Monday, April 5, 2010

Zero to 26 in 8? Superfly is here! Easter Dining Al Fresco.

8 weeks, that is.  

I thought the Wickham Park Marathon, 50, 100, and 200 Mile Fun Run started on May 29th.  But it doesn't start until May 30. 

Hooray!  More time to train than I thought!

Check it out!  It's the coolest (um, not literally) run of the year, and the price is right.  Be sure and read the entry form!

http://www.mattmahoney.net/wickham/wickham.html

No, for all you anal types, I have no plan.  Except to get running as much as the knees will tolerate.

So tonight, trail run.  Wickham Park, 6:30pm.  Be there or be square.


But why fixate on a run goal?  

There is a new bike in the house!!!


Superfly is here!


The bike shop called on April 1 to say it had arrived.  Even though we already knew it had shipped on Monday, two months earlier than the initial arrival date, I couldn't help thinking, oh sure, April Fool!

But there it was, and here it is, my very own 29r.

Every bike I have ever owned seems to come up with a name for itself.  As they get older they all become "Nellie Bell" eventually.  

My sleek gray Santa Cruz, "mature" as she is, is no Nellie Bell yet, not by a long shot, but this new guy just might muscle her out of her best-bike-in-the-world niche! 

He's not sleek and he's not stealth, but he is something extra, and I knew after some time in the saddle, a name would surface.


I just wasn't expecting it on the first ride. 

After addition of a bottle rack and a quick zip up to the beach for initial saddle and height adjustment, Popeye grabbed his road bike and we hit Tropical Trail where cars (mostly) go slow, peacocks stroll, and squirrels frolic.



One said squirrel suddenly frolicked the wrong direction. 

There was no avoiding it. 

True to the 29r hype, I never felt the bump, but looking down, I saw the squirrel go under the front wheel, the whole length of him rolled out flat, stem to stern, nose to tail.  Ouch!  True to the nature of squirrels, or perhaps the nature of fat tires, the little guy jumped up in the instant before the rear wheel hit and ran for the nearest tree. 

The name "Killer" came instantly to mind.  As much as it feels like an unlucky sort of moniker, the name is a sticky one and it's just not leaving.  Hopefully something a little less vicious sounding will come along to displace it!


Meanwhile guess who came to dinner?


Dining Al Fresco 


Heron's weren't the only Easter guests! 

Popeye's mom and dad and his niece and nephew from Philidelphia, and the Chickenless Chick and Hubby, all came for dinner.  And what a glorious day for al fresco dining! 

The pool and the kayaks got used, dolphins were spotted, and the campfire wood that has been hanging around for a decent rain-free evening finally got burned.  Cave man TV, now that's family time.

Even after a hefty mixed grill of pork, beef, and chicken, and three salads, the Guinness strawberry shortcake got a big thumbs up! 



The subject of so many cakes in so few weeks brings to mind...

I went to the mall last week to shop for a bathing suit, and the only thing I could find that fit were these earrings.

So when the rels invited me to join them at the beach on Monday while Popeye works, I caught myself backpedaling.

But, ah ha!  I can ride to the beach, appear in my bike shorts instead of a swimsuit, and no one will even suspect I don't actually own a bathing suit!

Saved by the bike.  Again. 

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