Sometimes the weather forecasters like to scare us. Or so it seems. Today, they gave us dire warnings of "possible" or "likely" thunderstorms this afternoon.
Whatever they were trying to accomplish, their admonitions worked for me. I got out nice and early for a ride today--on Arielle. She seemed as happy as I was: Even when I pedaled into the wind--as I did for about half of my 125-kilometer ride--she just kept on going. And I felt that I could, too.
In fact, when a very light rain sprinkled the streets, sand and stones of Point Lookout, I wanted to ride even more. Rain on a warm day can sometimes has that effect on me. The precipitation, though, didn't last as long as the cup of coffee I drank at the Point.
The clouds looked more ominous than they actually are--at least to me, or anyone else who is familiar with the weather patterns. The tides swelled, but the clouds were moving south and east--in other words, out to the sea whose waves were growing.
In contrast to yesterday's ride to Connecticut, the trek to the Point is flat, which may be a reason why it seemed so easy. In fact, my round-trip didn't took four hours, and I wasn't even trying to "make time"--and I took a slightly longer-than-normal route from Forest Park back to my apartment.
By the time I got home, though, I did make time for a nice long European-style lunch: a cod fillet I poached with mushrooms and onions I sauteed, along with a simple salad of Boston lettuce, sliced carrots and beets pickled with dill in Balsmic vinegar. I washed it all down with a small wedge of Mimolette: a reddish-orange French cheese that looks and tastes oddly, though pleasantly, like butterscotch. If that doesn't make it a dessert cheese, I don't know what does.
Yes, Max and Marlee got small pieces of cod, too. I'm not cruel enough to make them watch me while I eat food they'd love without sharing some with them. Of course, I held the onions, mushrooms and everything else!
I didn't have to go to work today. I got to ride and have a nice meal, if I do say so myself. I had the company of two cats. And I'm going to do some more writing after I finish this post. Am I privileged, or what?
(I apologize for the photos, which I took with my cheapo cell phone!)
Whatever they were trying to accomplish, their admonitions worked for me. I got out nice and early for a ride today--on Arielle. She seemed as happy as I was: Even when I pedaled into the wind--as I did for about half of my 125-kilometer ride--she just kept on going. And I felt that I could, too.
In fact, when a very light rain sprinkled the streets, sand and stones of Point Lookout, I wanted to ride even more. Rain on a warm day can sometimes has that effect on me. The precipitation, though, didn't last as long as the cup of coffee I drank at the Point.
The clouds looked more ominous than they actually are--at least to me, or anyone else who is familiar with the weather patterns. The tides swelled, but the clouds were moving south and east--in other words, out to the sea whose waves were growing.
In contrast to yesterday's ride to Connecticut, the trek to the Point is flat, which may be a reason why it seemed so easy. In fact, my round-trip didn't took four hours, and I wasn't even trying to "make time"--and I took a slightly longer-than-normal route from Forest Park back to my apartment.
By the time I got home, though, I did make time for a nice long European-style lunch: a cod fillet I poached with mushrooms and onions I sauteed, along with a simple salad of Boston lettuce, sliced carrots and beets pickled with dill in Balsmic vinegar. I washed it all down with a small wedge of Mimolette: a reddish-orange French cheese that looks and tastes oddly, though pleasantly, like butterscotch. If that doesn't make it a dessert cheese, I don't know what does.
Yes, Max and Marlee got small pieces of cod, too. I'm not cruel enough to make them watch me while I eat food they'd love without sharing some with them. Of course, I held the onions, mushrooms and everything else!
I didn't have to go to work today. I got to ride and have a nice meal, if I do say so myself. I had the company of two cats. And I'm going to do some more writing after I finish this post. Am I privileged, or what?
(I apologize for the photos, which I took with my cheapo cell phone!)
125km in 4 hours, including a coffee stop and then a fabulous sounding lunch to finish. Ah, the pleasures of youth. I compare that to a typical 100km ride by me which would take 6 hours and include a lunch stop of beans on toast ( with a fried egg on top for the luxury version ) to provide fuel to get home. Supplemented by home made flapjacks for intermediate refuellings of course.
ReplyDeleteHappy Cycling !!
Peter--Youth? (She blushes).
ReplyDeleteI admit that conditions were most favorable for my ride. I must say, though, that you know how to eat on a ride!