bikelovejones

Well, it's begun.

Over the weekend, when the weather FINALLY warmed up and dried up, Sweetie and I began putting in the veggie beds. Potatoes, carrots, lettuce and spinach. Coming in May: tomatoes (yes, pal M, we'll be putting them in before Rose Festival, we always do), maybe some peppers, and definitely zucchini.

Other spring/summer projects include repairing the back fence (I'm replacing a worn section of the chain-link fencing with a latticework of old bicycle wheels) and installing a single-pole, revolving clothesline so we can use our dryer less.

I have given up on pursuing a 200km brevet this year. That does NOT mean I've given up on riding -- far from it -- I'll still ride to work every day and enjoy longer rides on the weekends. But the time, health and weather needed to make this pursuit realistic just hasn't been there for me this spring; and with so many more things needing my attention this summer -- including increased hours at work -- there's no way I will have the same luxury of time to train and recover that I had last year. Rides of more than 30 to 35 miles will probably have to wait. I'm okay with it, and hope that I will be able to pursue a 200km brevet next year. I am still on track to ride more than 2,000 miles this year, and even if I don't come close to surpassing last year's total I think that's still totally fine.

I am still doing the Livestrong ride at the end of June. I am still raising money and my goal is to ride the 70-mile course, likely my longest single-day ride of the summer. I also plan to ride the Verboort Populaire again in the fall.

I'll be scouring freecycle and craigslist for used clotheslines...