An old routine, a new world

 Following the Memorial Day classic run of the Indy 500 in August this year, the Tour de France has begun -- about 2 months later than usual.  Today was just day 3, and I find myself falling into my old routines established during years (and years) of watching, sort of watching, Le Tour.  Turn on the TV when I wake up, and see what's on tap for the current stage -- mountain stage, mountain top finish, sprint stage, time trial, rest day, that sort of thing.  Downstairs for coffee and maybe breakfast while watching/listening to the race on TV, take a walk, watch the rest of the stage, take a bike ride, late lunch.  Tomorrow it will rain here, so there will be a modification, I imagine.  It's been raining here and there, off and on, in France -- but the scenery is really spectacular.  

Not exactly the Riviera.  We have a real lake or two close by, but these artificial lakes are still popular here.  I noticed more kayaks and water toys than I have seen in recent years around this lake.  It was the last ride of the month, so it was more about rounding up some numbers than anything.  August has not been a great biking month here -- too hot, too humid.  September looks cooler and wetter, if forecasts are to be believed.  I read somewhere that the Farmer's Almanac is forecasting a cold and snowy winter in this neck of the woods.  It's one of the possible outcomes.

Striving for resilience ....

 I took my car and my bike and drove to Ransom Park this morning -- for a couple of reasons.  This morning, because it's another day with temperatures near 90 and dew points in the 70's -- exercise in those conditions is not recommended in the elderly.  Though I've noticed that there isn't much that is recommended for the elderly.  Taking my car and bike north let me ride out into the modest wind and back with it at my back.  It also avoided riding up the Idlewood hill at the end of my ride, a definite plus.  I planned out my route a little better this time so that there was a park with a bench in the shade at about the half way point in the ride, for the much discussed mid ride sit down.  I had a little trouble getting my bike back into my car at the end of the ride, and a very nice garbage truck driver offered to help me -- he was clearly concerned with my ability to get the job done.  A nice interaction with another human being, always a welcome event.  I managed to get the bike inside the back of my car without help, and headed home.

 

Shade, bench, approximately mid ride.  Check, check, check.  In other news, our dafter has changed jobs, having been laid off due to Covid.  She had two job offers within a week, and an inquiry from a third, so she's back at work at a day care north of Spring Lake.  Grandson is working long hours on the moving crew, heading back to campus at the end of the week.  He'll be staying in a dorm, but he's not taking much with him, as he doesn't have much confidence that on-site classes will continue for long.  Granddaughter continues to work long hours, and is still considered an essential worker.  Water levels are still high.  

No Place to Sit Down

 GZ regularly posts his sit down locations, and I get that a ride of the length he usually rides pretty much calls for a mid ride sit down.  Here's the deal, though.  I can't find a place to sit down.  I watched for benches on this morning's ride, with no luck.  At about the half way point in my ride (7 miles) I spotted a retaining wall along the bike path, but it was the spot another biker had chosen to repair his flat tire.  I gave the obligatory "do you have everything you need?" and continued on.  (I didn't have anything useful with me anyway.)  

Finally at about mile 10, after watching for both retaining walls and tree stumps, I found this spot, at least a spot to lean.

I got home before it got too oppressive, and it all worked out all right, in the end.  I scoured off some  negative energy and got outside for the prescribed amount of time, plus some.  So good enough.

Home Again

 It took two days to get to G's, so no surprise that it took 2 days to get home again.  We spent the night in the middle of the return trip in a cabin in the Sylvan Wilderness in the Upper Peninsula, on Crooked Lake.  Horrendous mosquitoes, but a pretty spot.  Here it is about a half hour before sunset last night.

The most exposed/vulnerable I felt was during the trips each way -- the north woods is lightly populated and social distancing was built in to the experience, except for the hosts and my travelling companions.  I will be isolating for a week to 10 days, to be sure I didn't pick up anything on the way back.  And I think I will sleep for a couple of them -- and it will be good to be in my own bed again.  There's no place like home.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday

 

Friday it rained, then stormed. Tornado warnings and flood warnings.  Jigsaw puzzles were the activity of the day, plus a trip to the grocery store. I fixed meatloaf for supper.  Saturday was nice, cool, sunny. Morning boat ride, afternoon bike ride around Pike Lake. No crooked letters, but a nice ride.  Today was a longer ride north on the Paul Bunyan Trail, total miles for the two over 31.  Today’s was my longest ride of the year .

Tomorrow we pack up for the two day trip home. We are all doing okay so far.

Boy Lake

 

J and G tried some fishing today without any luck. It’s a gray and windy day, enjoying the solitude of the woods and the company of old friends.

Marquette to Remer

 We finished the trip to G’s safely, stopping only once at a roadside rest stop to view a waterfalls. It’s good to be here, they sort of have WiFi, and the food is good.  Definitely north woods, deeply peaceful.

Queen City Burger

 

I am on a road trip with LH and JZ. Tonight we are in Marquette, Michigan, on the shore of Lake Superior. Supper was a Queen City burger eaten at Presque Isle park.  Tomorrow we drive the rest of the way to GG’s cabin near Cass Lake, Mn.  We have two grocery bags of cleaning supplies with us and multiple masks each. It’s been a smooth trip so far.

Time is a Shape Shifter

The air this morning was crisp and cool, very October like.  LH and I have been talking for a while now about a hike from Pine Bend Park to Hemlock Crossing Park, a round trip of over 3 miles.  And it is a hike, not a walk.  It was the most people I have every seen the trails back in those woods along the Pigeon River, lots of them young kids.  Usually we hike there in the spring and fall, so it was a little different to see it in early August.  Here are a few photos from my little red camera.

This last one is a little hint of what is coming -- red leaves showing up on trees that have been stressed over the summer.

The other event of note is the arrival of JB's grave stone.  It's been a couple of months since we finalized the details on it, and it was nice to see it finally set in place.

It isn't unusual to see a grave with the name of a living person on the stone, but when it's your name, it is an odd sensation.  Though getting to design your own monument, as it's called in funeral circles, has its advantages.  The girl designed the dune grass on JB's side, mine has a lily.

The back side of the stone.  The government provides plaques for markers to veterans free of charge.  Paperwork is involved, but the funeral home handled most of it for me.  There are several of these in this area of the cemetery.