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Instagram / IU / photo / Tuesday / video — Comments Off on And, most importantly, no one got hurt
20
Sep 22

And, most importantly, no one got hurt

Saw this car this morning. I believe it is as MG TD. I don’t know, but a cursory examination of the interwebz leads me to believe this may be a circa 1953 MG T-type.

I drove in this morning, parked near this car and figured I’d never see it again. But it was there when I left this evening, because I left earlier than I’d anticipated.

At a glance, you can tell that the owner is proud of this vehicle and, I assume, is happy to have people notice it. I wonder how often it sees the road. Perfect weather day for it today, but you surely pick your spots with a classic, right?

The MG people produced 30,000 TDs over three or four years in the UK. Some 23,000 of them were shipped to the US. You can buy one today ranging from $17,000 to $32,000.

And, yes, if you have a MG, you get an MG hat and you wear the MG hat.

But why did I leave earlier than I’d anticipated today? Excellent question.

After they closed the building for the day I worked elsewhere. And I got to go home at the regular time, rather than after watching the news — which they did outdoors this evening, which was impressive.

So we went to the lake, and floated on tubes into the early evening.

Fine way to spend a Tuesday.

books / Monday / photo — Comments Off on Rocket ship emoji
19
Sep 22

Rocket ship emoji

The hill of truth. It isn’t much of a hill, and what little there is is basically behind the photographer at this point, but for some reason getting over and around that curve tell you a lot about a ride.

Of course it was two-thirds of the way through my Saturday morning ride. All of its truths had been laid bare already. It was a slow start, as rides often are, and the burst off the first little roller wasn’t as sharp or as long as it usually is. The sprint I’ve been tinkering with, one long straight road that takes you from one neighbor to another, I didn’t even try. And then she ran off and left me.

I only saw her again after one of the turnaround points. And that is what happens when you have no legs on a 30-mile ride. You get dropped.

I can enjoy it. This was the biggest mileage week for me in the last few months. Not a lot, but plenty for the moment.

Maybe I can find more miles this week, or the week after.

Let’s do the weekly check-in with the kitties. They’re both doing great, thanks for asking. Phoebe spent a bit of time last night hanging out in the entertainment center for some reason.

Poseidon was more than happy to take a nap in the fuzzy blanket. When they cover their eyes like this I assume they are embarrassed about something going on around them. The only question is, by whom?

Probably his sister.

Finished the Thomas Cahill book, this evening. The barbarians invaded Rome. It all slipped away, slowly, then suddenly. Eventually literacy gained a foothold in Ireland. And then came Patrick, Columcille, and Colombanus.

It’s a light popular reading. So there’s not a lot of depth, but if you were looking for an entry-point into an important period of Irish history, this is a reasonable start. The book ends with this downer.

There are almost 8 billion of us now, last time I counted, so that at least gives us plenty of permutations and possibilities. And, if that somehow doesn’t work, there are always emojis.

cycling / Friday / photo — Comments Off on Ridin’ into the weekend
16
Sep 22

Ridin’ into the weekend

One of the night shift spiders was happy to show off his work in the yard this morning. May you catch many insects, spider. And stay outside, why don’t ya?

I rode in early enough this morning to enjoy the long shadows. Right after this I tried my new game, to see how far I could coast without turning a pedal.

I made it one mile after which, with two of the softest pedal strokes ever recorded, I made it to the next little place I could glide. This is possible because, depending on which map you prefer, that mile is a descent of 87 or 79 feet. You also have to go through three stop sign-controlled intersections, over a bike lane that students walk in and around both foot and car traffic.

Meaning, if I didn’t have to worry about all of that I could do the last tenth of a mile while coasting. Meaning I could do 22 percent of this bike commute without turning a pedal.

Meaning I’m going to try this one day when no one is around, I guess.

After work — which featured the traditional studio time, punctuated by meetings and other meetings and then some spontaneous meetings — I celebrated the weekend, with a bike ride out to the lake to see The Yankee swim. It was a surprise! We were all surprised.

Her and her swimming friends came in just a few minutes later. We had a discussion about which of the two routes had the easiest climb away from the lake. Everyone there was a cyclist, so it led to a discussion about steepness and duration.

The way I came, the consensus opinion emerged, was longer, the other route was steeper.

Well, turns out they are about the same, because both roads away from the lake are routes up the same hill. So I chose the second route, because we all agreed that maybe it was easier and, besides, I couldn’t really remember the last time I went that way.

Before that climb started, though, I impulsively called an audible and took a right turn. I knew where that road headed. I haven’t been up this road since 2020, and it, of course, was the longest, hardest climb available to me. Precisely what I was trying to avoid.

But I set two PRs as I inched up the spine of that hill, and that impulsive decision let me add on a few more fun miles to the day.

Which was a lovely thought right about here …

Which is also where I remembered that my lovely bride said something about another bike ride tomorrow morning.

photo / running / Thursday — Comments Off on Scenes from a run
15
Sep 22

Scenes from a run

Went for a short run after my bike ride from work-to-house. This is almost a brick workout, then. And my first run since last week. On the one hand, this makes two weeks in a row featuring a run. On the other hand, that’s hardly a note of distinction. On the third hand this is the time I’ve run twice in two weeks since July. On the fourth hand, why are we counting a third hand?

Anyway. My knees will hurt for a good two, three days after this. So you better enjoy these pictures.

If you must run, run either at night, or in the golden hour.

Around here, you’ll bump into deer during either of those times. And this doe is unbothered by my existence.

Her fawn doesn’t yet know any better. Still losing spots, gaining experience, and posing casually for photographs.

I ran past that deer, noticed the baby hadn’t flinched, turned and walked back to take that picture. I’m easily within five feet of the fawn.

Sometimes the light conspires with the tree cover and you get something quite nice.

Best part of an otherwise sloppy run.

cycling / photo / Tuesday / video — Comments Off on On the subject of light
13
Sep 22

On the subject of light

It’s a strange business to be in. The hours are irregular. The interactions vary. The media is occasionally multi-. Some days quiet. Some days hectic. And, somedays, you leave yourself messages like this.

But that’s for tomorrow. Hamster Blitz is a video game some students developed. And we’re using their teaser trailer for some promotional efforts and that was where I left off today. Tomorrow I will start with Hamster Blitz.

For what it’s worth, it looks like a fun game.

What a great way to keep things light, right? A helicopter hamster ball? That would be hysterical. A hamster ball with engines would be equal parts amusing and dangerous. Finally, the hamsters can get their payback.

Maybe this isn’t the sort of light fare we should consider. To a different kind of light, then!

I spent this evening in the studio, which meant a later bike ride home. Changed the views a bit. This is the IU Auditorium. Looks nice in the gloaming.

It looks nice at every time of day, the IU Auditorim. It’s just a lovely facility, but the lights at the top offer a nice bit of atmosphere. Come in here, get some culture. No time for the fine arts, though. I pedaled through quickly racing the darkness as I was.

I did not beat the darkness. But traffic is light at 8 p.m.! And I have a light on my bike! Finally had the chance to use it! It is very bright!

I bought this light in 2020, I think. First time I’ve used it. (I blame the pandemic and, also, life.) This light is still on it’s original charge, even. And the throw is perfect for a casual ride. Remember how you learned about outrunning headlights when you were taught to drive? Something about your reaction time, illumination, velocity and darkness? You could do that here, I think, but for an easy 14 or 15 miles per hour, this is great.

One80 Light is the official illumination provider of my night runs and, now, my night rides. They have a wonderful product, and I need to take more night rides.

I haven’t ridden a bike at night since I was a kid, for some reason, but no excuse for that now, other than, ya know, cars.

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