The weekend....

Yesterday's blog entry was a tribute to my relationship with TLE so I did not report on anything to do with Saturday, so I am playing catch up today.  Saturday was pretty laid back, and is quite easily summed up......it was hot, and by the time I got around to thinking about riding my bike it was too hot, so I just took it easy all day reading a good book (Comstock Lode by Louis L'Amour).  TLE spent the day relaxing too....in fact we spent most of the day outside in our anti gravity loungers......and that was our Saturday.

I was determined to take a long ride Sunday.....so far this time around I have done a couple of rides over 20 miles (22 and 25), and Sunday seemed like a good day to just get on the bike and make it up as I went, and maybe break 30 miles.  I haven't been to the top of Mt. Rubidoux  in about a week, so I headed there first......

.....after the obligatory 'selfie' I coasted over the crest and began the plunge down to the SART* to see if I could ride south......the southbound section of the SART* at Mt. Rubidoux has been closed for a couple of weeks due to some sewer reconstruction, but I discovered that it was now open again so headed southwest with my goal being the southern terminus of this section of the SART*.

Believe it, nor not, but there is actually water flowing in the Santa Ana River most of the year....

 The Santa Ana River just south of Van Buren

 Mt. Rubidoux in the foreground

....I made it to the southern terminus about 1130.....my tripometer showed just under 14 miles traveled......I also noticed that there was a stiff breeze coming from the north....the direction I must ride on my return.....nothing more discouraging than a headwind when you are riding a bicycle!  When I began my ride there was no wind at all, and when I first arrived at the summit on Mt. Rubidoux there was barely enough breeze to stretch the 'Stars and Stripes' out in the 'selfie' above.

On my way southwest I had averaged just under 14 mph, but on my way back I had difficulty breaking 10 mph, and was down to 7, or 8 mph often due to the headwind.  By the time I made it around Lake Evans in Fairmont Park, and down Market to the Starbucks I was 'gassed'.  I was just under 27 miles ridden at this point with about 1 mile to go, but I needed some refreshment, so I ordered a mocha frappuccino and sat outside in the shade for about 30 minutes drawing that magic elixir up through a straw into my mouth, and feeling its delicious  coldness slide down my throat.  I could feel my energy returning, and I would need every ounce of energy I could summon to finish the last 1 mile plus home....by this time it was over 90 degrees, and the wind was blowing in the high teens.

I made it home just about 1400, put my bike away, and jumped into the shower.....in all I covered 28 miles, burned 1800 calories, and averaged just over 12 mph for the entire ride.  I arrived home with a runny nose, and sneezing.  I don't normally suffer from any allergies, but apparently there was something in the air Sunday that affected me, and I spent the rest of the day sneezing, and blowing my nose.  So, what do you do when you don't feel good?  I spent the rest of the afternoon watching the NFL channel which was showing, in abbreviated format, some of the best NFL games from the 2015 season.

While I was gone TLE spent time working on repairing the quilt that serves as the 'spread' for our bed......it is about 17 years old, and is beginning to get a little threadbare here and there, so she is repairing some of the panels.

We were treated to a nice sunset, and Sunday (Valentine's Day) was in the books......this was the kind of sunset you wish you could view in the desert with no man made obstructions obscuring the view.

Thanks for stopping by!

*SART = Santa Ana River Trail