Hot, Hot, Hot...But Still Riding

We're still seeing three digit temps nearly every day.  We got a sprinkle of rain last night so today it stayed around 98 for a high...but VERY humid.  I haven't heard how much rain we got..but NOT MUCH!!!  The rivers are basically dry...dry and cracked.  Sad.  Farmers are selling their cows because there's no feed nor water for them.  Sign on the front of a church the other day: "Whoever's praying for this heat, please stop!"

Carol and I (and sometimes Mary) are still riding pretty much every day.  Most days are 32 milers.  We usually go either to Yoder (the long way) or over to Partridge.  This morning there was almost no wind and that was out of the north, so we went to Nickerson.  As we pulled up in front of the convenience store we noted there was a touring bike sitting there.  We went in and got our drinks but never saw the owner of the bike. 

The tables were full of "old guys" (probably our age) so we took our drinks and went back outside to sit on the curb.  Shortly this gorgeous young Adonis appeared.  WOW!!! Never heard how old he was..maybe 25 to 30.  Dark hair..completely stirred and looked like it had been cut with an axe.  Almost a Rastafarian look.  The prettiest teeth..straight and white. And a totally sweet, cute personality.  He's from Southern California, going east.  He'd stayed at Sterling last night and was going to try to meet up with his friends/co-riders today.  Thinking maybe in Eureka.

He immediately (at a glance) noticed the Rivendell that Carol rides.  He was clearly a fan and knew his stuff about bikes.  We commented that he's riding a Brooks saddle and we wondered how he liked it.  Not an easy move!!  He told us he's "totally vegan" so he had a hard time deciding to get a Brooks saddle (all leather) but that he really likes it. (Carol has had three Brooks saddles and can't get one to where it's "broke in" yet...they tend to break you before you break them!)

Carol was asking him if he was finding it hard to find stuff to eat and he said no...but he really likes French fries!  He works in an agricultural industry with organically grown fruits and veggies.  Interesting young man. 

We wound up talking for quite a while and then we all left Nickerson together and rode 82nd back over to Plum where he turned north (for a mile) and Carol and I turned south and came back to Hutch.  All in all a very pleasant experience.

I'm well over 2300 miles for the year now...and that's makes my biggest year since 2007...and maybe longer because I don't know where (if) my earlier records are.  Carol leaves shortly for a Colorado tour and I've promised myself that I'll continue to ride while she's gone.   'Course, I'm going to work in a move to a new house in that time too....so we'll see.

Get out early and enjoy the earlier part of the day...'cause it's gonna get HOT later in the day!  And..of course, count your blessings!