It's happening again.  After a week of indoor biking, because of the poor weather conditions, I finally was able to do a ride outside.  But, as it occurred last year, Canadian fires are causing nasty weather conditions in the area.  I decided to do my normal 30 mile ride and when I was finished I had this nasty taste in my mouth.  A result of the poor air conditions.  Good weather conditions will prevail next so looking forward to future outdoor rides and ultimately a century to Champaign.

 

Awww. What a beautiful May day. So, does the lawn need mowing?...yup. Do the weeds need to be pulled? absolutely.

Does the garage need to be sweep and organized? No doubt!

Do more flowers need to be planted? without question! Are there a myriad of other spring tasks to be done? Ha, don't even ask! So where do I begin? Hummmm. I know......wait for it....30 mile bike ride!! 

A follow-up from yesterday's post. A second perfect day in May with ample opportunity to get spring projects done. So, did the yard get mowed?...Nope! Did the weeds get pulled? Not likely! Did the bushes get trimmed? Not unless they trimmed themselves! Did the garage get sweep and organized? Ha, yea right! Did any of the other spring jobs get started? Again, don't even ask. Therefore, I can only ascertain readers assume I did the same 30 mile bike ride as yesterday. Well, you would be absolutely incorrect! I rode 40 miles on a different route and ended at my favorite winery, Tres Rojas. I consulted with my magic 8 ball and asked if I were a slacker. The answer "Most Assuredly" And there it is

 

Just returned from New York City.  Met with Harry and his fiance Paula.  Recalling, I biked across America with him in addition to the Champaign to Boston in 2017 and a few days of riding with Tom in Maryland a few years ago.  Well, as you can imagine it was a fantastic trip.  We had drinks and dinner in the Marriott restaurant.  The following day, the two of them did their tourist thing as Ronni and I did ours with a bicycle carriage ride through Central Park. That evening we met with Peter and his wife.  Another recall is that Peter, who lives in Manhattan, was in the group who rode the cross country trip.  The six of us had a wonderful dinner at a posh New York restaurant, the Garden Inn.  Unfortunately for the ladies, we three riders pretty much excluded them from the conversation as we recounted our biking experiences.  Peter, who is an exceptional artist, shared his involvement in the art community.  Another of the riders who was in the city Sunday, Willy, had to leave before I arrived so we couldn't make it a mini-reunion of eight.  Oh well, it is what it is.  And, to be sure, New York has some of the biggest rip-off people on the planet.  From paying 120 dollars for an "uber" ride from Laguardia airport to Manhatter to panhandlers "demanding" 20 dollars donation to their "charities it turned out to be a very expensive visit.  But, all in all, worth every cent.  On the third day, Harry and Paula went to Peters place for a luncheon while Ronni and I rode the Hop and Shop Bus to visit Little Italy and the World Trade Center.  Oddly enough, as I entered the area of where the twin towers were destroyed along with 2200 lives two emotions permeated my being.  First was the enormous sense of the people who perished at that location and the second was a profound sense of anger toward those who would do such a senseless act of violence.  That evening we ate at a little Italian restaurant.  Ronni and I attend the Buena Vista Social Club play with Harry and Paula seeing the Hells Kitchen production.  Afterward we met at a small bar for drinks.  It was determined that their wedding would see me and Ronni attending, invited or not!!  All in all a wonderful three days with fellow bikers.