Just took the Marathon Racer tire off the back of my Stratus XP. The inner threads were showing in a few places. Replaced it with just a Marathon, still a kevlar tire. The Racer is durable but is hard off and on. A tube change can be a knuckle buster and I often ruin a tube. Just did that getting this one off in the shop. I’m done with the Racer (but like with child birth, maybe done until I forget the pain).

For example, at the turn around I’m eating solid food. Here is a photo of one day’s lunch which I bought at a small store in Bassfield. The menu varies depending upon what’s on hand and the mood I’m in. A banana is usually included, but not the pineapple chunks. Or, I may eat at the Texaco station (those gals can cook), the Trace Cafe, or Ward’s. One day I was early enough to get a breakfast platter at the Ward’s. Actually, I was early enough several days but I had the thought and was in the mood the one day. If it is really hot I will be tempted to get a milk shake there. If I’m too early for lunch, late for breakfast, I may do as I did one day last week and wait a hour and eat back in Sumrall, La Tori’s being my favorite stop over.

Today was another 100+ degree ride day. The heat limits your performance but despite that Jeanne made it to Clyde Depot on our family ride. This was a 15 mile round trip and her first visit to that distance this year. This is about half what she was doing at the end of last season. If you don’t ride over the winter you lose ground. She wants some kind of indoor riding this coming winter to stay in riding shape.

Kurt’s knee was bothering him so he turned before Clyde and waited for us at Jackson Station.

Jeanne looks happy to be getting more miles under the bike. She says her hip and leg feel better after a ride than before (she has reflected pain from her back). She’s riding her Tour Easy which she loves. Could that be it in the background? Surely not, not with a green water bottle. I’ll have to ask her about that.

My Strada

I rode the red Strada today as I do on most family rides. I call it my parade bike. I can’t let Jeanne be the only one that’s color coordinated. Yes, I had a red shirt on, and a red helmet, and black pants. However, in this hot weather I most often ride the Stratus XP. The fairing shades my legs and hands a bit and I’m not laid back in the sun so much. And if it rains there is some shielding from that as well. Here is an old photo. I normally look over the fairing but could duck behind it if advantageous.

Ran across Wiley at Sumrall who was looking for the cell phone he’d dropped. He used my phone to call his wife and ask her to continuously call his cell. We then rode back along the trail listening for the ring. 15 miles later we reached Jackson Station, still with a lost phone. While getting water a runner came up and said “Is this yours?” She had heard the phone ringing a few feet past our stop, answered it, and talked to the wife who apparently gave her Wiley’s description. What luck. Here’s Wiley with the wayward phone.

OK, now I’m going to hijack my own post. This was just a set up to tell the following as I posted it on Facebook this morning, and to explain why I’m eating at the hospital.

[quote]
We went to the Hospital for breakfast. Food is good and is cheap. The parking-lot cart driver said he did not remember it being this hot as a kid. He added that of course they had to sleep with the windows open, and didn’t have to worry about someone stealing their stuff. I said, “Nobody wanted out stuff. We didn’t even want our stuff.” (Just a joke folks)
[unquote]