I’ve been sleeping like complete shit as of late. Even taking my regular dose of sleep medicine leaves me tossing, turning, bloated, and gassy. OK, the bloated and gassy part is pretty normal, but the tossing and turning could stop any time now.
I know over the span of Operation Boozeless™ (which is in day 26 of a self-imposed 28 booze ban, thank you very much) I’ve been drinking more caffeine in the form of coffee and Pepsi Zero Sugar, but I usually stop by noon or so. Yesterday I was up at 6 AM and then worked 8.5 hours at the shop slinging bikes and STILL couldn’t fall to sleep. I really don’t know why I’m talking about my lack of sleep. I should probably move on. Yes, I’ll move on—I rode my bike today.
Summer blooms still going.
B had a two-hour footy practice this morning so my ride time would be pushed back until after I fetched him and got him home. Then I would need more coffee, time to map out a ride, and even more time to actually get my ass out the door.
I headed to the Dirt Road Launching Pad along the rail trail in Clare with my Boone. I had a 25-ish mile course mapped out and my Fuji X-T1 along for the ride.
It was pretty much a perfect Michigan summer day: a warm 85˚, sun, blue sky, with a slight breeze. It wasn’t “ride all day” sort of comfortable, but damn hard to find too much to bitch about.
Rusted tin roof hump shack.
If there is any bitching to be done, it should be directed towards my Bryton computer’s sub-par Tracks system, and the Boone’s continuing creak. However bitching about either would be pointless, and both will be remedied when replaced and fixed soon.
I was doing fine with keeping on course until about mile 17 when I missed a turn. I didn’t feel like turning around and knew where I was so I just kept on going, eventually turning back onto The Jacques1.
Beans and barns.
There was nothing wrong with that slack move other than it cut about 4 miles off of the ride, so I finished with only 20.5 mile of riding, which is pretty lame. I did, however, find some new photo opportunities and will be anxious to do the same route properly in the near future when the sun is hopefully hidden behind gray clouds or some misty rain. I like my rural Michigan pics looking as dark dingy as possible!
I did take a few pics today. Some were OK, some were not.
Pretty sure this home is abandoned. However there was some junk mail in the mail box along the road. Hmmm…
So far it’s been a pretty good week of riding, and I still have two days ahead of me. Not sure rides will happen both days, but I’m confident that at least one of the days will bring some saddle time.
Later.
- I am taking grandiose editorial licence and will now be referring to the Pere Marquette Rail Trail as The Jacques, for Jacques was Père (Father) Marquette’s actual name and saying that I’m riding the Father has a bit too many creepy priest on boy undertones. Please direct any concerns with this name change to the manager.