Elbow Room Coffee and Bread Euphoria were open and the morning felt like summer. With no reason to hurry, my ride happily included visits with friends and neighbors also out in the fresh air.
Once my bags were filled with food I started my round-about return route, doubling the distance to extend the ride home. Stopping to talk with people out walking the country roads also doubled my paused time. A great, leisurely, friendly day.
With the promise of temps reaching 60° and feeling fresh after yesterday’s ride, I knew while sipping the last drop of coffee that today would be a ride day. Ride days really don’t need reasons but finding one is satisfying. The more off the wall the reason, the better so today I picked my old standby “doctor’s orders.”
The ride up into Hawley was relaxing as I turned the pedals up the long steady climb. My thoughts of sitting by the cemetery and eating a snack in the warm sun were as peaceful as I had imagined.
I had been getting anxious for a long ride and today was the day. Most of the things that I need to finish up before the tour are out of the way. Today’s weather was close to perfect, so after a lazy morning enjoying my coffee, I readied my bike and myself for a six hour adventure.
I set out just before noon, thinking that I would eat somewhere on the route. The day being so warm and fresh, I chose to pick up a sandwich, drink, and chips, and sit on a bank above the Deerfield River. Lunch was unhurried, as I listened to the water pass by heading out to sea.
My ride ended a bit later than expected. I came across a few friends also enjoying the day on their bikes, so I paused my ride for pleasant conversations. In the end, the ride ended as the sun set below the trees, and I’m now settled at home.
Yesterday crumpled my brain and tossed it in the wastebasket. Spending most of the morning on the phone with tech support because my secure blog site was showing as a non secure site on my browser. The problem was eventually fixed, the https site had been entered as http. Now, after lunch, I began to tweak and play with the look and workability of the blog pages. Next, I found the sun had set and it was dinner time.
This morning was again more time addressing a few other site issues. I finally got ready to ride a bit later than noon. Anxious to get out riding I opted to forgo lunch. The stop at the Creamery for an oatmeal raisin cookie was deserved and greatly appreciated.
Fueled with a few tasty calories, I made it back to my hometown and picked up a grinder to carry home for dinner. Now I’m putting my day into a few words on virtual paper. The day ended with another tired brain.
Fifty degrees in February is a rare treat, and 100k was long overdue. I have been riding this distance at least once a month for years now. I usually shoot to ride within the first few days of the month. This month my timing was off, so this day was hard to pass up.
The weather was sunny and the wind was strong when riding in the open. The day passed quickly and soon the sun settled below the trees.
These past months I have been focused on preparing for this tour. I’ve been overhauling my bike, Ms. Eve R. Green, hopefully thwarting any breakdown along the journey. I’ve also been stockpiling components and supplies to have on hand as they need replacing.
Today was one of those welcomed sunny warm days that remind me, if only for a short time, that spring is on the way. The days are also getting closer to the start and this brings anticipation. So, I was eager to ride and the fact I have been slicing my way to the bread’s heel was a sound reason to ride to the bakery.
This ride put everything back into perspective and satisfied my jones to ride. Fresh air and fresh bread, I couldn’t ask for a better day.
Today was a day that looked, smelled, and felt like spring. A reminder, a poke to the sleeping lion to see if the sleeping world would wake up. But, no, the temperature dropped from 54° to 34° before I got back home.
Trying to balance tour prep and riding as the clock ticks down. Two days and five weeks to go before my big tour and each day races past. Today was warm and sunny and riding took priority. It’s nice to see the changes the days make to the same old roads.
Fifty degrees in February is a rare treat and 100k was long overdue. I have been riding this distance at least once a month for years now. I usually shoot to ride within the first few days of the month. This month my timing was off and so this day was hard to pass up.
The weather was sunny and the wind was strong when riding in the open. The day passed quickly and soon the sun settle below the trees.
