Rode with Gretchen this morning. Jen couldn't go, so I was planning to do everything on the one side of the lake.
At the point where I make the decision to do more or just do what I have been doing, I had to stop and get off the bike.
I had to sit down and catch my breath, stop my head from spinning.
Gretchen was concerned. She backed herself against my legs and stood watch over me while I recuperated.
I thought I was going to puke, pass out, or have a heart attack.
All I could think of was W's "gotta get my 3 miles in" line.
Every once in a while Gretchen would turn and give me a lick on the face to make sure I was ok, then she'd turn back to guard against the woods.
It took a while, but I came around to where I felt like I could ride again. I got up and walked over to my bike. I know I'm out of shape, but this was ridiculous.
Since replacing my rear brake pads last night, I gave the rear wheel a quick spin to see how things were doing.
Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch.
I couldn't get the wheel to go a full revolution spinning with my hand. It would roll and spin via the pedals, but there was so much drag it wouldn't spin on its own.
Well that explains it. I'm not as fat and slow as I thought I was.
We didn't do the extra portion, but I did get a work-out.
Jen and I headed up to French Creek Sunday morning to watch Bill and his brother Mike do the Double Trouble 30k trail run.
It was a little different sitting around watching Bill do the racing. For the past 9 years, it's been the other way around.
At least Cheryl had their new puppy Tucker for us to play with while we waited.
The race was a single 9 mile loop. If you finished it under 2 hours, you could do it again. Essentially it was 2 races in one - a 15K and a 30K. You could place in either or both. Bill and Mike did both.
Hell. I can't even make it through the day without leaving work for an hour to take a sweaty nap in my car at the park.
Last weekend while it was raining and I couldn't do much else, I started to finish a project my Dad and I started last October.
We had gotten the opening bigger in the garage for all the deck/pool furniture, but I never did the required re-wiring to complete the job.
Like I said, it was raining last weekend so I figured I could try and finish it.
Boy was I wrong.
The wires went all over the place, then were wired in ways I couldn't understand.
What I thought would take twenty minutes took two days spanned over a week, and I only got the basics done. I still have holes where switches could be and lights should turn on from.
It's got power everything, leather and a V6 motor that really scoots.
The best part?
I didn't pay a dime for it.
Sure there was a transaction and money was paid.
That's 250 $20 bills.
But it wasn't my money.
One of my minions moved here from Spain. He doesn't quite have all of his "official papers," but still wanted to buy this car. I offered to temporarily take ownership (my name's on the title and I'm paying insurance for it) until he gets his paperwork completed.
Cause I'm a nice guy, it's just sitting in my garage.
Nice to look at and fun to test drive for him, but ultimately it's not mine.
Gretchen and I came across a male Indian Peafowl this morning on our ride. I'd heard the bird last week on our ride, but this week it was standing right in the trail - in the trail at Marsh Creek.
Our first encounter was pretty innocent. Gretchen at first approached, but I told her to stay back. I started approaching and it flew up to a tree.
On our way back it was in the trail again. This time Gretchen ignored me and went right for it. Angrily it flew up to a tree.
And that was it. Jen had the camera out on the water with her, so no pictures of its bright blue plumage.
Oh.
I did find a regular tick on my leg while waiting for Gretchen at one of her watering holes. I flicked it off into the bushes where it inadvertently landed in spider web for some arachnid on arachnid action. I guess the spider won. When I looked back the tick was gone and the spider had returned to its perch in the center of its web.
The doggie daycare goes to designated Gretchen as their currently "Featured Pet".
They made a video of her playing and put it on the net.
If you don't know, she's the short haired German Shepherd looking dog. In some shots you'll see two of them that look nearly the same. The one with the whiter face and feet is Rocky. Gretchen is obviously the cuter of the two.
While Jen power washed some of the auxiliary pool furniture, I finished up the fiasco that started back in March with the dimmable fluorescent recessed lights in our kitchen. Basically I got the $50 dimmer wired up.
Looks easy huh? Wasn't for me. The other two switches are 3-ways. Originally I had the dimmer wired into the one on the far right, but wasn't wired into the constant hot - I think. Instead I found the constant hot on the 3-way in the middle and everything worked fine - I guess.
I'm not an electrician.
I'm just glad the dimmer doesn't hum.
In addition to this, I trimmed some hedges, drained extra water off the pool, put some back, and installed the deck speakers.
It was a little different sitting around watching Bill do the racing. For the past 9 years, it's been the other way around.
The race was a single 9 mile loop. If you finished it under 2 hours, you could do it again. Essentially it was 2 races in one - a 15K and a 30K. You could place in either or both. Bill and Mike did both.
The wires went all over the place, then were wired in ways I couldn't understand.
That's 250 $20 bills.
or does everyone who comes home from a 12 hour day
face these kinds setbacks?
Good thing too. After the day I had, I needed it.
The kind of arthritis that will eventually lead to knee replacements.
Hopefully I pulled you off before you were able to leave your painful mark.
While Jen power washed some of the auxiliary pool furniture, I finished up the fiasco that started back in March with the 
