3GR: Chilly Willy

Ron  riding toward me at the ride start

Another month gone for the 3GR. This was the last ride in October. It was a chilly one too! Still, it could have been a lot worse. We actually had a nice day, considering the forecast.

I went to sleep Friday thinking it would be in the low 20's Fahrenheit when I awoke on Saturday. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was 32° instead, with very light Northwest winds. I was prepared for the cold though.

I had laid out my layers the evening before, and I slipped on everything and was out the door well before 8:00am.  I arrived early to the start, and by 8:25am, I was thinking I would be the only nutcase riding in this chill. However; right at that moment, Robert rolled up, and as we were about to leave, Ron also joined us. So it was a threesome and we rolled on North down the bike path.

I have to say, that was a fun ride, but more than anything else, I think that easily beats the record for the most wide ranging, deep thinking conversation I've had on a bicycle ride for a long, long time.

On the flatter, Northward section.

The winds never did appear, and that was a good thing. What has appeared are the deer. The rut season is on, and we saw several deer, both bucks and does, in a lot of places we do not normally see deer.

We saw one buck in particular, a good sized one, running flat out along a fence line in wide open territory. That just doesn't happen unless it is rut season. Those bucks just lose all sense of self preservation at this point. Unfortunately, it also means many automobiles hit these deer, both bucks and the does, as they chase each other around for mating.

By later in the ride though, the deer had ceased to be an issue, since during the day the activity seems to settle down some. Besides some dogs, the countryside seemed devoid of wildlife or farm animals. Getting back to town, Robert and I decided to hit Cup Of Joe's, and we actually got to sit inside this time. I think that is a first, and a good thing, since it was just too chilly to sit outdoors that morning.

3GR will continue on a week by week basis now as we get into November. As long as the weather holds out, I'll keep on going out. If we get snow, or if the temperatures and winds get to be too cold, I'll cut it off for the year. We'll see just how far we can go. I figure most likely until Thanksgiving time, at the least.

Stay tuned....