Bike ride...brrr...and the geese are leaving


Well, it had to end, all that incredible weather. Of course. It's October. It's Rochester. Whaddya expect? But I rode anyway.

Well, it had to end, all that incredible weather. Of course. It's October. It's Rochester. Whaddya expect?

I rode today anyway. Got pissed off at myself earlier because it took me forever to figure out where I put those damn winter turtlenecks. And my winter jacket...it was still in the car. Last time I wore it was when I took that trip down to Maryland in late March/early April. I didn't need it then, but took it along just in case. And I never took it out of the car.

It was 48 degrees when I started out, 50 when I finished...but it felt colder later, probably because a stronger wind came up.

This temperature is fine for walking. But when you are biking, you create your own wind chill. Add that to an existing wind chill and...brrrrrrrrrr!

It wasn't too bad getting up to Highland. In fact, by the time I got to the reservoir, I was too warm. Took off my sweatshirt, which was underneath my jacket. I'd removed my gloves earlier. But, hoooo boy! Coming back down the hill, well, the gloves went back on.

I decided that today I would push myself up Cobbs Hill again, trying to make up for the fact that I didn't ride yesterday. I even did the second loop, but was too tired to try for the third, and my ten miles. 9.2 instead. Not bad, still, for a decrepit old lady (57) with fibromyalgia and Sjogren's, who just started this stuff five weeks ago.

I really should have kept that sweatshirt on, too.

Zipped back down the hill and stopped at the Waterworks pond again to pay my respects to the geese. Put the sweatshirt back on (and the hood, too!).

The geese are nearly gone. Less than about a third of the flock that was there Thursday. Two days and suddenly, poof! That severe dip in temperatures (82 down to 52 -- and those were the highs) in one day must have told them, hey! Time to go south! Giddyap!

I noticed today, though, that there was another variety -- not Canada geese. Possibly a variety of swan -- I'm not sure. Larger than the Canada geese. White, but with brown speckles on their heads and down their necks. Gorgeous. Have been trying to find pics on the web so I can identify them, but not having much luck. Too bad I didn't have my camera.

I shared bits of my apple with them. Or tried to. The seagulls are so much faster and more aggressive than the geese. Oh, well.

I have wind burns on my face. And when I got home, my body temp was 94.5 again. Hypothermia. Gotta work out a better way to do this.

Across the evening sky, all the birds are leaving
But how can they know it's time for them to go?
Before the winter fire, I will still be dreaming
I have no thought of time

For who knows where the time goes?
Who knows where the time goes?

(song lyrics by Sandy Denny)


Posted: Sat - October 8, 2005 at 06:30 PM          

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