diddlee

After much anticipation, the Safari is over for another year. Bev rode every day. We started off with a 67 mile first day. The next day she rode the intermediate 50 miles. Then on Monday we did 50 miles. Then we did a 62 mile ride but it got very hot and Bev faded near the end. So the next day we did a shorter route of only 40 something. The lst day we did an out and back for around 25 miles. It was a lot more miles than we were used to riding.

Safari begins tomorrow! Bev and I made the loop down to Cedar Creek this morning. It was an almost perfect morning for riding. The sky was clear, no wind to speak of, Neither too hot nor too cold. Traffic was low. Bev was eager to get out on the road. Our last training ride before the Safari! The forecast for Live Oak looks great. We should have some very mild nights and almost hot days to ride in. Bev feels confident she can ride every day. I think I will plan on it. We have done lots of miles in training so it shouldn't be a problem. I was laying out things we would take with us today. It takes a lot of clothes and equipment to do a week of riding. But tomorrow morning we leave early for the 6 hour trip down to Live Oak. We can't wait to get started! Mike called tonight from his Mom's. He always travels down the day before to cut the distance in half. We talked about the route we planned to take. It looks like the best way is 280 down to I-75 and on to Live Oak. I am hop

Paul and I rode out around the watersheds this morning. We took a great loop across Black road down to the east connector to Big John, across to Wiregrass and back home via Lake Howard. I am going to have to add to that loop and get it up to a grand loop for a Saturday adventure. I guess I need to get the kit to fix the old speedo so I can move the other to the Cake and get some idea how far I am going.

Only 2 more days to Safari. Bev and I rode with Paul, Chris, Todd, and another guy this morning. We have really gotten stronger. I think we will have ourselves a good time at the tour. I heard that Mike and Mitzi were out riding this weekend in the rainy cold. They didn't have a very good time but the riding will help once they get down to Florida. Mitzi has really come a long way in a very short time. Cheryl mentioned finding a tandem down in Florida for a small price. Maybe she will get Paul interested in riding and we can all ride together. I got the camper filled up with propane and gasoline so we can be ready to roll Friday morning. I hope to get down there earlier this year so we can find a good camping spot. But last year's spot was fine. Just anywhere will do this year. Oh yes, I need to go up to the RV place and get a pull down for the small awning. I can't forget that.

5 days to Florida Bike Safar i. Bev and I had a wonderful weekend with the folks at in Enterprise. We were surprised to have good chances to ride in spite of some bad weather that blew through the area over Saturday evening. We met some very nice folks that we look forward to riding with again next time. We rode Sunday with Marv and Miryam Rubenstein. They are strong cyclists and we explored a loop through Fort Rucker. There were some hills that really taxed us but Bev has really increased her strength and won't have any problems with the Safari.

13 days left to Safari and 5 days to ATW . The bad news is, Joe may have jury duty during the time we scheduled to go to the Safari. I am hoping he can either avoid that duty, it will end before we leave that Friday or Mr. Woosley can step up and handle it for me. If not maybe he has some suggestions for me. I am very tired this evening. I doubt the little spin class did much to cause that. The normal wear and tear of slow days has taken its ususal weekly toll. By now I am usually experiencing some tiredness. I have had some extra activity on my week off that has kept me too busy to really get mentally rested. The perfect logo for Diddlee turned up today. The numeral zero (0). I put an image of a zero into my profile.

15 days to Safari and 7 days to ATW . We have been anticipating the next few weeks with great relish. The weather had moderated and become summer-like which facilitated our riding efforts. But this week, we have a cold snap that is downright frigid. I don't know if we can stand to be out in it tomorrow morning. I'll have to wait and make the call in the morning but this morning was far too cold for riding. Perhaps we could just go to the fitness center for a spin. Dull but better than nothing. I just looked at the forecast and they say 20's tomorrow morning. No chance to warm up enough for riding by midday. It will hurt all the flowering things with a freeze that sharp. I am hoping it will warm sufficiently by the week's end that we can do comfortable rides down in Enterprise. I haven't seen word about the routes or who else might be coming to it. I might have just enough warm weather gear to get in a mountain bike ride Saturday morning.

17 days to Safari and 9 days to ATW . We are about to have another cold wave hit the state. It isn't unusual. This is Easter weekend. We always have cold for Easter. I can remember many times with the girls in their pretty dresses shivering out in front of the house waiting to go to church. I can remember days where we had to hide eggs inside because of the cold. But then there is a warm up and we go full ahead into summertime. I am hoping it will come in time for the ATW. Right now it looks like Nikki hasn't handled it and I asked Bev if we need to cancel our weekend. She said no. So I will leave it to her, Nikki, and Chris to handle.