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October 4, 2007
Southern Fall?
Today it's 85 degrees and sunny and I'm starting to wonder if this is what fall feels like in the south? I certainly don't have the best memory in the world but I just don't recall October temperatures in the 80s. Knowing Pittsburgh it will be 45 and raining on Saturday. :)
Regardless, I had the day off work so I slept in until 6:30 and then until 7 am. Hey, why not? Once I finally got out of bed I headed to the pool for a 1:15 (including 4x10 min hard) pool run. The run actually went fairly quickly but I did have a plethora of items to entertain me. First off, I noticed the other day that they were changing some of the swim team records on the big record board. So this morning I spent a good chunk of time noting all the new records. I'm fairly embarrassed to say that I couldn't come close to swimming as fast as the very youngest groups (titled the "cadets") although I comfort myself by reminding myself that they get to dive off blocks. Yep - I could certainly shave 10 seconds off my 100 time if I could only get to dive off the blocks! (yeah - that and a motor attached to my legs would do just the trick! :)
Regardless, after all the record memorizing I switched to watching the high school girls from the local Catholic school learn how to synchronize swim. Very funny. (not nearly as funny though as if I had had to do it myself). First though they were told they had to swim 8 laps (a 200) and oh my the complaining! I certainly wasn't a swimmer in high school but I would like to think I could at least swim a 200! Oh well. Perhaps it was the thought of getting their hair wet that was causing the uproar.
Very entertaining morning at the pool.
Once home I ate some breakfast, readied my bike and then set off on a 2 hour ride. I wanted somewhere new to go so last night O and I mapped out a course of back country roads that was about 35-40 miles. I was pretty excited about some new riding territory although I knew it would be much hillier than my usual routes. Country roads are really good for low traffic and great views but very bad for hills and over-zealous pooches.
Anyway, the ride was awesome. Hilly yes. Some very long ones and some really steep ones (like those kind where you swear you MUST somehow still be in your big chain ring because it's getting awfully difficult to pedal!). But I just took my time and didn't worry about speed and made sure the HR didn't get too high. And I didn't even get lost! Another important item to note about back roads is that they rarely have road signs. So you just have to know where to turn. There was only one spot that I was unsure of and so I stopped at the little mom and pop gas station on the corner to ask. Mom was working this morning so she was kind enough to point me in the right direction. The conversation went something like this:
Me - Um, excuse me, do you know which road is Deer Creek Road
Mom - Hello dear! Now do you want Little Deer Creek Road or Deer Creek Road
Me - (thinking in my head - dear Lord, I have no idea?) Well, I want the one that will take me down into that little town.
Mom - You mean Russleton?
Me - I think?
Mom - Then you want Little Deer Creek Road.
Me - Ok!
Mom - All you have to do it go back over the bridge and follow the road to the right.
Me - Great - thanks!
Mom - Oh, why don't you take something with you to eat?
Me - I'm sorry, I didn't bring any cash with me
Mom - Oh, that's okay - how about something to drink?
Me - No really, I'm okay
Mom - Are you sure?
This line of conversation goes on for another few minutes before I finally convince her that I don't need anything to (1) eat or (2) drink! She was pretty adamant! ;)
Regardless, the ride ended up being a little long (2:09) but no other complaints. It was a beautiful morning with some of the leaves coming down and changing colors. I will definitely be taking that route more often!
And so that was my morning. I've been spending the afternoon doing odds and ends, errands (including a chiropractor appointment), and otherwise just sweating. Our thermometer says 90 (it always runs a little on the high side) but I refuse to turn the AC on in October!
Posted by beth at October 4, 2007 4:30 PM
Comments
its fall in the south if its 85 degrees and 96% humidity...
Posted by: Kranky C Dale at October 5, 2007 9:14 AM