An Anachrid of Unusual Size

Today's ride took me the vicinity of central Orem.

Saw: In addition to the aforementioned spider (someone really knows how to work with metal), some cool and creepy Halloween decorations, a missionary welcome home sign, people removing annual flowers for the season, red geraniums (reminder: plant some next year) and a plethora of yard gnomes.

Heard: The crunch of dry leaves as I intentionally rode over them. Also the crack of the occasional walnut I ran over as well (though not intentionally). Lots of dogs barking.

Felt: The cool air-it was 45 degrees when I started on today's ride.

Smelled: More dryer sheets.

I LOVE fences

Five reasons why I like fences:
1. Rottweiler
2. Rottweiler
3. Great Dane
4. Border Collie
5. Goose

Woo Hoo! A perfect day for riding! I could not ask for better weather.

Where: Roughly Orem's Cascade neighborhood, plus getting there from here.

Saw: THE GOOSE (see other post)-it is so cute!, Orem police officers helping a woman unlock her car, red geraniums, someone getting a traffic ticket, a young man and his family leaving for the MTC so he can serve a mission in Puerto Rico, a loose dog which altered my travel plans.

Smelled: Garbage Cans. It was garbage day and I rode past a lot of cans.

Felt: A swarm of clueless bugs.

Heard: Kids on the playground, my financial institution teller calling me "sir" when I was at the drive-through. He was REALLY embarrassed. I told him I hoped he said that because I have short hair and was wearing a helmet.

Tuesday's Ride

It was a beautiful fall morning as I set out on my daily jaunt around an Orem neighborhood.

Where: Orem 400-800 East and 400-800 South, plus getting there and SCERA Park. What a cute, well-kept neighborhood!

Saw: Several yards with piles of pumpkins for sale, seniors in cute windbreakers mowing lawns, Horton's tree from Seussical, a VERY large Great Dane behind two sets of fences, the sun shining through bright yellow leaves.

Felt: Bugs hitting me in the face.

Heard: The squeaking of a backyard swingset being used by two kids (with an adult pushing), dogs, a bulldozer making a fingernail on chalkboard sound as it worked on Midtown Village.

Smelled: Chili powder (?), dryer sheets, that pollutiony smell Utah Valley sometimes gets.

I can ride 5 more miles, BUT NOT IN THIS SNOW!!!!

Bumper Sticker Wisdom

Who's afraid of the big bad . . . goose??

ME! ME! ME! Fortunately, it was behind a fence. Just sitting there, honking and squawking at me. I was in the road on my bike. I was so amused to see a goose, I stopped. My stopping triggered its guard response. Those little, squatty orange legs moved that "cute" goose to the fence at warp speed. HONK! SQUAWK! repeat, repeat. It kept making tons of noise until I was far from its house. I am afraid of loose dogs while cycling, but I can't imagine meeting up with a loose goose!

Where I rode today: Orem

Sounds: mad goose, kids at school playground, man in yard telling me my bright yellow jacket will keep me from getting hit by a car

Smells: breakfast being cooked-yum!

Sights: gargoyles, a large trash bag spider with red plastic cup eyes, a wonderful Gary Price bronze in an otherwise unlandscaped front yard, a couple enjoying breakfast on their side patio, a soda pop machine built as part of a fence (put your fence to work!), changing leaves, beautiful yards

Felt: The south wind picking up with an approaching storm.

Wednesday Ride

This morning I rode around west-central Orem. As a councilmember, I like to ride through Orem's neighborhoods. In a car, I can only see the neighborhood. On a bicycle, I can hear, smell, touch and see it. Little kids were on front porches. A lunchbox carrying man appeared to be returning home from the graveyard shift. One lady was decking out her yard in Halloween attire. On the way home, I saw she had the inflatables going. There are pumpkins, straw, corn stalks, gourds and scarecrows on front porches. I heard the dogs parking and could smell someone's good cooking.

Today's neighborhoods had a lot of housing built for those who came to Orem to work at Geneva Steel. These homes are 50+ years old and are in a variety of conditions. Just a block away are new single family homes and a block away are condos. I like seeing the variety. In my own neighborhood, I live in a 30 year old home, but next door and across the street are homes built within the last 15 years. There are condos just a couple of blocks away too.

Tuesday's Ride

Fall has arrived! I had a nice ride up Provo Canyon. The leaves are finally turning at the mouth of the canyon and I just love riding through the leaf canopy.

Chocolate cake for my brain-yum!

As part of Orem's Big Read, I have begun reading My Antonia by Willa Cather. I am embarrassed to admit this is the first Willa Cather book I have read.

I am used to reading books rather quickly, but this one is a slower read for me and that is OK. I feel like it is literary double super duper chocolate cake. Cather's descriptions of the landscape and people are so good that it takes time for me to read and digest it all. Like cake, it is rich and I can only read 15-20 pages at a time before my brain says "Let's take a break so I can digest what was just read." My brain is happy and full, and as with chocolate cake, it will be ready for more in a little while.

Thankfully, calories aren't involved :)

Fatcyclist.com

I like going to Fatcyclist . Not only am I old, but I have a few extra pounds. (Side note, it takes true courage for a woman who needs to lose 30 lbs to wear a wetsuit with the word ORCA on it. . . ) I have no idea if the site owner truly is fat. I have never met them, but I understand the site owner and his wife, Susan, are fellow Utahns. Susan is battling breast cancer (Go Susan!). Twin Six came out with a VERY cool jersey in support of Susan. I have been eyeing the jersey for a few months and finally ordered one. My husband will give it to me for Christmas (don't tell me I am the only wife in the world who buys some of her own Christmas presents). Support the cause and buy a jersey or some socks from Twin Six. These jerseys were featured in the October (on the cover) and November (Page 22 "With the Editor") issues of Bicycling Magazine.

Old Lady is out to lunch

I went out to lunch today with my cycling friends. The Spinster just got a new Orbea, like she needs to go faster. Now I REALLY won't be able to catch her. She did really well in her solo LOTOJA effort. Elbow Gash continues to improve in her triathlon times and AuntieK's coach has grounded her from her bike for a few more weeks and HATES being off her bike. Elbow Gash and AuntieK also did well in their LOTOJA relay.

I wanna do LOTOJA! Do they have an old lady division?