Rainy, Misty Forest

Rain last evening and a slightly lower temperature this morning contributed to the morning fog. It is actually a very thin, sort of misty, fog. You can feel it when you ride down a short hill because the temperature drops a few degrees. Early morning, before the sun has fully risen, it makes for a rather dreamy atmosphere. The street lights sport halos and the far bend in the road becomes rather indistinct. I had planned to ride about 20 miles. I managed about 7.
Toward the end of the 7 miles I turned onto the gravel path through the woods just as the mist turned into a light rain. The first signal was the hissing sound the drops made as they careened through the leafy canopy above. I glanced at the lake and saw the dimpled surface and knew it was raining. The geese were in full throat. I'm sure they love this weather!
I enjoy the rain, I really do. The only problem is that the surface of the road and especially the boardwalks get slippery. Also, as I mentioned before the raindrops on my glasses impair my ability to see well enough to be safe. So, I packed it in after 7 miles. Still, the ride through the rainy, misty forest early in the morning was worth it!
Maybe I'll go out again for a short ride around noon. :-)

Fall is in the air!

Back home from florida, I immediately notice the cool temperatures that herald the arrival of fall on the "North Coast". Or, south coast of Lake Erie if you prefer. On the last two morning rides I have donned my long sweat pants and long sleeve turtle-neck pullover. The temperature is invigorating and, as long as the pavement is clear and dry, the ride is great! Got a puncture in my rear tire this morning about a mile from home. So, I completed the workout by running the mile alongside my bike and patching the tire when I returned home. I may take a short lunch-time ride just to round out my training for the day. It's all good. :-)

My brother's "two-fer"

Here are pictures of my brother's "two granddaughters in two days". First Kayla, born in Cleveland. Then Avery, born in Cincinnati. Congratulations! Grandpa!

Chasing grandchildren :-)

My brother now has two grandchildren - both girls - born thursday and friday. He got word that his daughter was going to deliver on thursday in Cleveland. So, as quickly as possible, he drove from Cincinnati to Cleveland to see his first grandchild born. He was too late for the birth but was able to spend time with his daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. Then, on friday, the word came that his daughter-in-law was about to deliver... in Cincinnati. So, he and the new grandma high-tailed it south to see the birth of his second granddaughter. He arrived in time for this birth.
Mothers, fathers, granddaughters, grandfather, and grandmother are all doing fine. Congratulations to all! In only two days my brother has caught up to me in number of grandchildren. I'll be leading again in the spring when my next grandchild is born. :-)

Florida rain... again

I shouldn't be surprised. Although, generally, my morning runs down here have been "rain free". But, rain and florida go together like... well, like bacon and eggs. Anyway about 45 minutes into my morning run, just about the time I was thinking that it's getting awfully warm and my legs were starting to feel like lead - some mornings it's just like that - I started to feel a few sprinkles. Then I looked down the long, straight, flat road I was running and saw a billowing curtain of rain about a mile ahead. Thirty seconds later, it hit me, a pretty steady downpour. Refreshingly cool, it washed away all the sweat that had been building for the last 45 minutes. It was great! The only slight downside was that my glasses collected the drops, making it a little harder to see. I loved it anyway. I hardly even noticed the wave that hit me from the passing bus. The water collects quickly in the roads down here. No place for it to go.

Riding (for) the Pig!

Yesterday my brother and I rode our bikes the 55 or so miles from our mom's house in Cincinnati to my cousin's farm outside Milan Indiana where my brother's company held its annual pig roast. Yes, there is an actual pig and we do roast it. Mighty good eating too for an omnivore like me!
This is the third year my brother and I have bicycled to this event. We don't bicycle home though. Too dark by the time the roast is over. Anyway, the ride started out well. We headed for Cleves, Ohio. The temperature got into the 90's and I came prepared with one bottle of water on my bike frame and another two 1 liter bottles in my saddle bags. If I bring plenty of water and take a sip every few minutes, that seems to keep me well enough hydrated to avoid leg cramps.
Just outside of Cleves, my brother ran afoul of a country dog. The dog "jumped" us as we were pedalling by. He chased after me since I was in front and the closest target. When I pulled away, he doubled back toward my brother and stopped right in front of his bike. My brother tried to put on the brakes but couldn't avoid the dog and ran smack into him. Since the dog was acting pretty aggressively during the chase, my brother prepared for the worst. But I guess the dog got the worst of it because after the collision, he was no where to be found. My brother banged up his knee, elbow and hands but gamely got back on his bike and continued the ride.
We rode along the Ohio River for some distance and arrived at Aurora, Indiana in time for an annual festival and parade of some sort. Listening to the parade announcer, I couldn't help but think of the old Garrison Keillor show about the "News from Lake Woebegone". It was pretty funny stuff. Definitely small town.
My brother picked a great route through some beautiful Indiana farm country. We also found some pretty callenging hills. Shortly after we turned away from the river we turned onto a road called simply "Zion Hill". I'm thinking that sounds kind of ominous, to have a road named not "road" or "court" or "street" but "hill". Well, my lowest "granny" gear was almost not low enough to keep the wheels turning and the bike stable. I kid you not, it was the steepest hill I have ever tried to climb on a bike. Luckily, it was short and I didn't have to walk it. I just bore down on the pedals to keep the wheels turning.
The only place we got lost was in Dillsboro, Indiana. Dillsboro! Lost! There can't be more than half a dozen streets in all of Dillsboro, yet we were unable to find the one street out of that small number which included our route! After riding around and seeing absolutely all of Dillsboro we finally found our street and continued on to our destination.
We arrived at the pig roast after about 6 hours of riding and sight seeing. My cousin and his wife from California showed up at the roast. This was a very pleasant surprise. I think they had a great time and hope they will come next year as well. The party, as usual, was a lot of fun and the food was great!
I had hoped to publish some pictures with this post but my brother broke his camera when he hit that dog. :-(

Detours, Detours...

Well, my favorite route is being dug up! Looks like they are replacing the sewage line along one of the nicest stretches. It's a long straight-away heading right for Lake Erie. It's flat and if I have a trailing wind, I can really fly! But, it's one narrow lane now and if they are filling dump trucks there is no easy way around even on a bicycle. So, I have to use the back roads for now or take my chances with the dump trucks. What's the moral? Stay flexible and keep smilin' ;-)