windy, recovery, exploratory, new-goal ride.

I was going to ride today if I was bleeding from the ears: I had 44 miles to get in to make 4500 for the year. And, while I wasn't bleeding, I was in no great shape; after yesterday's ride in the wind, I was tired on the bike today, and I'm more tired now!

I started at Cliff H's office, and took a different road to Cranbury to start (George Davison to Cranbury Neck instead of Plainsboro Road) in hopes of warming up some and avoiding some wind (and to see how much longer than the about-four-miles that Plainsboro Road would be; the new route was about 4.75), and got to Cranbury early. I rode around Cranbury to stay warm, and was at 10 miles by the time of the regular ride start.

Six of us went on this route: Larry, Ed C, Ron S, Mark H, The Other Mark, and me. Leader Winter Larry had taken it into his head to do a ride on Ely Harmony and then into Diamond, and it was worth it; Ely Harmony was a fun road with "rollers", rolling hills (where going down one hill gets part of the impetus you need to get up the next), and Diamond had some small hills and a good surface. I was tired (did I mention that?) and was just keeping up; even riders who have problems with hills were waiting for me today (and I usually kite up those hills!). On the way back after the break in Clarksburg, Larry picked a slightly longer route to avoid wind, and I'm grateful.

But there I was in Cranbury, and the car was in Plainsboro, four miles away over the short route, into the increased wind. I hoped that Cranbury Neck would be less windy than Plainsboro Road... but I think it was worse.

On George Davison Road is an entrance to the Lenape Park walk/bike trail that runs behind Cliff H's office. When I turned onto that, I got out of the wind, and I decided to take it to the far end to see where it starts. I found the park at the other end. Laura and I had sought it several weeks ago, and I know why we missed it: while the path is blacktopped over most of its route, the last three-tenths at the far end are not (although it was hard enough to ride on today). And on the way back to the car, what little wind there was, was at my back.

So just under 56 miles today. Which makes 4512 for the year.

Oh, and guys? The ICE that the illegal aliens worry about is Immigration and Customs Enforcement. I didn't know it either (and if you weren't there, don't bother asking; it's not worth explaining.)