Bon Voyage, But First More Biking.

Valentino Family Forest Preserve - Newest tract donated to the RPA.

 

Monday 6/12/23

I finally made decisions on what I'm taking to the Alps in terms of luggage - one medium checked bag and a small rolling carry on that fits under the seat. My hiking boots are taking up so much space but I'm committed to not over packing which I usually manage to do. In the middle of dealing with about a hundred trip details, my friend Dale texted about setting up a yoga retreat trip to Mexico in February. I had to call her and tell her I have no bandwidth to deal with another thing. I trust her to set everything up and just tell me what to pay. Thank goodness she agreed to do all the planning on that.

The new building is going up slowly at the town beach.

Tuesday 6/13/23

Today I went on a hike with the Mates a short distance up the Plateau from home. It was a nice hike, but I'm finding all the mosquito bites I didn't feel at the time. Or maybe I got them in my own garden when AJ and Geri came over to dig up a bed of iris to take home. I sent them off with at least 50 rhizomes each - mine were so overgrown. We sat on the deck and ate strawberries and chocolate afterwards.

A beaver lodge on the big pond.

Weds. 6/14/23

I managed to get myself out on a morning bike workout before the rain sets in. Just a 15 mile road ride which is harder than 20 miles on the trail. I did snag a wild growing iris along the way and planted it too. The Mexico trip seems to have come together as well  - no time to second guess that decision. I need a nap and it's barely noon. 

The second of 3 bike rides in a row.

The daisies were in full bloom along the bike trail.

Fri. 6/16/23

Another 2 bike rides in the books. I really feel the pressure to log miles if I'm to make this challenge. Today's ride was cut short because it started raining.  Missing 2 weeks of June is rough, but Susan mentioned biking around Lake Geneva one day, so that sounds fun! Now on to packing. My strategy is to pack light and nimble. Tomorrow morning I'm off to JFK --> GVA.

That still seems like a lot for barely 2 weeks.

2023 Biking Challenge (1000 miles and 2+ rides per month)

Jan: 1/8 - 18 miles; 1/29 -12 mi

Feb: 2/14/- 14 mi, 2/15 - 16 mi, 2/20 - 21 mi

March: 3/21 - 14 mi, 3/31 - 11.5 mi

April: 4/4 - 20 mi, 4/27 - 15 mi

May: 5/9 - 20 mi, 5/11 - 15.1 mi, 5/14 - 19 mi, 5/21 - 30.1 mi, 5/26 - 7 mi, 5/27 - 8 mi, 5/28 - 20 mi

June: 6/3 - 20.3 mi, 6/6 - 15 mi, 6/8 - 15 mi, 6/9 - 23 mi, 6/14 - 15 mi, 6/15 - 21 mi, 6/16 - 10 mi

Total Distance: 381 miles


Comments

  1. MargaretJune 17, 2023 at 11:03 PM

    The suitcases look perfect! I'm so excited to hear about and see your travels and enjoy your adventures, vicariously. What an active and rich life you lead. Bon Voyage, my friend!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Another Rainy Weekend

Image
Another rainy Saturday to contend with, so I decided on a Van Morrison playlist while I cleaned out the garage and danced and sang. My gardening supplies and planters and pots that need sorting and recycling  were cluttering up my space. They are now sorted and the garage is cleaned out for at least another week or so. I think the shed in the back yard needs to be a project to get it into a more useful state.  The amount of rain we've had is remarkable. May was one of the wettest months in eighty years and June is starting to look the same. I would rather have too much rain rather than a drought though.  After dropping around 3 inches of rain, the skies cleared up later in the afternoon. I loaded up my bike for an impromptu ride on the Electric Trail with the thought of dinner or ice cream at Samascott's.  The first of many turtles on the bike path. Now I see just how rough the path was and how I had no business riding on it.  The trail was very wet on the way s...
Read more

Summer Solstice

Image
Vroman's Nose overlooking the valley. Summer has begun! To mark the solstice, my hiking group held a picnic at the top of Vroman's Nose, which is a short little hike up a 657 foot hill. It overlooks the Schoharie Valley and has a beautiful rock 'dance floor' that easily accommodates our group of forty. The weather was a perfect 74 degrees with a breeze to keep any bugs away. A pleasant gathering on the dance floor near sunset. I drove Sue Ellen who had her gall bladder removed last week, and we hiked up with a guy who has spinal stenosis. As I listened to them discuss their ailments, I silently gave thanks for my health and thought about how 'mature' our group is becoming.  Once at the top, the party began with burgers and dogs, salads and desserts, and great conversation.  Most of our group made it into this sunset picture. Saturday started with me being woken up by my neighbors chatting down below in the street - it was garage sale day. I didn't join since...
Read more

There And Back Again,... Again

Image
  Centerway Square, Corning NY Sunday - I’m sitting at the Market Cafe with my cappuccino pondering the incongruity of everything being the same, but everything also being different, here in my hometown. Mostly I am the difference, rather my current circumstances are changed from all the previous walks here. I walk the same streets, visit the same sites, but because of my experiences, it’s all so very different now. I feel a big, ugly cry coming on, but I hope to save it for the drive home tomorrow - something I did for the past 10 yrs of trips here.  I’m staying in the hotel where I worked my very first job in high school and into college. I was a lifeguard at this pool every Saturday.  I’ll never forget pulling a little girl out, who was quietly drowning behind her mother. Watch those little ones closely! Monday - The reunion party was a wonderful success with absolutely zero drama among us seven siblings, a few cousins, and dozens of nieces and nephews and their childr...
Read more