Standing at the Trailhead of Winter

During my walk with Ado this morning I could hear music. The sound reminded me of Don McLean, his "American Pie" album. After I returned home and had Ado all settled in, I decided to set off to find the music. I found it just off the trail to Uptown, behind the Community Cancer Center. I sat in the gazebo and listened. Monarch butterflies flittered among the daisies circling the gazebo. I have since learned the singer is Dan Hubbard, a singer-songwriter who lives right here. The butterflies were released as a symbol of freedom and happiness, especially as these are connected to those who have battled cancer and won. I followed the music. My day was all the more brightened for it. Old Faithful has found a new home. Yesterday, I said goodbye to the blue cruiser. I truly loved that bike, but I was ready to let it go and start a new chapter with a new cruiser. The kind I fell in love with, out in California during the TransAm ride 2012. We were sitting outside a bike sh...

Warming Up Beautiful weather plus beautiful countryside helped me finish under my goal of 1:25. Though my run was the usual "somebody please explain to me why I do this" run, the swim went well, and the bike proved challenging yet faster than I've ever cycled before. I crossed the finish line at 1:22.11. Definitely a sprint tri I'll do again--maybe. The swim was in a 25 yard pool with six lanes, which meant we had to swim one way in each lane then turn and swim back in that lane, going under the lane ropes to get into the next lane. Trying to breathe when water is lapping up into your mouth because of swimmers passing from the other direction makes for a tough swim. I submitted a time of 5:30, hoping not to get stuck behind a slower swimmer. Didn't work. I got stuck behind a slower swimmer. I managed to get around her and continue on, but soon came up on another slower swimmer. I just backed off this time and settled in as much as I could. My swim time ended ...