Where the deer and the ...

#203 / #30

No antelope. We did, however, have 1 deer and 1 coyote and squirrels innumerable. Also birds, bikes, recumbent trikes, and handcycles. Many of them twice, once coming and once going. We started at Sunrise and went to Wm Pond and I think many run that route backwards.

We also saw a touring family. Mom pulling someone/thing in a trailer, Son with a single pannier, Daughter with another pannier, and Dad with two pairs of panniers, front and rear. I hope they have a good tour, however long or short it may be.

Himself had some cramping in his calf, not the first time, so I dropped some electrolyte in his water bottle. He sucked it down and felt better. I managed my food today better than I have in the past (can't really eat much for about 2 hours before exercise or I get a big fat stitch in my side). I ate a cheese sandwich at noon, by 2:30 were were on the trail, I had a piece of orange and a piece of Odwalla bar along the trail, and ate the rest of the orange and the bar at the end of the ride. I feel great! And no stitches!

I had one mechanical today: the quick release lever that holds the folding hinge of my trike came unhooked while I was riding. Fortunately, the lever scrapes along the pavement so I stopped right away and put it back in place. No idea why it did that, although we had made a stop a little while before, pulling off the paved trail and down a slight lip to the sandy shoulder.

I spent rather more time than usual batting along at around 15mph, my max speed was only 18. Himself was dragging a bit on the way back, so we ran about 11 or 12 on the way back. I did set a personal best on the bridge climb, so I'm pleased, even though I'm still only 255th out of 284. At least I'm not dead last ...

It was a bit cooler today than it has been, so I wore my trusty Ibex midweight zip neck and started with (but soon put away) my windblocking jacket. I also wore Danskin exercise tights instead of cotton/Lycra shorts.

Himself wore his usual wicking top (the only one he has, I need to find warmer material for a long sleeved version) and I loaned him my knee warmers. He kept his jacket, a lined Supplex one I made last spring, on for the whole ride.

At our turn around point, now heading back to the East, I swapped out my brimmed cap for my favorite piece of gear, my wool Buff, since my ears were getting cold. Let's see. What else. He wore full fingered lightweight gloves, and I wore my usual fingerless ones. As long as I kept my fingers off the brake levers, I was comfortable.

The knee warmers were a qualified success for Himself, but they kept creeping down since my extra-padded thighs had stretched them out quite a bit last year. We will look for leg warmers or tights/pants for Himself. He probably also needs wool blend socks rather than poly blend ones. I wear lightweight Smartwool socks most of the year.

All of our clothes were soggy by the end of the ride. Just because it is 55 degrees does not mean you do not sweat. I need to make sure to put a couple of fleece jackets in the car for after the ride.

The time change is playing hob with our riding schedule, and I may be on a Federal jury for a couple of weeks, so I don't know when we'll be out again.