The ticker says that this is post #400. When we first began this blog back in 2012 we thought a blog was just another on-line device to buy and sell stuff. Our original intent was as part of effort to get rid of the last of an unwanted litter of four male kittens of a stray cat that had taken up residence at the sanctum.
We wound up continuing along with the blog, posting some photos and videos and commenting on such as well as anything else that came to mind. We consider it a form of "gym workout for writing" to keep in tone between some script writing that we've been doin'.
Still have the cat
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This past Thursday was officially one year since we began a six-days-per-week, 5AM cycling regimen. Daily ten miles road or (weather pending) equivalent ten miles on the home fitness bike. Only missed three days throughout.
311 days x 10mi/day = 3,110 miles for the year
Could have ridden from here to Los Angeles, CA (distance 2,477 miles per 'MapQuest') and then some.
The fitness bike routine is actually somewhat more intense than the road ride. One hour workout. We got the resistance cranked up to simulate consistent moderate upgrade - probably could equivocate that to a bit longer distance. Will take the ten miles.
We got the road ride down to about fifty minutes. No rush, though - too nice out early dawn and lots of wildlife: many birds (songbirds, noisy crows, near head-decapitating swifts among the various species), (too many) whitetail deer, cottontails, couple skunks (including an albino), many bats - all prelude to a usually spectacular daybreak over the ridge.
Being stuck in the house on the fitness bike is pretty monotonous, so it's gotta' be pretty sh*tty weather to keep us inside. Usually rain or snowstorm and temperatures below 38ºF.
Coincidentally, the said Thursday morning we had a wildlife encounter straight out of one of those old 'This Happened To Me!' articles published in the 'Outdoor Life' magazines we used to read as kids when waitin' our turn at the local barber shop. Always used to read those first off (unless it was just all us guys, with no one's pop in the shop. In that case "Joe" the barber would let us pull the upper shelf 'Playboy' magazines and such-like "literature").*
March, 1941
March, 1950
'This Happened To Me!' - couple reprints from some old 'Outdoor Life' back issues for those who have no idea what we're talkin' about.
So we're cruisin' a maybe 1/8 mile moderate downgrade of which ya' usually want to develop some speed for a bit of momentum leading to an approaching short hill climb. The downgrade parallels a small narrow field bordering woodland beyond. Opposite side of the road is a cemetery. There's a small herd of grazing whitetail deer far end of the field. Typical, they're usually there. Today we notice at least three small fawns in the mix. Decided to slow down and angle toward the herd a bit to shine the headlight and get a glimpse. It's still dark out, just before dawn. Always the deer just stand and watch ya' go by. Right away the fawns are spooked and start runnin' and circling every which way. This immediately gets the herd excited, which in-turn begin chase to corral the fawns. I'm still movin'. One fawn breaks from the herd. Instead of headin' for cover in the bordering woods and brush, it darts opposite toward the cemetery, crossing the road maybe ten feet ahead of my line of travel. Right away a large doe comes charging my direction. Maybe from two o'clock angle. Before I can react it low head-butts the front wheel below the axle and flips the bike right out from underneath me. Was like runnin' a cross-field pass pattern against Jack Tatum. Was ass-on-deck before I could turn around and look for the ball. All I recall is lookin' up from pavement angle and seein' the ass-end of the whitetail sprintin' for the opposite goal line.
*No mom's welcome in the barber shop back in those days. And to be caught with your mom takin' ya' in for a haircut was one of the ultimates of humiliation.
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