It's a Rainy Off Day

Today is cold and rainy so in a brief spot of clear I snapped a couple of pics in my yard. Once I get fenders I'll have fun in the rain, but I don't like the wet road grime that will spray up. I'm just not sure which ones I want. I do know that I want metal ones, the sun here will destroy plastic ones fairly quickly.

love rose that I got for our first anniversary. It's now 6' tall.

Aloe Vera is blooming.

Doves are courting.

Stormy is taking a nap.

To The Bike Path

I tried out the bike path today and it was interesting. The path runs along the highway and only 10-15 feet of curb/shoulder and a chain link fence separate you from them. After you pass the park, on the other side of you is a giant wall that bounces the car noise back at you. The effect sounds like your right in the middle of the traffic. Slightly unnerving and not pleasant.
I'll definitely go on the bike path again so I can go fast, plus it was a great place to practice mounting and dismounting without having to worry about falling in the road. The route home really worked my legs so that's a good thing. My knee has barely been bothering me at all since I started riding, especially since I raised my seat to the proper height. I don't know if I posted this link before, but here's where I found the right height for me:http://www.ebicycles.com/index.php

  All in all it was a great ride and I feel good.

The path itself is paved nicely and has markings down it so you know which side to be on. From my entrance point I went right. Having the fence on one side and the wall on the other took some getting used to but it was down hill and I picked up speed fast. That was fun and it felt safe because there was no cars that I could hit.  

I was tempted to go off the path when I came to an outlet and go exploring, but I didn't want to get lost so I stayed on it. Plus I wanted to see how far I could go. One day I'll tackle the whole thing.

I managed to get up to 20 mph on the way down under the under pass. My bell rang itself at every bump we hit and I just hung on and turned. It was great fun and after the underpass the path veered away from the highway and it got quieter. 

The next opening I came to was an exit to a more industrial area and there were a lot of warehouses. I was starting to get bored with the scenery of the path itself and decided to head home. 

When I turned around This building impressed me with it's odd looks.It looks like its built completely of scrap steel, but it's so big. I kind of like it and it gives me an idea for an outside office I could build myself.

It was much harder getting home because it turns out it was a slight downhill all the way I had come. Plus there was a nice wind blowing in my face all the way back. Found out when I got home that the wind was going 20-30 mph with gusts of 40 mph. I actually did better than I thought. In the end I went further than 3 miles for my longest trip yet. 

 I only saw a few cyclists out today, but one had the same Wald baskets I do and they were packed with stuff. I can't wait to take mine shopping and see how much they hold. All of them were friendly and said hi or waved when I said hi.

Nothing Went Wrong!

After my other locking skewers failed Husband got me these. I was a little leery of trying them because of the other ones. These are much more solid though and today I gave them a shot. No failures and they seem to work great. A few more rides and I'll know for sure.
He also got my mirror to go on the handlebars. I wear glasses so when I look behind me all is fuzzy. When I did it all I saw was my backside. He turned it upside down and it works great. I was going to take it apart, but I'm glad he figured it out first. It's good to see behind me again.
Today's ride went smoothly and nothing went wrong! Yay! Tomorrow I'm going to try the bike path again. It felt good to be able to go without having to stop for something or another. I was hyper vigilant  to how Lucy was reacting and felt. I also stopped frequently because that's when the other skewers failed. Everything seems to be in working order though!

They work so far!

I did stretch out a bit more today and saw some interesting things. I like odd shapes that plants can grow into.

This cactus reminds me of a dancing lady.

And the way people decorate even the most basic things around here.

This gate made me smile.

This is a good way to close up a hole in your wall. It looks like an accident was the incentive to pretty up with tile. It's and outer wall and not in their house. 

A nice way to fill a hole in your wall.

Yard sales Are Fun

Today is the one year anniversary of my mom's death. I was mopey this morning so Husband took me out yardsaling. Retail therapy always cheers me up. We got a late start so most were blah but I did get a ton of books to read and these two scores.
I've wanted a trench coat for a while and this one from London Fog actually fits! Now I wish it was winter again.
I love this print we found and hung it up as soon as we got it home.
Sadly, I still miss my mom. This was the first time I've gone to yard sales without her and it wasn't the same. I didn't even have it in me to haggle over prices. She's probably laughing at me for that.
Neat new things don't replace cranky older ladies very well.

I Need A Shim

I woke up before the sun and was eager to get out and ride. I was feeling strong and ready to roll. I really need to find where I put my lights and charge them up for times like this. It took the sun forever to rise today.
 I've been going around the same few blocks in my area forever making sure Lucy and I wasn't going to have a malfunction. It was time for something new.

I'm running out of neat thing to take pics of, but this is pretty neat!

After swooping around the neighborhood for a bit I decided to try the bike path. Its entrance is right by the park I like to stop at and has some nice tile murals. I hadn't been there in years, literally, and I remembered it was a little hilly and had a fun underpass. This would be great!

I snapped a pic and off we go.

One of the murals.

I was feeling fast so I put my weight on the bars to really try to pick up speed and wham!

The handlebars slipped and my soft bits slammed into the nose of my seat. My feet flew off the pedals as I choked back a yelp, swerving like a lunatic. I'm glad I wasn't on the road! I hit the brakes and danced around for a bit trying to calm things down. I'm glad no one was around to see it! That really hurt!

The bars had only moved an inch down but it was scary. So much for the bike path today.

 I remounted and rode home careful not to put weight on the bars. I tried to wrench them back into position  but they wouldn't move. Apparently they only do that when I don't want them to.

Saw this on the slooow ride home.

Once home they were still not budging again and I had to loosen the bolt to move them back into position. The bolt won't tighten any further, but I'm worried about a repeat performance so I need a shim. I have a ton of rubber ones, but will consult Husband to see if a metal one would be better.

Just when I think it's safe to leave the neighborhood! 

It Barely Hurts Anymore!

I went over 2 miles again today and my butt barely hurts! It's a miracle! Next week I'll try for 3 and see how it goes.
Today there were some neighbors out and I stopped to talk to then. They were building a fence in the front yard because their dog keeps trying to escape. They used to ride bikes together but the wife got a new job a while ago and now they don't even ride separately. She really liked the flowers I've painted on Lucy and my rear baskets. I let her open them and she thought they were cool. It was nice to meet them and hopefully they start riding again soon.
I like the fact that I'm not just seeing new things I'm also meeting new people and my neighborhood in just the few short weeks I've been riding around it is starting to feel more like a community.
When I rode before it was just to work and home. It was strictly for the transportation aspect and I usually left super early and never saw anyone. I never rode to explore and google maps was my guide.
Now all I can do is explore. I work from home and any riding I do is for pleasure. I'm lucky I'm rediscovering the pleasure.

This lizard startled me when I saw it. I had stopped for a drink and there it was right next to me.

I like the filigree of this gate. and the little coyote at the bottom.

A tiny flower growing right by the curb out of the street. I'm glad I missed it when I pulled over.

Jury Duty Today

I was called for jury duty today. I had to get a ride because I'm not yet strong enough on the bike to make it downtown and there's no way I'm even attempting to park with all the construction going on. As it was my ride had to let me off two blocks away because that was the closet she could get me. I didn't mind the walk and had my stick with me, it's a beautiful day.
I saw this nice covered bench on the way. It's all metal and looks nice, but not very comfortable. I wouldn't want to sit there in the summer.

Nice Looking Bench 

All metal!

The guards asked if the top came off my stick, there's a steel rod in the top and one tried it. The top doesn't come off , but it was funny to see him try. I was a little worried, but they waved me thru after a minute. They were also puzzled by the food I had in my bag. I didn't want to buy lunch so I packed in my laptop bag instead of my laptop. I offered to share and they declined.

I ended up getting a sandwich. I couldn't stand being in that room any longer.

Saw tis nice gate on my way to lunch.

Then I sat in a boring room for what seemed like forever. They did play a movie for us. The Sandlot was a decent way to pass the time and I was grateful for the distraction. I was disappointed that I wasn't even called. Maybe next time.

Interesting fountain