Low Key Recovery

After yesterday's ball busting 40 mile ride at Hanson, I was inclined to do as I had in the past and take today completely off the bike. But that shit was the old me. The new me (I'm making this shit up by the way) said "what the f*ck," and went for a 2 hour session of low key dirt road riding. I guess most people call them gravel roads, but here in central Michigan, they are dirt, maybe some sand. Very little actual gravel. So I will be calling them dirt roads. Now THAT'S some integrity in mother fornication blogging right there lady dogs!!

This pic is NOT an attempt to hid my double chin. It just happened, and I sort of like this pic. I calls attention to my pointy nose. Some say the best feature, of my otherwise lackluster, oh he must be the "fat friend" appearance.

The temps were warm, even by my 11 AM departure and the sky was filled with blue and a golden orb (see Cold Comfort Farm). Riding the dirt roads right now is strange, 'cause it seems like it was just not too long ago I was riding in snow, slush and ice. I will take tacky dirt, sand, draining two bottles PDQ, and a salt stained kit ANY day, believe you me.

This is one of the finest examples of how freaking flat things can get in my area of Michigan. But....

If you look out towards the houses/barns on the horizon the road does start to turn up, and then does so for a bit. Are they like the mountain roads that I knew in PA? Nope, but they still give a good workout and I am happy to have them so close to my crib. Especially with the lack of douche bags buzzing me and hurling insults.

I can't say I as jazzed to ride, I mean with the race last week, a suck pre ride of Hanson yesterday, the heat, my general inclination to suck long and hard on the teet of being a crap cyclist, and my ass feeling like I spent some serious time in what is known in commonly known as "Federal Pound Me In The Ass Prison," I just didn't have the mojo. BUT... You do what you gotta do, right? Plus the weather was just TOO perfect not to ride. So I just enjoyed the greening pastures, the dry dirt, and the knowledge that in my world this was a bonus ride.

If you click the pic (or have good eyes) you will see that SOMEONE was having a BBQ today. I had the wanted to invite myself, but then thought of the consequence of inviting my sweaty, Lycra clad ass to a BBQ out in the middle of nowhere on the dirt roads and passed. I could have gone for some BBQ chicken though. Mmmmmm.

Bonus ride or no bonus ride, and despite the joy of riding under the blue sky and the "golden orb," AKA the sun, was blazing (not really, but after a llllllong winter this strange VERY warm day too a toll (as I type weather.com says it's 84 degrees!!! Sweet Jesus!!!). Granted it wasn't 84 at 11 AM but still, I went through one bottle in about 45 minutes, and then had to nurse the next one so as to last me the next 1:15. Next time- THREE bottles. Or CamelBak (GASP!!!)

SUMMER RIDE BONUS: The apartments I pass on my way out of town house many college students, including a group of females wishing to sunbathe in bikinis on the lawn of said apartments. Yeah sure, I looked like a douche in my sweaty ass, salt stained kit, but that won't stop me from making a deposit in the bank. Don't judge, and yest I was already yelled at for sharing this info with Wifey. And no, there are no photo. Not because I didn't want to, but because they were just a tad to far out of range of my camera. LOL!

As I made my way down one dirt road I started seeing some bike tracks in the dirt. Eventually they stopped and led me to a 50ish woman on her hybrid talking to another 5oish woman on a riding lawn mower. The woman on the bike, unlike the dude I saw on trail yesterday, was wearing a helmet and had the biggest smile and wave for me when I passed. It's like we ride these road thinking that only über cyclists and DUI bike riding types ride out there, but then you see a woman like this and it truly brings you into the reality that you don't have to be and über cyclist to enjoy riding and/or the beauty of riding dirt and/or gravel roads. (I dig saying "and/or, " can you tell?).

Things sure are FINALLY greening up around here. Just beautiful (if you find green rolling field and agricultural buildings (farms) beautiful.

Just a perfect Sunday, to cap off a pretty damn good weekend. I know that yesterday there was all sorts of talk about the end of the world and Raptures, etc., and what not, and to tell you the truth I was as taken aback by the kooky people that were professing doom, as I was by the folks who went a little too over the top (for my tastes) to make fun of them. Having said all that I have a feeling in my nuggets that the world may indeed be ending. I don't have to read the Bible, or listen to some radio preacher to tell you that, all I need to tell you is that as of late, I am pretty darn happy with my life, and I can count on both hands how many of my nearly 40 years that I have felt that. And THAT my friends is a sure sign that shit is gonna get bad, REAL f*cking fast.

OK, OK, enough mush, tomorrow is an off day from "doing stuff," but not an off day from XXC Magazine. Lots of stuff to do. Next issue is gonna be boss, as long as I don't drop the creative/publisher guy ball.

Later.