Last bike ride of the year?

The weather isn't something I really pay attention to, I have enough to distract me on a daily basis, why add one more thing?  Jackass and I were texting back and forth on Thursday night as we commuted home from NYC.  He was supposed to be on an early train (Mrs. Jackass's birthday) and I'm lucky if I get on the 5:48 train (or watch it leave the station, ha ha).   He ended up on the 6:11, I certainly had more to do in the office and would have been pleased to share my briefcase bar after the hellish day I had.  I don't discuss politics, the only plus for me with the ACA (aka Obamacare) is unending projects.  I can only hope whichever (idiot) consulting firm designed and (moronically) project managed the healthcare.gov/markeplace fiasco is also designing and PMing the reporting systems for physcians (aka The Sunshine Act) because it will make 1 Q 2014 much less stressful for me as they won't be ready for our data.  Anyhoodles, during this texting the topic of the weekend came up and how beautiful Saturday was going to be and Sunday was touch and go.  Hmmmm....

Over our Crumbs cupcakes (Cannoli and Pumpkin)

so hard to make a decision, this is half of the display cabinet

 Dave concurred Saturday was going to be marvelous; he was going to pass on the ride as he wanted to save his legs for Sunday with the guys and well he really doesn't like riding the roads.  This was evidenced by an eMail he sent me earlier in the week:

"Yes this is meant to scare you and remind you to stay aware." With the following link:  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/opinion/sunday/is-it-ok-to-kill-cyclists.html?_r=2&

OK yes this did scare me and I do try and stay aware.  

I still got on the bike, after my warm bike clothes dried. I only have one set.  Oh I love the sweet man I am married to who will throw in my disgustingly smelly running and biking clothes with his biking clothes. Apparently mine are the only ones that smell and mine contaminate his.  Bwahaaa... right?  I had planned on re-wearing the worn clothes, I know gross, but it takes FOREVER for the chamois to dry, am I wrong?  Dave threw everything in early on Sat a.m. and well they were in my sports clothes basket, so yeah, my bad. Obviously I need more cold / chilly weather biking gear? 

Noank, CT, was my desired destination.  Pretty much all U.S. 1 which Dave can't stand.  It does't bug me, although I was paranoid every motorist behind me was aiming to take me out!  Hey, sometimes the paranoid are right??  

After settling into my solo pace I enjoyed the scenery, even for a major road U.S. 1 is pretty and so different on a bike from being in a car.  It was sunny and beautiful and I said HI and Nice Day to everyone I saw.  I'm weird like that, it doesn't require a conversation just "Hi!  Have a great day!!" in passing...  



Rather pleased I kept up a pretty good pace for being solo! I was a bit worried and wondered how much not wanting to be "slow and wimpy" when I ride with Dave would go by the wayside, apparently not much!  It was an out and back, adding in Stonington on the way back.  Right hand turns are so much easier than lefts!  Plus US 1 has a wide shoulder and some of the other options, back to Westerly, not. so. much.  

The question is are these mid 50's (or higher) and sunny temps the last of the year? Would this really be the last bike ride of the year?  (yeah yeah I could pay attention to the weather, what fun would that be?) 419 miles since August 3rd when I brought the bike home. So much has changed, when I am on it it feels more and more like it is part of me. I love riding it, so freeing and fun.  Could it be possible to hit 500 miles?  3 more rides of 27 miles?  Hmmm...   Then again I feel like I am cheating on my running shoes when I am riding and longing for my bike and feeling guilty when I am running....  this is a sickness isn't it?

Sincerely,
Beth, paying attention to traffic, but not much else!

Wordless Wednesday - I love this weather!!

Sincerely,

Beth, who enjoyed a brisk and invigorating run along the shore this morning!

My Alarm Clock is in Maine

The title of this should be Pell-Newport Bridge Run - Recap, it isn't...

I'll start where I left off...

Friday - Thoughts about running the Gold Star Bridge, al la Mike was preempted when   "Lunch with Friends" popped up on my calendar and well running, food, booze, and biking are in my top 5 favorite activities.   Figured maybe I could sneak in a loop at Burlingame post picking up my bib and shirt in Newport.  Well that didn't happen, timing was really off and while I do want to run the woods in the dark, I didn't have my headlamp, and probably should let someone know what I am doing.  (To quote MAC  "Ya, think?") Next best thing is a run around town in the dark. I donned my Choucas hat courtesy of Kristina and my head lamp and headed out the door, to be stopped by Dave, just arriving home from riding Burlingame, laughing at my hipster braids.  There isn't a ponytail hole, so what was I to do?



Big sorry to the guy I nearly blinded. Whoops...  

Saturday - 2.5 beach walk with Gizzy, the eldest boxer and my curmudgeon.  

Noble beast my Gizzy!!

Decided we would check out Napatree.  I haven't been there with him since last year, post-Sandy.  He is approaching 13, old for a boxer.  I figure his curmudgeon-ly-ness helps extend his life time?  In any event, we had a nice hike up and over the hill to get to the beach.  It was funny to see him at the top of the hill.  He sat, like he used to do with Diesel and Sage, he was waiting for the "GO" .   We would make them sit and be still, to check out if it was clear, and if it was we'd say "GO" and all three of of them would run down the hill, ok take off like bats out of hell doing their crazy boxer thing.  I teared up a little bit.  Diesel has been gone a little over 3 years, and Sage passed this January. We've both been thinking a lot about Sage lately.

The Treacherous Trio Gizzy, Sage, Diesel

Sage's birthday is today (11/10), I think it is very appropriate, being the birthday of the Marine Corps and all.  She would have made a spectacular Marine!

"Is that a pledge pin on your uniform?"

OK enough of memory lane. Gizzy curled up with me on the couch for a post walk pre dinner nap, one I planned on to make up for the sleep I was going to not get....

Dave had plans to go to Maine to cut down a red spruce or two.  Again, I don't ask a lot of questions, so I don't know the quantity.  He told me he was going to leave around midnight to get to the Baskahegan forest at sunrise.  I questioned (shocking IKR?) the reasonableness of this plan and was told, "Well what was I going to do in Brookton, ME for the evening?"  Fair enough, I suppose, so leaving at bed time, upsetting the dogs was his plan....  hence my 3 hour nap in the afternoon, making sure I had some sleep for my pending Pell-Newport Bridge race, I needed to be up and moving by 4:15 a.m. to meet up with Nicole.  

As an aside, in case you are scratching your head on this whole cutting down a tree or two business.  Dave is a Luthier.  A Luthier, not a Lutheran, he is Catholic (not by choice, guess you say a recovering Catholic?  I dunno this whole organized religion thing is lost on me) actually, but we aren't discussing religion.  His craft is making stringed instruments.  specifically bluegrass Mandolins in the Lloyd Loar style, and as the economy wound up to take its big *expletive* the bottom dropped out of selling hand crafted Mandolins.  Put food on the table or buy a bluegrass Mandolin, a pretty easy decision.  What he has found success in is supplying the tone wood (red spruce) to companies and individuals at a reasonable cost for top quality wood.  Hunting, harvesting, and processing the wood is time consuming.  The tree needs to grow straight (most trees grow with a slight twist), have few branches, and tight growth rings.  The part of the tree he can use he will bring home and the lumberjack he works with will have a buyer for the rest of the tree.  

 The dogs were up and down until about 1 a.m., as I expected.  I didn't expect Jax to make a beeline for the back yard and start barking up a storm at midnight... oops.  Well figuring nearly all the neighbors leaves fall and blow into our yard (there is some sort of leaf magnetic vortex in our front stoop, I'm positive) I didn't feel too bad, because yeah, I can be a bitch like that sometimes.  I got him inside, shut the basement door to prevent any further barking and waking me up, screw the neighbors and their leaves on our front lawn.   Oh, Bob, I didn't want to disturb Bob, because well, he has a snow blower and the leaves from his trees magically stay in his yard.  Of course we do pay him enough Corona over the summer to help ensure he ventures over to our side walk after a big snow storm?  Puffy heart Bob!! 

Sunday - You may have guessed where this is heading.  Long about 6 a.m. I rollover and look at the clock, normal time for me to wake up.  I look at the clock and ponder "hmm there was something I was supposed to do today."  I panic and remember, "Meet Nicole at the park and ride at 5:15 a.m.!!!"  No I don't remember the race, I remember my commitment.  

Check my phone texts from Nicole and Dave.  I have my phone set to do not disturb between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. only calls from family will come through or calls that are 3 in a row.  Nicole called twice... point of reference if you really need to wake me up call three times... and no I'm not passing out my cell phone number, ha!!!

Nicole is understandably worried as 'Ms. Dependable' is no where to be seen and she can't get a hold of me.

Dave, on the other hand, is trying out voice texting on his phone and hoping to send hilarious texts.... don't ask me why this relationship work, it just does.  We, and our respective families, put the "fun" in dysFUNction is possibly the reason?  Although I'd love to meet a family that doesn't put the "fun" in dysFUNction.  If you know of one, introduce me!

So, yeah, he will not be thrilled I posted this, whateves... Goofball...

Time to re-think my day, well I definitely have time to see Crutch run in Warwick.  Crazy, running for 6 hours? Who does that?  (har har har)  Ro posted something to my timeline about the race and Don mentioned he was running the Conservation 5K in Avondale at 1.  Oh I could see Crutch run, meet Kristina and Sara in person and then get home in time for a bike ride through Avondale to Watch Hill and watch the guys run.  Yes, ALL of you, I'm too shy to say HI, however I will cheer you on!!  Great job Tommy 5K, Gazelle, and Gazelle Jr.  Nice to catch up with you John!!

Crutch looking strong  and determined at the end of lap 7!!

Tommy 5K in the lead, of course!

Gazelle!!

Don, taking it easy in the beginning

Phil running strong!!

As the awards ceremony was finishing up the clouds were gathering, was I going to make the 6 miles home before it started raining or not?  Fortunately it was just spitting as I cranked my way down Elm Street and up U.S. 1. to home.   A quick shower to warm up and meet Don and and Suzan for a beer at the Malted Barley then home to run around the house with the dogs (they were staring daggers through me when I walked through the door - can you blame them?). Yippiee my Sunday was complete!! 



I'm getting there with the Bluff Ave climb, every time I'm a few seconds faster!  

Sincerely, 
Beth, who's alarm clock, the one who will wake up and poke her and say "Don't you have someplace to be?" was in Maine, and who apparently can't figure out how to work the one on her nightstand.