20 Nov 2011 Ride: 6 Weeks

This morning, when I eventually made it out for ride, I was feeling pretty good and thought, hey, "I could do another 100 miler today."  Of course, that's easy to say only 25 miles into the ride.  The only thing stopping me was: 1) two turkeys to carve that I had cooked that morning for Community Meals; 2) doing a produce run for Community Meals; and 3) most importantly, David was arriving home for Thanksgiving so I didn't want to be gone all day.  But, now, in the evening, as I sit down to do this post, I feel wiped out and it's certainly a good thing that I didn't do another 100 today.

 On the morning walk, these cows were mooing incessantly as if something was wrong or perhaps they were just demanding food though the pasture still has green grass.  They were a fair ways down in the pasture and when they saw me walking by, they began drifting towards me.  When I approached the fence they broke into a trot and gathered around me.

These cows don't like to be touched but they certainly like to lick, presumably the salt on my skin.  Every time I tried to pet one, it would back way. 

 The last time I experienced a situation like this where mooing cows couldn't get enough attention was in New Hampshire back in 1972.  A friend and I would make regular trips to go feed some cows a couple of miles from our small rural college campus.  We would pull grass from the shoulder and they would come when they saw us, knowing that we meant to feed them.  One day when we came they seemed very agitated as they gathered; they didn't seem to want us to leave.  We happened to go back the next day and the pasture was empty.  We inquired where the cows were and were told that they had been taken to be slaughtered.  A sad day for my friend and me.  I don't think the cows in our neighborhood are being taken away.  I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

I was about to delete the above photo when I glimpsed what looked to be a pair of black and white high topped shoes.  I had a good smile when I realized that a pair of cow legs had snuck in.



A good ride today.  No pictures to speak of.  I pass the mailbox below regularly and it really took me awhile before I realized this was the resident's last name and not some comical commentary.  With the cows in the morning, I thought a picture of the mailbox today was appropriate.

So.  Six weeks ago I came back from Panama and started my drive for 10,000 miles in earnest.  I had just passed the 7,000 mile mark and 10,000 seemed rather daunting and still very much in the distance.  Just how many miles per week could I manage?  As it turned out, I managed to churn out 2,158 miles these past six weeks (I call a week Monday through Sunday).  The lowest week was 317 miles, the highest was 409 and the average for the six weeks was 360 miles.  I used to look at people that would be able to do 200 miles a week and go, wow. 

And, now, here I am six weeks later and the 10,000 miles feels like just a step away.  Never would I have imagined I could have kept up a pace of almost 360 miles per week for six weeks.  I had wanted to reach under 20 miles per day needed for 10,000 by December 1 in case the weather got bad and so that I could enjoy the holiday time more.  I'm glad to have done it by this week so I can have a more leisurely pace without stressing out about it while David is here.

Today's Ride:  2hrs 31mins.  28.23 miles.  56°-62°  Miles YTD:  9,211.47

Number of miles per day needed to reach 10,000 miles by the end of the year:  19.23

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.

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