May Madness – o solo mio –
Some how, some way, I pedaled over 250 miles in the month of May. At one point during the month I was pretty sure that I would NOT hit 200 miles, which I had been able to do every month so far this year. The 75 miles in the saddle over memorial day weekend helped a bunch. It was all gravy after that.
I was out alone today. Vandy umping and Downing Tahoe bound. Did the usual route. Out to Coyote. Up heart attack hill, out to the bus stop, then over to the creek trail and head back home. Hit the trail early (0730) since it was an “o solo mio” ride. It was a nice morning for a ride. Overcast to start with little to no wind. Sun started popping out as I was climbing heart attack.
There is a big old tree on the way out to Coyote Hills near Crandal Creek. The tree looks dead but its big. A couple of falcons built a nice nest way up in the branches. Today on the way out I stopped and took a look throught the binoculars. Sure enough, there were three falcons up there. Tried to figure out if it was three chicks or a combo of mom dad and chicks. Nature!!
Saw more nature out at “laughing island”. The spot between the bus stop and end of creek trail where the gulls nest, have sex and raise (and some times eat) their young. Must be hundreds of them out there. We started calling the spot laughing island because some mornings the noise from the birds sounds like they are all laughing. After hearing about the debauchery that goes on out there, who knows what the noise really is. A look through the binoculars this morning found little seagul chicks everywhere! They blended in so well to the dirt that you couldn’t see them with the naked eye. There was also some sex going on! Never saw that before on laughing island! Click here for a “sunday morning with Charles Kuralt” video
The only bummer of the morning was that I got a flat tire on the way home. Did a quick change and was on my way. The way I figure, if I’m going to get a flat it might as well be out in God’s country. All alone out there. Good thing I had everything I needed to get the job done.
So after I fixed the flat I was back in the saddle, back on the creek trail, and quickly coming up to 250 miles on the odometer. Where would I be when it hit 250? Where or where will I be? Turns out it’s at highway 880 and the creek trail. A place where the hustle bustle of everyday life zooms by on the freeway, while life on the creek trail goes about 12 miles per hour. I’ll take the creek trail anyday!!
side note – 1191 miles so far this year!
