mornings/life is cumulative
yesterday morning after I made that hectic cross down dash to drop Dean off at Rosemount Center for his Anarchy in the Pre-K experience
I leashed up the dogs and headed out into Rock Creek Park
unleashed the dogs 20 yards from my front stoop after crossing the street and entering the woods
as I walked behind Roscoe and Brutus down the trail across the street from my house the dogs stopped at a cross roads
left we could do the short loop behind the original location of Rosemount Center
roscoe pointed right in anticipation of heading over to the Melvin Hazen trail to do a longer loop that gave them a chance to splash in the waters of Rock Creek
I followed Roscoe to the right
the dogs frantically paced around my legs in anticpation of me putting them back on the leash to head across the street and over the bridge into the slightly more dense section of woods
after a refreshing hike through slippery crushed leaves on risky off camber heavily eroded slopes I headed back home to remove my sweaty morning duds and gear up for a quick commute into work
as on Mondays I work the late shift there is just enough time for a 35-45 minute pleasure cruise
like a fool I spun for over an hour after my elongated morning hike with the dogs
manicly spinning I raced the Karate Monkey Single Speed in an effort to make my 11 am in time
10 minutes late
that is the problem with being slow on the bike.....my 45 minute rides take an hour and my hour rides take an hour and a half
this morning was particularly slow as a 35 minute ride took me well over 60 minutes
even if I was rotating my cranks way beyond my threshhold
the work day went its merry post holiday course
burried in work that was ignored before Thanksgiving
and
rushing to complete work that must be done before Christmas
then why am I BLOGGING? Cause I can and cause I MUST!
after work I slid right off the dinosaur back onto the bike
rather than heading straight home I went across the river into Virginia to take in a view of the city as it reflects upon the Potomac River
out to Washington National that is now called Reagan National as the idiotic Republicans felt that it needed to be named after a president
only to turn it around and head for home on the carless Mount Vernon Trail
on the ride out I had seen a paraplegic on a race style wheel chair making his commute
it was my intention to make contact with him on my return
as I weaved down the path along the river there were very few cyclists headed in either direction
eventually as I was nearly out of trail I came up on the low cruising wheel chair racer
just as I would with any trail user I accessed his gear
his ride was sleek and high tech
he had good marking for reflectors with lights and a vest
there were still race numbers pinned to the back of his chair rest
the only thing unfitting for him was that he was still wearing his pin stripped pants from his work day
I slowed my pace
we chatted
it was a pleasant exchange
we talked about his placing second in the Marine Corps Marathon this year, but finishing an hour slower than last year
I spoke of the fragility of life and how seeing him is a reminder of the risks we take
we spoke of how he came to be in the wheel chair
apparently he was in a high dive accident, I refrained from any jokes about a high dive into a shallow pool
he was positive and friendly
we shook hands and exchanged names
I thanked him for his inspiration and I thanked him to myself for his warning/reminder at how fragile life is and can be
pedaled on home to find that lisa was just putting Grant to bed
and Dean had just been put to bed early himself
so I leashed the dogs and went for a walk in the woods
we did not take the right to the water
instead we took the left to the short loop
life is cumulative
I did not hike and ride my bike in an effort to train for various multi hour races next season
no
I was not thinking of beating previous year's time in the Shenadoah Mountain 100
I hiked my dogs and rode my bike because that is what I do and because that is a great way to spend my time
these things do add up
not neccessarily training
but definitely a great way to live life
after all life is cumulative
Mount Vernon is the house that George Washington once called home
this trail heads from Key Bridge in Georgetown/Rosslyn all the way to Mt. Vernon
it is a great ride along the Potomac River
Mount Vernon Trail
Melvin Hazen Trail
Rock Creek Park
yesterday morning after I made that hectic cross down dash to drop Dean off at Rosemount Center for his Anarchy in the Pre-K experience
I leashed up the dogs and headed out into Rock Creek Park
unleashed the dogs 20 yards from my front stoop after crossing the street and entering the woods
as I walked behind Roscoe and Brutus down the trail across the street from my house the dogs stopped at a cross roads
left we could do the short loop behind the original location of Rosemount Center
roscoe pointed right in anticipation of heading over to the Melvin Hazen trail to do a longer loop that gave them a chance to splash in the waters of Rock Creek
I followed Roscoe to the right
the dogs frantically paced around my legs in anticpation of me putting them back on the leash to head across the street and over the bridge into the slightly more dense section of woods
after a refreshing hike through slippery crushed leaves on risky off camber heavily eroded slopes I headed back home to remove my sweaty morning duds and gear up for a quick commute into work
as on Mondays I work the late shift there is just enough time for a 35-45 minute pleasure cruise
like a fool I spun for over an hour after my elongated morning hike with the dogs
manicly spinning I raced the Karate Monkey Single Speed in an effort to make my 11 am in time
10 minutes late
that is the problem with being slow on the bike.....my 45 minute rides take an hour and my hour rides take an hour and a half
this morning was particularly slow as a 35 minute ride took me well over 60 minutes
even if I was rotating my cranks way beyond my threshhold
the work day went its merry post holiday course
burried in work that was ignored before Thanksgiving
and
rushing to complete work that must be done before Christmas
then why am I BLOGGING? Cause I can and cause I MUST!
after work I slid right off the dinosaur back onto the bike
rather than heading straight home I went across the river into Virginia to take in a view of the city as it reflects upon the Potomac River
out to Washington National that is now called Reagan National as the idiotic Republicans felt that it needed to be named after a president
only to turn it around and head for home on the carless Mount Vernon Trail
on the ride out I had seen a paraplegic on a race style wheel chair making his commute
it was my intention to make contact with him on my return
as I weaved down the path along the river there were very few cyclists headed in either direction
eventually as I was nearly out of trail I came up on the low cruising wheel chair racer
just as I would with any trail user I accessed his gear
his ride was sleek and high tech
he had good marking for reflectors with lights and a vest
there were still race numbers pinned to the back of his chair rest
the only thing unfitting for him was that he was still wearing his pin stripped pants from his work day
I slowed my pace
we chatted
it was a pleasant exchange
we talked about his placing second in the Marine Corps Marathon this year, but finishing an hour slower than last year
I spoke of the fragility of life and how seeing him is a reminder of the risks we take
we spoke of how he came to be in the wheel chair
apparently he was in a high dive accident, I refrained from any jokes about a high dive into a shallow pool
he was positive and friendly
we shook hands and exchanged names
I thanked him for his inspiration and I thanked him to myself for his warning/reminder at how fragile life is and can be
pedaled on home to find that lisa was just putting Grant to bed
and Dean had just been put to bed early himself
so I leashed the dogs and went for a walk in the woods
we did not take the right to the water
instead we took the left to the short loop
life is cumulative
I did not hike and ride my bike in an effort to train for various multi hour races next season
no
I was not thinking of beating previous year's time in the Shenadoah Mountain 100
I hiked my dogs and rode my bike because that is what I do and because that is a great way to spend my time
these things do add up
not neccessarily training
but definitely a great way to live life
after all life is cumulative
Mount Vernon is the house that George Washington once called home
this trail heads from Key Bridge in Georgetown/Rosslyn all the way to Mt. Vernon
it is a great ride along the Potomac River
Mount Vernon Trail
Melvin Hazen Trail
Rock Creek Park