Then a few minutes later...

Ok, I didn't go to bed and read. I decided to check several local friends blogs and see what the gang has been up to. Well much to my surprise I think they have been all out riding every stinking hot day because they ALL (except Sarah) seems to have the "Syndrome".

Note to my blog-slacking-friends.... y'all stop lurking on my blog and reading every detail of my boring life and update yours. I won't call names but y'all know who you are! Yeah, I love y'all too, blah blah blah....

Note to Sarah: DO GOOD in Leakville. You've trained hard... this ride is yours my friend!

Life is good...especially when you update your stinkin' blog HA!!!

Aww man... a BAD CI moment!

It was a bad CI moment but it wasn't anyone's fault but my own.

I head out to meet the guys and see if I could at least keep up. My warm up ride to the ride was rocking along at 20mph. I felt good and strong.

Got to the ride start point and talked to Yale and Rebecca for a few then over to see how skinny Chris (Ironman) has gotten over th past few weeks. 17 lbs off! Awesome. JMar came up and I was thinking man this guy has dropped a few too. Come to find out he has dropped 25lbs.

We grouped all up and started out and we rolled nice along the way then finally hit the road and the pace picked up. I was in the back but was holding steady with them. We climbed a short hill and I was still there. Then I felt it... on no... come on CI stay in place. The on and off connection can make a CI user go insane. It's like a transmitter buzzing in and out. I reached up and the thing was hanging on my helmet strap. I had to pull out and fix it. Finally got it half good and thought maybe just maybe I can catch the job if some had slowed up a tad. As I was riding along a long lost stranger named Keith Hill came buzzing by and I jumped on his back wheel and we cranked it out at 23mph for a while. Then it happened again. OK, I'm ticked now!

There is a small piece of CI tape that wasn't sticking tonight and because of that I had to abandon. It's really funny how a very small piece of tape can change a man's whole attitude from rider to whinny little pig! HA! I just didn't as much tape these time and I paid for it.

But all in all it was a GREAT ride with the gang. I think there were 35 of us at the start. I got to see lots of friends I've not seen in awhile as well as a lot of people I've never seen before. When you can keep up with those kids, even in the back, then you know you are riding stronger! It was just what I needed!

Oh yeah, before I forget... very very happy anniversary wishes to Chris and Rebecca Irons! I cracked up when Chris said he was going home and having a nutri-shake by candle light tonight. That's the spirit!

Life is good... especially when friends celebrate anniversaries!

Saturday morning ride

The underside of an abandoned train bridge.

I had just finished my 32 mile ride and it was a beautiful crisp fall morning

Shot of Riverfront Park from across the river

Just nice shot of the Little Rock skyline with fall colors.

Got up this morning and enjoyed a leisure breakfast of pancakes and a juice glass of chocolate milk and played with Sadie for a bit. About 8 I was geared up and ready for my morning ride. I flipped on the tube to check the weather. I knew it was chilly since I had let Sadie out earlier. Brrr, it's 44 outside with the wind blowing down from the north. I drove down to the river instead of riding the bike down there (I know, I'm whimmy). It seems when the cold weather hits it takes 30 minutes to suit up and make sure you have everything. The little things like Chapstick can make or break a ride some days. The group from J&P Bike Shop are rolling in as they are finishing up. They are wrapped up tight. Looks like a blizzard about to hit. I pretty much layer almost as much. Base layer, jersey, wind jacket, shorts, tights, 2 pairs of socks, cap, helmet, full fingered gloves. See what I mean?! HA!

I push off from the riverboat parking lot and the wind comes in bursts. I'd be riding along doing fine then swoosh and the bike shakes. The wind was coming straight down the river and at times there was no shelter from it. You had to just put your head down and plow through. It wasn't real hard but I'll say this much, there were small white caps on the river.

As I went over the long wooden bridge into Burn's Park the Cannondale demo truck was unloading. Lots of mountain bikes which you could take out and ride. It was still about 30 minutes before the scheduled time for them to be there but it appeared they were ready to go. On my way back later they had a nice crowd. Sorry, no photo's since I forgot to take my camera on the ride.

As I got over the Big Bridge, which was cross wind madness, I looped under and headed out to I-430. Once I got there I was feeling good so I climber River Mtn. Even though it was windy I felt I had a good climb and turned around at the top and zipped down. Back during the summer I was having some weird sort of wobble when I would go down hills once I hit about 25 mph the bike just didn't feel solid. I had that happen going down so I slowed down. The strange thing was that I had no problem coming down Ft Roots a bit later. I let it go wide open until just before the first switchback.

After I came down off of River Mtn Road I had wonderful tail wind pushing me and riding 25, 26 mph was so easy. I sort of felt for the folks that were riding into the wind then. I had be there and done that.

There was a photographer out there and a few minutes later another rider and I were cruising along and he said that it was the Rails to Trails folks! Wow! Maybe the bike path will be in their publication and website. After a few minutes of riding together I turned and headed to do a couple loops of Burns Park. It was strange not seeing soccer going on.

All in all it was a great morning to be out riding!