Birds in flight - February 200K

Many hours into a 140 mile ride, we pass hundreds of acres of open land, a winter farm field, laid bare until Spring. It is the last weekend of February. The wind blows strong, cold and constant. We have many miles and hours yet to go.
 

Len, my riding partner for the day, tells me a story of another time, another ride, on the same course at the same field. 

Peter and Mary

Do you have to meet someone to know them?
RIP Peter and Mary and thanks for living.
Really living.

Two videos submitted as evidence:

 Peter and Mary

Cycling Central Asia

Friday Writing for Randos- Song of the Open Road

{Friday Writings for Randos - A weekly post that features pieces from other writers that touch some facet of the Randonneuring experience, even if that was not the author's intent. It's stuff that's best read out loud - slowly.} This week it's:...

An excerpt from:
Song of the Open Road
by Walt Whitman

Afoot and light-hearted, I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me, leading wherever I choose.

Friday writings for Randos - Once in the 40s

{A weekly that features pieces from other writers that touch some facet of the Randonneuring experience, even if that was not the author's intent. It's stuff that's best read out loud - slowly.} This week it's. . .

Once in the 40s 

by William Stafford

Texas Wild

Fifteen minutes before the 4:30 alarm was set to go off, the crashing boom of thunder woke me up. The flash of lightning illuminated my hotel room in Dallas, Texas. I had planned to ride the Wild Willie's 100K but now I wasn't so sure. Last night, Ken from Oregon called to let me know that he wasn't going to ride because of the rain, so I was already looking at a solo 100K. The rain seemed steady and persistent. The Weather Channel was in full-on hype mode:

Severe weather warning for Dallas, Texas

60 mph hour winds reported

Shingles blown of buildings

Tornado watch until 9:00 am

Thunder! Lightning!

Death! Destruction! 

(okay, they didn't say death but they implied it)

The Doppler radar was showing red and green with squares of danger zones. I had scheduled the ride to start at 7:00. I  rolled over and went back to sleep.

Friday Writings for Randos: Speaking of that horrible Rt 2

{Friday Writings for Randos - A weekly post that features pieces from other writers that touch some facet of the Randonneuring experience, even if that was not the author's intent. It's stuff that's best read out loud - slowly.} This week it's:...

An excerpt from:

Speaking of that horrible Rt 2

 By Chris Nadovich*

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 -- McVille, North Dakota

 

The accursed southeast wind is gone! Today we rode 130 relatively comfortable miles. We received some good advice for a change and were led to an alternative route that was both a short cut and a beautiful rolling road through pretty lakes, farms, and wetlands.

Of Ice and When.

January all but slipped away. Along with it, the opportunity to keep my R series streak going. Since my first brevet, not one month had gone by without my riding at least one 200k. Now, less than one month into the new year, life was getting in the way. I skipped the January 5, 2013 PA Randonneur ride to celebrate my wife's birthday. I organized a 200k permanent later in the month but had to bail before starting it to work that weekend.  Then it was my daughter's birthday. Then the forecast for last weekend of the month called for sub freezing frigid temperatures and snow. By that time, the last time I went for a ride of any substance was a 200k in early December - like six seven weeks ago. Since then nada. I felt off my game. Doubts about the distance alone grew, much less riding it solo in sub freezing temperatures. What to do? Let it go and start again in the Spring?

Friday writings for Randos - It's all about the Bike

{A weekly that features pieces from other writers that touch some facet of the Randonneuring experience, even if that was not the author's intent. It's stuff that's best read out loud - slowly.} This week it's and excerpt from. . . 

It's all about the Bike

by Robert Penn

The bicycle saves my life every day.