Posts tagged ‘cows’
riding through puddles
The weather continues to mystify me. Heavy rains and severe storms have rolled through the area, and to see tornado destruction in AL and AR in January is mind boggling. I cannot bear the thought of a repeat of last spring – and we’re still in the middle of what is supposed to be winter.
Rain or not, I needed to get out today. It was gusty but warm, and I revisited a road I hadn’t ridden in quite a while. Cows, barns, creeks (overflowing) and plenty of mud. But I still have fun riding through puddles…
my struggle with brevity
still waiting for winter to arrive
I tend to fall behind, as you know by now … On my bicycle, as well as in posting to this blog in a timely manner. I try and tell myself that I should just try to make a habit of “quick and simple” – make it brief – rather than trying to wait for a time when I feel I really have something to say, something to write. I should possibly (probably?) treat this more like my messy disjointed journal and be more spontaneous, simple, and concise.
So I tell myself. And of course I never listen.
This time of year tends to be slightly less than crazy with the holidays just around the corner. My boys have all come home (smiles), the music has returned, the boys and their friends gather around the table for epic games of Risk late into the night, the shopping and the wrapping are in progress, and the baking will hopefully begin soon. (And to my friend Myrna, I am sorry but I have yet to try the macaron recipes… sorry.)
Rather than try to write anything more, I’ll leave it to the iPhone pics to tell the story of recent ridings and other sights. Brief. I’m trying to be brief.
cars passing
... and cows
knees and knickers
love match
$0.00 per gallon (and $1.00 for the newspaper)
no snow ... only white fluffy stuff of a different kind
critterpalooza
lens cleaner
(You can thank me now – despite the initial scare, this is a 100% goat-less post). 
There has been a lot of rambling around lately … because I am obviously honing my non-productivity skills. And because the weather is beautiful, and I’d rather be out on my bike goofing off, rather than, well … cleaning out the attic or mowing grass.
I’ve been drawn to long rides on the Xtracycle lately. As someone once perfectly described – it’s not the lycra-clad fast and furious stuff (as if I ever do that), but more of a “long, slow boogie”. Typical me. Carry a picnic lunch, stop and talk to cows, linger in the fresh green of spring.
So … a few of the sights of recent days, because there’s not much more to be said.
exploring un-named roads
... and always finding more cows
things that haul...
... and things that haul "better"
the curious ones ...
and the not-so-curious ones
pink-ness
the "end"
losing daylight
- twilight with cows
I love this time of year. And I don’t. The air is cool, dry and crisp … the leaves are falling … the mornings are edged with frost. And it gets dark much too early.
While the squirrels hide away nuts and acorns, I’m filled with the urge to cook and bake. Pumpkin and spice muffins, soups, squashes. Warm and fragrant comfort foods – the things I crave after being outside and riding in the cool weather.
The #330daysofbiking count: have ridden 203 of the past 223 days; 144 days remaining. Ride on. 
white cow, white bike
colors of solitude
still life
#330daysofbiking Day 100: one hundred
Let’s just say … I’ve been warned.
One hundred days of riding since April 1st … and feeling like 100′F out there (even though I think we officially topped out in the 90′s once again). Is this what are known as dog days? I have to think so.
not quite ready for The Tour....
Everybody was off doing the things they do – band stuff, summer jobs, business travel. It was me, myself, and I once again. I started the day on the Greenway early this morning, thinking it would be a change to take a run (which I like to do – occasionally). But as I started off, I could tell it was already too hot for me; so I ended up walking. I ran into two bike police-men, and maybe they actually were more fit than they looked, but they appeared to be kind of dragging in the heat. Great to see them on bikes, but made me a little nervous, actually. (Envisioning seeing one of them passing out from heat exhaustion/over-exertion :-0 ).
Watched the Tour during the heat of mid-day, and ended up riding later in the afternoon. Brought the Lensbaby along, because I like how it gives that kind of “melting-in-the-heat” feeling.
I’m not sure whether to consider this 100 day marker a milestone or not? Not quite one-third of the way there, but kind of an interesting feeling to know that I’ve managed to get this far – riding 100 of the past 106 days. Also pretty thrilled that my legs haven’t fallen off (yet)!
I actually think before the whole #30daysofbiking (and subsequent #330daysofbiking) began, I was riding nearly every day anyway – just never kept track, and probably avoided some of the bad weather/rainy days, I will admit. But now, after being out in heat, rain, thunderstorms, darkness – I guess I feel a bit more capable, and confident. Mentally, I like that I have seemed to eliminate the excuse-making element; I’m going out, no matter what.
So … Day 100 pictures with that melted-popsicle feeling that the Lensbaby is so good at – just the usual: cows, barns, fencelines. You know by now. After 100 days, some things just don’t change, do they? ;-)
the simple beauty
moo...
red gate
#330daysofbiking Day 84: cows and cool
in the cool evening
Fairly productive day, although feeling like I am sounding like a broken record lately…
My rather skewed idea of a productive day:
- swam (in the morning)
- sheared Elmer the goat (with the help of Matt and Grant)
- took Grant to get his hair sheared off (thank you, Donna)
- made the mango-jalapeno ice cream (with the help of Matt and Grant); recipe needs revision
- helped Mark with the mowing
- took an evening ride on the Xtracycle (with cows)
- wrote this lame-o post, and got my ShutterCal pic posted
It is a silly life I lead some (most) days…
The things that will have to wait for another day: reading, paddling, a test ride with the new bicycle/boat trailer, catching up on email/notes I owe to people, groceries. And a nap in the hammock.
Mostly, I am thanking the weather gods for the cooler evening temperatures; what an incredible difference to ride with a cool engine. And @blueallez, the cows say “hey” (or “hay”?) – and also made a few suggestions for the ice cream recipe revision…
a very cool bike (lol)
a cooler Elmer, shearing day - Matt holding the "handlebars"
a "cooler" Grant: last week he lost his appendix, this week he lost his hair
#330daysofbiking Day 55: Seussian
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” ~ Dr. Seuss
A wonderful long and leisurely road with my beloved today. The roadsides are covered in wildflowers – and weedflowers. All beautiful to me, thorns included. I don’t know why, but the blooming thistle always reminds me of some Seussian creation. They are such odd, crazy-looking flowers on tall stalks – and manage to grow to perfect handlebar height (beware the thorns!).
The threat of rain convinced me to leave the DSLR at home, but I had my little Lumix and remembered a ziplock bag today. 
As we were riding, I was trying to think of/remember all of the beloved Dr. Seuss quotes I could. His wonderful books and illustrations always had – and still have – a special place in my heart. So today’s few riding pics are paired with the wonderful words of Seuss…
"If you never did, you should. These things are fun and fun is good." ~ Dr. Seuss
"From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere" ~ Dr. Seuss
"Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one." ~ Dr. Seuss
"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." ~ Dr. Seuss
#330daysofbiking Day 38: I won (??!)
dusk and drizzle ... out with Mason in the magic
Not sure where to begin about the craziness that was today. Spent most of the day hauling a group of kids to and from HS district tennis tournament, which ended in the rain. My in-laws arrived for Dillon’s graduation. And I found out, to my complete surprise, that I had actually “won” the most amazing mention by the folks at Xtracycle – and was in their blog, written by my amazing friend Rick.
Rick and I have had plenty of tweets back an forth over the past few years, lots of goofy photos on twitpic, and he and the folks at Xtracycle have always been so incredibly friendly and helpful and through all of our Xtracycle bike builds, as well as providing endless encouragement and enthusiasm over my own growth in this “bicycling lifestyle” undertaking. I’m always grateful when he looks at my photos and visits my ramblings here … but I really had no idea I was even being considered for the #30daysofbiking Xtracycle “contest”. So the shock was on me when he contacted me to let me know how much they liked my photos and blog. Talk about a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart! So Rick – thanks for the honor!
Ended the fun but crazy day with a dusk ride in the drizzle with Mason – it was the only time we could get out to ride. Once again, the unexpected proved to be magical.
As we were riding the last stretch toward home – in the dark, lights on, the rain beginning to increase – a lone car passed us, and Mason said to me, “I’ll bet they are thinking we are completely nuts.”
I replied, “Oh probably, but we’re having so much fun, aren’t we? Or are you going to someday tell your own kids horror stories of how your crazy mother used to take you out riding in the rain and in the dark…?”
To which he said, “Are you kidding? Of course it’s fun! If it wasn’t, we could’ve turned around back near the start … it’s totally awesome!”
(He’s definitely his mother’s son )
always ... cows along the way
A note on this last picture… We passed by a small Baptist cemetery on a road near home, and saw this strange light glowing among the headstones. Was pretty freaky to see. We stopped and investigated, and apparently it’s a small solar-powered illuminated angel. Never knew such a thing existed. I never would have noticed it without riding by in the dark.
eerie glowing angel in the Baptist cemetery
conversations with holsteins (day 31) ;)
drooling over my camera (literally)
And just when you thought I was all done …….
Apparently out of habit I had to ride today. A little bit rainy, but again – there were rewards. Some great conversations with Holsteins along the way. Nice little ride before all of the bad weather moves in. I don’t know why I have such a fascination with these cows, but they are so sweet and gentle, I just can’t help myself.
up close and personal
the Cow Chronicles continue ... Day 31
#30daysofbiking Day 20: a lesson in the rain
in the mist
I learned a lesson today. Woke up this morning to rain, and since I really had nowhere that I had to be, I stayed in – catching up with work in the house, and hoping the rain might pass eventually, thinking I’d go out for a ride when it did. And it never did.
I don’t mind – and actually often enjoy – riding in the rain, but can’t say I intentionally go out in it just to ride. I have decent rain gear, and if I have to be somewhere, I usually don’t let rain stop me. I’ve been caught in the rain – unexpectedly. But I can’t say I’ve ever decided. “Hey, it’s raining – I’m going out for a ride!”
a puddle of pollen - washed from the air
But of course, this being #30daysofbiking – I knew I was going out in it, whether I really wanted to or not. By late afternoon, when things still hadn’t cleared up, I decided to just go. Had my rain gear, packed my camera in my waterproof Ortlieb, and decided to ride my mountain/commuter bike because it had fenders and I didn’t care how filthy it got. I was prepared for a dreary, wet slog, and had decided ahead of time where my turn-around point would be.
The surprise was on me. It was divine. The rain dwindled down to a pleasant drizzle, the air was incredibly still and quiet, and smelled so fresh and clean. Mist was hanging over the hills, leaves were dripping. It was one of the most serene experiences I’ve ever had on my bike. When I got to my turn-around point, I knew I wasn’t going to turn back as planned. I stayed out in it. Gladly.
I think most of my rainy day rides have been commuting – in town, in traffic. A few times we’d been caught in showers biking trips (Grayson Highlands, VA, and the New River Trail come to mind). But riding out on a quiet local road – just to ride, in the rain – was something I probably would never have thought to do, had it not been for my commitment to #30daysofbiking.
What a wonderful lesson #30daysofbiking taught me today. Ride every day – you never know what you might be missing.
dandelions: just as beautiful when wet
