Bits and Pieces 35

Just catching up some personal stuff here.

The bike is all up and ready. I gave it a test run today on the River Trails out to Portland and back. I carry the small camera because most of my rides lately are aimed at training. I practice what I preach. When I post prophetic warnings, it’s the same as announcing what I am preparing for. Right now I need to get in the best shape possible while things are still peaceful. When the first crisis comes — and it could be any day now — I’ll need that fitness level.

So I’ve redoubled my efforts to keep doing those indoor workouts first thing in the morning. Around our place, we get up before 5AM when my wife works. I get my shoes on and hit the mat. On alternate days I’ll either do my tension workout or a collection of calisthenics I learned in the military. I work extra hard on the abdominal stuff both days; it’s the one part of my body that needs it most and is also the one part that can take it.

So about the only time I take my big camera with me is when I’m checking out the progress on the Draper Lake bikeway. I was there Friday but because of the heavy overcast skies, my pictures turned out not so good. Overcast is okay for stuff that’s close in, but not for long distance shots. Overcast here typically comes with a haze that fuzzes out the long shots.

In case you are wondering, the survey stakes indicate the path will wander a bit below the dam, instead of hugging the base of it. There’s one spot out there where, I swear, they are going to have to install a bridge or a very large culvert because it crosses one of the old creek beds that still flows when it rains. I’ll be going out there tomorrow and I expect clear to partly cloudy skies, so the pictures should be better.

It’s my birthday tomorrow (62) but I’ll still post the pictures from the ride.