Friday night riding.

Sun was high but hazed behind the clouds

Stopped to update Facebook and ohhh & ahh over the Big Dam Bridge.

What a night of riding! Started at 5 and cranked until just minutes before midnight! 7 hours and it was great. I could have kept going with ease but about 11:30 the winds really picked up and I could feel spit rain. I saw what I thought was a flash but after I was driving him I began to wonder if maybe it was a fisherman at the dam. There was no lightening around.

Back up 7 hours -- As I started Doug Pope was rolling in finishing up a ride. He is a good guy and awesome awesome rider. Super strong. Enjoys to laugh and have a good time.

There was a little wind at the start but nothing to complain about. It was nice riding. A couple of times I felt spit rain and knew that the ride was going to be short. Then about 7 the wind stopped. The river was smoothing out and it was rock-n-roll sort of riding. With no wind 20mph was easy. I rode and rode and rode. Had my tunes and was just really enjoying my training time. I mean compared to last weeks night ride joke. Crazy security and wind and 44 degree with wet air. Friday night was 65 at the start and 63 at the finish. Can't beat that!

With the clouds reflected the city lights I hardly had to use my headlights. I was rolling along through a field where I knew I would see deer and sure enough they ran across the road. About half a dozen. No babies. The next time I came through they were laying in the field about 20 feet off the trail and could care less that I came by. They remained there the rest of the night. I was so funny because I would sing out loud before I got there in case the were going to run then they wouldn't do it and plow me down. Guess my singing is not so bad after all, they didn't leave.

My biggest fear of the upcoming ride? The skunk. He/She is out there somewhere and I could smell it once last night but barely. I remember last year momma and 3 babies came up from the river banks and they were really cute. Cute is deadly! HA!

We with temps doing a really nice climb this week to the 80's then I suspect there will be some snakes showing there colors down by the river. I think I've only seen a couple of bad ones. Most are just King sakes.

I took the day off the bike. It was supposed to be raining and we did get some around 2a.m. but that was it until almost 2pm this afternoon then boy did it come down. So I could have rode this morning. That's Ok I'm happy with the 7 hours of night riding. I'll crank it out tomorrow afternoon.

It's not to late to donate to the ride! Just go to www.archildrens.org and look for the Gears for Ears icon on the right hand side of the page.

Life is good... in the dark.