Wet

Yep this is how I felt on Saturday. I planned a long cross country ride on the mountain bike to amuse myself whilst Helen was away. Even though I set out later than planned I figured I had plenty of time for the ride even if I pootled. What I hadn't figured on was the number of trees, and not small ones) that had fallen across the trail, the two sections of the trail that were being renovated (seriously check out the photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/11463478@N00/sets/72157600700972181/). What got me the most was the variation of the trail from sidewalk/road, asphalt, cinder trail, dirt trail and very technical sections. There were a couple of lovely streams to cross, but a lot more that even if I could have ridden the bike in without going over the bars there was no way I would have been able to ride out.

I realised I wouldn't be able to make the halfway point of this out and back ride and decided to turn around. I had been pretty good and had been drinking fluids and stopping every so often for a snack, but the heat and the sheer time in the saddle got to me and I ended up with heat exhaustion. I'm fine now, but luckily I caught it in time and came of the trail before it got worse.

Helen missed her flight home last night, which had been delayed twice already, I think they must have found a plane just standing around and boarded it while she was grabbing a bite to eat. The upshot is she stayed in Kentucky last night, but didn't see any chickens or colonels let alone and secret herbs and spices. As I was getting a taxi to Baltimore Washington Airport at 0400 this morning we didn't even pass like ships in the night and Helen arrived home about the time I arrived in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Oh well, plane schedules allowing I should be home with Helen on Thursday evening.