Puddles

It stopped raining right before I went out to ride this morning. A heavy shower must have passed through because the creek flooded the underpass. I could hear the roar of the water and see the white caps pouring down over the rocks. Because the underpass was impassible, I ended up doing the Custis Hills.  Fog got denser as the miles passed.  My bike and calves were covered in grit by the time I got home. Thirty-seven miles!

lashes

Margot has the longest eyelashes. None of our other goldens had such luxurious lashes as a puppy. So sweet.  Well, until she bites. I cannot wait until she's done teething. 

Two words to describe this morning's bike ride: damp, humid.   But I'll take that over rain/drizzle any time. The County cleaned out the sand/mud in the underpasses, which was a very pleasant surprise.  My legs were sore from yesterday's strength work in the gym but I still felt decently strong.

Drizzle

Even though the radar showed no precipitation in the area, it drizzled during my entire ride this morning. Sigh. Trying to think on the bright side, at least it wasn't raining in earnest and I didn't end up soaked.  I ended up doing the Custis hill route because I anticipated a mess of mud and debris in the underpasses. On Tuesday, there was plenty of flash flooding after the early morning deluge.  

I was glad to be outside, despite getting soggy.  Rain possible for at least the next few days, and the temps aren't very summer-like. I would love to go swimming but the fates are against it until the weekend.

It looks like I caught a cough. Took some extra vitamin C, which hopefully will help. 

Rainy Tuesday

The sound of rain on the sunroom roof does not sooth me.  It means that I'm stuck riding, inside on the trainer and suffering through Spinervals. Actually, I like Spinervals because they make me stronger and inspire me to work harder. But I miss the fresh air, the stars, the clouds, the moon, the wildlife and the sound of my tires on asphalt.  I also miss coasting down hills. I used to be able to enjoy riding in rain, but the clean up afterward discourages me from doing it unless I have no choice. Coming home coated in dirt/sand -- bike and body -- is not pleasant. Particularly when I have to spend time cleaning up both before rushing through my usual pre-work departure routine.

Commute in today was hell. It rained so hard that I couldn't see well, despite the pre-dawn light. 

I got my hair cut very short today. Swimming hair! It's above my chin, a length I haven't sported in years. I like it. Also, I'm happy to be rid of my silver roots. 

Memorial Day

A good start to the day: the rain has not yet arrived. Consequently, I got in a 43 mile bike ride early. Very humid but I enjoyed every mile. Rain is in the forecast most of the week, so I relish riding outside on dry pavement and no rain on the radar or in the air.  Hopefully, my luck will hold out and the rain will stick to "work hours" this week.

I'm pretty sore from swimming yesterday.  Inner thighs, shoulders, and upper back are disagreeing with the new form of exercise. Proves that you can be strong but an unfamiliar activity can recruit muscles in a different way. It's a good soreness. I'm also a little sunburned.  Hope to get some swimming in today, but with the weather, I'm not too optimistic.

Poor Brian re-injured his side sneezing. Last week, he wiped out on the metal steps out back, trying to get the stubborn Fiona back inside. Ornery Fiona.  The flu that hit him last Wednesday has turned into a cough/cold, hence the sneezing.  I wish he'd take better care of himself.

Back to work tomorrow, unfortunately. I'm going to try to keep my postings positive, so I likely won't write much about work or my commute. Try to focus on the good things, like the gym in the building which I decided to make use of mid-morning (instead of taking a lunch break --- don't want to go there at lunch time, too crowded).

I will enjoy this day off. Tomorrow, I'll be leaving early for an appointment, so I'll be easing back into the work routine after the holiday weekend.

Puppy Feet

Nothing beats the sound of an 8 week old puppy's paws stomping across the ceramic tile floor! On the way to pounce on one of her golden retriever "sisters."  Margot does not know that she weighs under ten pounds. She's got a big dog's soul.  Luckily, Maeve and Fiona understand the ways of the puppy and are patient with their canine sister. They are teaching her the rules.

Had a very nice 43 mile bike ride this morning. It was warm - 69 degrees - and mostly clear. I had the trail all to myself, which is what I prefer. Heard and saw all the motorcycles roaring down to the Pentagon for Rolling Thunder, which is an annual Memorial Day Weekend treat. During the ride, I got so toasty that I had to shed my wind vest. Since this year has been colder than normal, I've had a hard time re-gauging my layers and have been over-dressing.  Fortunately, we've had a stretch of dry weather, which is a nice change.  I'm hoping that the rain that's predicted happens during the day and the early morning hours are dry. I spent so much time inside on the trainer due to cold, icy conditions, or rain that I have a new appreciation for riding outside. 

Yesterday, we went for our first swim of the season. It was heaven!  The club is pretty nice. Because I don't have my swimming "legs" yet, I did only a few laps. Mostly just played around in the water, which is always fun.   Even Brian got in the pool, despite the cool water temps. Got a little bit of sunburn on my shoulders, so we got some waterproof sunscreen w/SPF of 70.