18 Nov 2011 Ride: Sleep, Forrest, Sleep.

Waking up at 4:20 and getting about 5 1/2 hours of sleep will not cut it.  I guess just another challenge for the year-long journey.

Errands in the morning with a run up to Bentonville to pick up the mattress set I purchased yesterday on my bike ride. 

 Boxer and pug patiently waiting for their humans in a parking lot.

An early departure for the errands should have given me plenty of time to come home, get something to eat and leave by 11:30 or noon for at least a 40 mile ride.  Getting back home, the lack of sleep was getting the better of me and I thought I would catch a quick 5 or 10 minute nap which usually helps to considerably revive me.  That turned into a 45 minute snooze, which I desperately needed.  That meant about a 30 mile ride squeezed in before going over to massage Joe.  30 was good.

I parked on Habberton Rd and made my way over to the mostly deserted Waterford Estates where I was able to take advantage of the streets that mostly run east-west which worked well in the very strong southerly wind.

I set my sights on completing 30 miles and then getting home for some R&R before going over to Joe's.  Yet, still, I found myself wanting to stop to take pictures.

The patch of red soil on the side of the road caught my eye. 

I believe I may have taken a picture of this tree fairly recently but I really liked the way it was looking today.  And, after all, nothing is ever the same from day to day or even moment to moment.  There have been several occasions where I eyed an object to photograph, didn't take it, only to be disappointed that it did not look the same when I came back to it a short time later. 

Camera placed in grass on macro setting.  I like the how the sky and clouds came out in contrast to the central stalk of grass.

 The first half of the ride went fairly well but time was moving slowly for most of the second half.  My new attitude with the wind was still intact but I was very tired and just being out there was exhausting.

 I have passed this mule many times and usually he/she is on the other side of the enclosure.  She always seems to eye me warily and when I have attempted to stop, she moves further away.  This time, she was by the road close to the road.  I decided to stop and photograph the pods on the fence and assumed she would quickly move off.  But, to my surprise, she came closer; I guess she has gotten used to my passing presence.  She stopped suddenly and looked down at the ground beyond the fence; she was eying my bike lying on the shoulder and she seemed spooked by it and took a few steps away.  I found this very to be a very curious behavior as I don't recall any horse that I stopped to talk with ever reacting to my bike.  The mule continued to eye the bike as if it were an animal that might suddenly leap up and pounce on her.  She did take a couple of steps closer to me when I called her but the bike kept her at bay. 

 I like all the various twists in this picture.  Take note of what I believe is mule hair caught in the barb.

This was one time where I was counting down the miles and when 30 came, I went no further.  I was looking forward to getting home and taking a warm bath.

Pulling into our road, an interesting mix of contrails and clouds.

Today's Ride:  2hrs 36mins.  30.17 miles.  56°   20-25mph  Miles YTD:  9,082.11

Number of miles per day needed to reach 10,000 miles by the end of the year:  21.35

Donations for Biking for Food, which support the Community Meals at St Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville, AR, can be sent to:  Biking for Food,  St Paul’s Episcopal Church,   224 N. East Ave.,   Fayetteville, AR  72701

Or, make a pledge per bike miles ridden at  www.stpaulsfay.org/bikingforfood.html.

 To see older postings, search the Archives listed on the right had panel.

To see postings before 15 August 2011, please go to www.mylifeasabike2.blogspot.com

To see postings before 11 June 2011, please go to www.mylifeasabike.blogspot.com