CYCLE DAYS CHALLENGE #38-41

Ending November with a good number of rides ;’-). Posting now as I get ready for a new month of riding.

#38 NOVEMBER 26 2020

Rain!! Mist at first mile, then a drizzle, then actual real rain for much of my ride. I was determined to do a Thanksgiving morning ride, and to do my Shawna loop from home. I almost shortened it just a little, but decided to stick with the whole thing. I arrived home a sopping but happy mess.

The wet weather did not call for any photo stops along the way today.

#39 NOVEMBER 27, 2020

Imagine my pleasant surprise when there was sun this morning for the first time in days!! AND temp very near 50. Oh what a pleasant day for riding.

I rambled around nearby roads and found the reindeer romping in the grass, and my bike could not help itself but to join in the play.

A little later I was riding along a neighborhood street that, to me, appeared a quintessential fall scene. Just before I had my camera out, the leaves were fluttering down in front of me much like snowflakes do. Of course that and the light wind had stopped by the time I took the photo. Saying goodbye to fall as we begin our entrance into winter. 

#40 NOVEMBER 29, 2020

Any ride with Cindy is a delight, and this country ramble to and near Holly Farm was fantastic. A sunny day as the temps rose from 35 to high 40s by the time we finished our ride.

A bit beyond Holly Farm we stopped for a visit to ‘Honey Do Farm’ and got quite a good eye full.

There were animals...

Down the driveway toward the home and farm (we were not sure if this is a B&B or something else) there were some great Thanksgiving and fall signs, and a nice autumn display in the yard.

There were several Santa sightings, but these two are the ones that made me stop for a photo, even though one turns out to have no face ;’-0. I think he was at the school bus stop ;’-).

The quaint little bridge crossing over to the trail — hmmmmm. Cindy is saying “it is icy”. Slippery and icy enough that Cindy, with cleated bicycle shoes, had to take off her shoes to get down the ramp. Getting up the one side was difficult at best, going down was sure to cause a fall.

Another adventure with Cindy ;’-). Great day.

#41 NOVEMBER 30, 2020

An early afternoon dental appointment today. Nothing big at this one, just assessment and consult for the big to come later. Still, I get anxious. A bike ride might help. 

Left Santa at home and did a short but nice meander in sunshine. 

It had rained last night and into this early morning, but turned into a beautiful day. Even on a short ride I get to see and enjoy some wonderful views. Here — the Olympic Mountain range.

Now to not perseverate about that dental appointment...

CYCLE DAY #37 AND A NEAR CATASTROPHE

#37 NOVEMBER 25, 2020

It was nice to have a dry morning to wake up to ;’-). I didn’t get out all that early, but there was some sun at 10:00 and I enjoyed a ride to and through what we call the Wendell Wiggle (Wendell was a long time active club member who came up with this route as an alternative to staying on the trail all the way) and then through the airport. I simply rode, no tea stop, no snack stop, just a ride. I was in no hurry and it felt good to ramble about with no real responsibility for the day. 

However I did have one harrowing experience with a truck coming directly at me. It is quite difficult to explain. Let it be known that I did nothing wrong, and was in fact totally stopped waiting for traffic to end before my left turn onto the Bev-Ed Rd. I heard a grinding/skidding noise to my left as I was in the far right of the right lane. I looked to my left and this truck, still with its left turn signal on intending to turn onto the road I was exiting, was screeching on his brakes with smoke coming from the wheels. I felt like I could have reached out and touched the truck, but it must have finally stopped about two feet from me. I looked at the driver, who was wearing his mask, and he just waved at me as if to say “nothing wrong” and drove on. Well he kind of had to back up a little to complete his left turn. 

It was very unnerving and if I had been stopped in the spot where I should have been and usually am, to take my left turn, I would have been hit and badly injured. I was to the far right because there had been a car next to me who would turn left ahead of me and I wanted to give him room to do so. Had HE still been in the lane, he would have gotten hit by that truck and would have been pushed into me. I feel that I have escaped potential death or life threatening injuries.

Though I did feel a bit unnerved by this incident, I did not dwell on it until the end of my ride!!! Thank goodness. So I enjoyed the rest of my ride and was able to get at least a couple more photos for the day. I found a folding knife and a decent bungie along my way. So there’s that.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE ;’-)

ONE RIDE; THREE CHALLENGES

I have written before that I participate in a few challenges. The three I captured today are all on one site. The challenges:

1.  Just A Ride Challenge (This month’s theme: just take a ride)

2.  Holidays Challenge (For every Holiday: find anything relating to a current holiday)

3.  Cycle Days Challenge (Ongoing year around: one photo for each day’s ride)

#36 NOVEMBER 24, 2020

It would be just a ride today. Something between mist and drizzle welcomed me as I started riding from home at 8:30. I intended a relatively short ride this morning and with no destination in mind, I had no idea what I could possibly find for my picture of the day. Just a little more than a mile from home the misty drizzle stopped, and I had a dry ride all the way until I was within a mile from home where it either started again, or had continued while I was gone.

Just riding, I came across a couple of things to like — the butterfly on a stone, the trike in the window of an otherwise empty building, and leaves that have fallen and become less colorful.

I suppose when most of us think of Thanksgiving we picture turkey. Food is probably the next image that comes to mind, and a gaggle of family surrounding us at the table. I am seeing more Christmas decorations already, but was pleased to find at least a few Thanksgiving reminders.

What will be my photo of the day??? And then this. I approached the two women who were handing out lunches at the nearby elementary school and told them of my plight. Immediately, before I even finished my story, one of them moved the stuffed animal to a more prominent spot on the table, and both women told me they were smiling for me. How great is that????

CYCLE DAYS CHALLENGE #32-35

Rides/photos #32-35

#32 NOVEMBER 11, 202O

With today’s 39 degree ride start we seem to have begun what Cindy calls our Frozen Fun rides ;’-). We have ridden in some light snow in the past, and though no snow today, it felt like it could. 

The shoe tree has been there for years and years, and this is the best time of year to get a good look at the shoes. 

We rode on the Centennial Trail for a big part of the ride today, but added very interesting loops on the way out and back. It is always fun to ride through small neighborhoods off the trail. Winding back behind Machias Station while waiting for the restroom to be empty of users (there was only one), we bimbled through the little hamlet of Machias and I got a church photo. The steeple is interesting to me as it is shingled rather than painted white siding.

Our lunch stop was in Lake Stevens at Biscuit and Bean (bean being coffee beans) where Cindy got her #6 coffeeneuring stop. After biscuits and beans we cycled across the road to visit the quiet and nicely appointed lakeside park. I am tucking the park into my brain list for a future stop and photos then. The rusted ship’s buoy is carved with interesting scenes, and is now an outdoor fireplace. It would be interesting to see lit at night.

On the trail near the end of our ride we spied the eagle which is often in this tree. This is the first time I have gotten a decent photo of it, and of course the eagle was not looking in my direction and smiling. I guess I will have to keep trying 😏.

#33 NOVEMBER 19. 2020

Having not ridden my bike for an entire week I was chomping to get out on the saddle today even if the weather was not the very best. Sometimes just no rain is the best ;’-). I rode up to the bank to make a deposit, and continued on for a ‘bike by’ at Cindy’s. I had something to drop off for her and at least a short visit would feel good. It did. I took the longer route home and through the airport. On the way I passed a local high school that continues to hold some colorful trees in the parking lot.

This Air Force plane midway in production seemed to smile at me. Or else it was healing from some mouth thing.

#34 NOVEMBER 20, 2020

As I sat in my riding gear looking out our front window this morning I was thinking that I may not get up the oom-pah-pah needed to go for ride. It was wet looking, had only recently stopped raining, and cold. Susan came down ready to ride her bike for pick up at Safeway of only a few items she had to order. At first I declined her invitation to ride with her, but as she was getting ready in the garage I changed my mind. I am so glad I did. After we picked up the goods at Safeway she headed directly home and I peeled off for just a few more miles. I think I got something like 13 which is double what I would have gotten if directly home. That is usually how it goes, once I am riding I like to ride a little further. Susan said she knew I would do that. I wasn’t sure that I would but she says she knows me better than I do. 😏

I have finally come to terms with giving up any mileage goals for the remainder of the year into Feb or March. My riding goals are now to get out on as many days as I can for maybe at least an hour, and if I have it in me to ride more time, I will. Miles will not matter and it will be more fun that way. I may actually try to give up any yearly mileage goals if I can adjust to this now ;’-).

Susan hitched up the Travoy and off we went to the pick drive at the store. It is how we “shop” these days: online order and they give a time that it will be ready for pick up. Normally Susan drives for the pick up as the order is too big for the Travoy and her bucket panniers!

#35 NOVEMBER 22, 2020

There was the damp cold of the air as I started riding at 9:30 and I thought maybe this would be the day I would turn around for home very early in the ride. I know well enough to not make that decision before riding a few miles, and as usual once I got going I just kept going ;’-). I did my Every Turn and Loop route in my neighborhood and that brings me to ‘The Stump’. I was not disappointed to find a new display for the upcoming holiday.

The Stump deserves a photo of its own.

As I meandered through the several neighborhoods I found some more lingering fall color. I keep thinking that I am seeing the very last of it, but every ride shows me yet another blast.

WASHINGTON PARK OUTING

The weekend of November 13th at Washington Park seems long in the past, but is a mere one week ago ;’-). My motivation to post anything about that outing has been low to non-existent. There is not a lot to say about our SOTF outing but I do have some photos that I want to have posted here. The weather was not good for any attempt for bike riding, so Susan and I did a walk or hike each day. The first day took us to the boat ramp and nearby beach for a “warm up” walk. The sky was not only gray, it was quite filled with clouds. The lone grebe didn’t mind at all.

On the following few days we ventured onto several of the hiking trails in the park. We had some rain, lots of wind, and even got some sun at times. There are lots of trails in the park and they weave in and out of each other. Fortunately each trail has a number, and the park gives us a map to follow.

These old tree trunks looked to me like faces. Almost ghost like.

There is some history to the area.

The monument to Tonjes Havekost overlooks the bay.

This day was VERY WINDY, and Susan tries to show the wind under here wings.

We had beautiful views of the sound, the bay, the islands and mountains.

Looking toward Fidalgo Island.

Another day had us on a different hiking trail through the woods and offering slightly different views.

Ship in the bay.

Back at camp we wandered around the numerous sites and had a close look at this interesting rig. The owner, Nese (sounds like ‘niece’) has done all the art work, that my photos show only some of it.

Almost Thanksgiving, so there was a turkey.

On the last evening there was a gift exchange around the campfire and Christmas trees ;’-). Susan and I did attend, gave & got a gift, and it seems we were two of very few others keeping social distance and wearing our mask.

We had a great site that had a lot of privacy and good distance from other campers. We were happy. So ends another fun adventure.