Windy Riding!

Saturday was ride day since we were going to my folks’ house for dinner on Sunday.  It actually started on a very sad note.  I looked outside in the morning and saw a kitty on our lawn.  My heart sank because I recognized the kitty as one that comes through our property a lot. She was owned by someone last year because she had a flea collar on, but over the winter the collar disappeared and she didn’t have any ID on her.  We called her Girly Girl (not sure how that came about).  She was somewhat friendly and the other day happened to just walk in the shop because John had the door open.  Anyway, I went outside hoping that she was just injured and I could help her, but it was too late.  We don’t know who she belonged to (if anyone). I was starting to think she was homeless and wondered if she was going to become my next project and I feel maybe I dropped the ball there. Anyway, we buried her. We will keep an eye out for signs about a missing cat or if we hear anything. I don’t know if anyone misses her, but I cried for her.

Sorry about that depressing start of the post, but it made my heart heavy for a lot of the day.  We waited until after lunch to ride. The plan was to go to the lake, which would be about 32 miles round trip and the first real hill challenge of the year.  While 55 seems warm coming off the winter, it actually is pretty chilly still and so I bundled up with some long underwear and a couple of jackets. Still Michelin Man time :).

It was really, really windy out. It was a head wind to start and boy howdy did I get tired right off the bat. You have to work so much harder to keep your balance and just make headway that it is really tiring.  

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About 8 miles in, we decided that we didn’t want to try to get all the way to the lake because we would have to come back after struggling the whole way there.

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I didn’t see this picture later until later with the bunny ears John was trying to make. Nice husband…

We ended up going to Decision Point, which is the stop where we decide to continue to the lake or not. Obviously we already knew we weren’t.

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We rested here for 5 minutes or so. We had passed a woman on a bike a bit earlier and said hi as we went by. She ended up coming through here and said “Can you imagine how great this day would be without the wind?” I laughed because that proved to John that I wasn’t the only one complaining about the wind.

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We decided to go loop around and hit up the new coffee shop in Glens Falls – Spot Coffee.  This was 15 miles in.

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Now there is a Spot in Saratoga and we really like it. It’s a small chain that started in Canada. Anyway – 2 years it took them to open this! It’s a beautiful build out, though.

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Snack!!

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After relaxing some, we walked around downtown and stopped in a store that sells old furniture. They like to do the painting of old furniture, which sometimes I don’t mind, but sometimes I wish they hadn’t.  Anyway, the downstairs is where the furniture is sold. You can purchase it and they will paint it and do whatever finish style you want on it.  John saw a china cabinet that was just perfect for Radiance Manor. If we ever close on it, that is…

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The ceilings in the new house are not really tall, so we have to be careful about the scale of furniture. This is perfect because it is 5 feet 1 inch, from the 1930s and in fantastic shape.  The price on it was $85, which made me stop in my tracks and then the owner said “That piece is on sale now for $75”.  I nodded, but inside I was all YIPPEE SKIPPEE!

We checked out some other really nice pieces as well and decided to purchase the cabinet. Of course, we asked them to hold it since it didn’t fit in our bike bags.  We will have to go later in the week and pick it up.

After that unexpected purchase, we left for home. Note to self:  STOP buying things for the new house

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Finally home and actually pretty tired.

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Ride stats:

 

Total miles 24.2

Average speed:  11.1 miles per hour (much slower than normal due to wind)

Calories burned:  943

So, the lake will have to wait. There is plenty of biking season to get there ann back. No hurry.

 

 

17 thoughts on “Windy Riding!

  1. Jody - Fit at 55

    HUGE HUGS on the cat Lori – so sorry!!! You were so sweet to bury her.

    Glad you got out but wish it had not been so windy but at least you know outside rides are on the way! 🙂 HUGS!

  2. Kitty

    Sad about the poor kitty. You were nice to bury her.

    And, I know how wind can make it seem cold when you are fighting against it!

  3. Kim

    Oh – so sorry about the kitty!!!
    I’m sure you were tired after that ride – I think wind drains you just being in it and trying to ride into it is rough!
    Love your new china cabinet!

  4. debby

    So sad about the cat. I haven’t had that happen, but that is why I have picked up a LOT of dogs and taken them home with me, because I didn’t want to find them dead on the road on my way back by there! You were VERY nice to take care of her like that.

    UNBELIEVABLE price on that cabinet! Its so pretty!

    And even tho you cut your ride short, it ended up being a lot of miles, and I am especially happy that you got your treat stop in! I wish we had more coffee houses around here.

  5. Kim

    My heart hurts for kitty. Glad you and John were able to bury her. Yay for bikes that now move:)

  6. Cammy@TippyToeDiet

    Poor little kitty. We have a couple of neighborhood kitties that I’m afraid are headed for a similar fate. 🙁

    Love the new acquisition. It’s sturdy but elegant at the same time. I like that in a piece of furniture. 🙂

  7. Helen

    You have such a sweet heart towards the kitties in your neighborhood. I’m glad someone cared for it in the end.

    Maybe the way to not buy things for the new house is to leave all but $10 at home? LOL. Just kidding that cabinet was a great find! I sure hope Radiance Manor is yours soon.

  8. Shelley B

    It’s so sad to see an animal like that. 🙁 You were good to take care of her at the end; you can’t save every animal, no matter how much you’d (or Sarah McLachin) would like.

    As for the wind, yikes. It’s not fun to run in either, so I don’t blame you for not going as far as you intended. Sounds like the extra time was serendipitous as you found an awesome piece of furniture for an incredible price! And hey, if you can’t be IN your new house just yet, at least you can have some fun with picking up a few pieces of furniture for it.

  9. Biz

    Aw, that is so sad about the cat! I know you are a cat whisperer, so I can see why your heart was heavy. 🙁 Great job on the biking – too bad about the wind though!

  10. Roz@weightingfor50

    Awww…poor little kitty! She was lucky to have your care, even at the end! Yay for the ride despite the wind. I must be so lovely for you and John to be biking outside again after this nasty winter. Have a great week Lori.

  11. Kathy W.

    poor sweet kitty. If she came in your shop she probably wasn’t sick–maybe it was just an accident. We fed homeless kitties in our yard over the winter, & it kills me when I see a cat lying dead by the side of the road.

  12. Ali @ Peaches and Football

    I was feeling pretty blue about the cat too – until I saw the biking pic with John’s bunny ears and then I started laughing. Great picture!!!

    The new coffee place – with the floor to ceiling windows? Wow, I would love a place like that here. I know touristy places can be annoying during the throng of summer tourism but it certainly makes for some unique and quaint shops!

  13. Lynn Haraldson

    Poor kitty and poor you for feeling so sad. There’s no way you could have known.

    Thank you for another biking year of living vicariously through you 🙂 Oh…and maybe John was really making a peace sign to show how cool you are!

  14. Fran

    Lori that kitten would have made my heart heavy too and I would have cried too.

    What a lovely bike ride, despite the wind. And I love your new cabinet. But you have to watch out otherwise John won’t ride with you no more; too expensive 🙂

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