Tuesday Trippin’ April 5

On the project side of things, the week has been about upgrading photographs for the video without using to stock photos. I read about loosing viewers in the first 8 seconds and those photos right there at 8 seconds were the weakest in the whole video.

On the training side I’ve added another parameter to my go/no go criteria for rides. Wind speed. It’s been windy all week. I don’t know what the wind speed was for the ride I mentioned last week, but the next time I rode Big Creek, there were more trees down, and the next ride, two days later was also windy. I know the wind speed recommendations for ballooning, but until that ride I didn’t have a personal windspeed limit for riding. Turns out 17, MPH was too much for me. There were a couple of times I got off and walked the bike for a small stretch to keep from toppling over. In one particular spot where the wind was blowing freely over the sewage treatment plant, it was compressed and funneled through the tree lined road leading to it. Right where I crossed that intersection, Coppermine Road, I was fighting to keep the bike upright and afraid to try to stop.

I did stop at the rest spot just east of that where this cutie with unclipped ears bounced out of the bushes as I caught my wits. He paused, seeming to size me up, then went over to these plates. The food was covered in biting flies. He wasn’t interested in the food. This was his last look at me before he took off. A little skiddish, I think he was hoping I’d give him something fresher, and once he decided all I was going to do was try for a photo, didn’t want anything to do with me.

This is maybe 20 yards from the spot where I’d been fighting to keep the bike upright and those paper plates were just sitting there. The wind currents were certainly curious, unbelievable really. The wind was worst in the open areas and there were bushes and trees here, but this was a drastic difference in a short distance. Just far enough from the open areas I guess.

We don’t stop at the benches just outside the photo often. It is a good spot for a rest but you can often smell the sewage plant. Also, this is one of two places I’ve been bit by biting flies frequently. The last time we stopped here we saw an armadillo. I wonder if he too was looking for a hand out.

I did take photos of Big Creek tree falls in the calm after the wind.

I’ll save the rest for next week.

Have a glorious day and we’ll see you on the trail!