Slow Start

window view

Starbucks, Gainesville, Texas

You might think, after so many bone dry, hot summer days, one would be eager to roll out into a rainy, 70-degree morning.  In all honesty, however, there was some minor procrastinating going on.  After glancing at the weather radar and the “100% chance of rain” forecast, cooking a big breakfast seemed like a good idea.  And one more cup of coffee.  And a couple of bike tweaks.  But, as the photo illustrates, the ride did finally start.

In about 3.5 hours of riding, there was zero rain.  There was what you might call an occasional drizzle, and it was a perfect day for fenders.  Just the kind of delightful contrast that someone weary of hot and dusty would want.  Why did it take so long to get out the door?

Blessing Reminders

Although Mrs. Pondero rages against grasshoppers on the premises, she adores me (yeah, I can’t explain it either) and puts up with me storing a gravel dust encrusted bicycle indoors.  It leans against the back of the couch in the middle of our combo kitchen/dining/living room.

The front door opens to the east, the back door opens to the west, and both doors have large glass “windows” in their upper halves.  So when the sun is rising or setting, much of the room is in shadows.  But there is a beam of sunlight that points directly to my bicycle.  When it glows thusly, I hear an angelic choir.  

It is as if the finger of God is pointing at one of His gifts to me saying, “Remember how blessed you are.”

He actually points much more frequently to Mrs. Pondero with such reminders, but she’s not one to sit and pose for photos like the vain Quickbeam. 

The Way to Henrietta (the end)

The Way to Henrietta (part 4)

The Way to Henrietta (part 3)

The Way to Henrietta (part 2)

The Way to Henrietta (part 1)

Hello, boys and girls, it’s story time!

This week’s story is a work of fiction, written by a silly man who hasn’t even ridden a bicycle to Henrietta (yet), but imagines what it might be like.

Not Welcome

It hopped off.

It was about to be flicked off.

Mrs. Pondero is as sweet as they come, but let me offer this word of warning. Don’t EVER bring a grasshopper to our little place on the prairie.

Doodle-y Idea

One Tooth Slower

There was some hesitation before installing the one tooth larger track cog.

Would it be an admission of weakness?

Would it slow me down too much?

And then I remembered riding fixed on gravel roads is not the fastest option any way.

Besides, one of the delightful joys of riding a bicycle is avoiding that burdensome sense of urgency that is everywhere else in my world.