Last week was a strange and unusual cycling week, soooo hot. Early June isn’t usually the time for this heat. My rides have been as soon as I can get out the door in the morning, except Monday. Monday I was finishing up at noon. I overheated a little and while I was cooling down I brought up the weather to check for how long I was going to need to do less of my morning routine before heading out. I really hope his isn’t going to be how it going to be for the whole summer, and I hope even more that next summer when I’m filming the trails full length is going to be nothing like this at all.

Even more unusual, Wednesday after my ride I went to REI. As I left I found myself in the middle of Home Goods employees and shoppers who were evacuating due to a disgruntled employee with a gun. Of course, I had no idea why these people were walking toward and past me. “One said “There’s been an incident. You might want to get in your car”.

Guys, if you don’t know this already, that’s not when you ask questions. That’s when you get in your car and leave in the same direction that the people who know what’s going on are moving. Later I did search to see what was happening while I was there. Thankfully it was resolved as well as possible and with no loss of life.

Thursday I arrived in my recently regular parking lot to a tow truck. I talked to the driver to see if the car he had was being taken for a parking issue because I use the lot often and so do a lot of other cyclists and walkers. He was nice, but they aren’t supposed to tell you, and he didn’t.

THEN, At the end of that ride two different excited people told be to be careful because there was a car out driving on the trail. Usually warnings on the trail are calm and informational. People may be disappointed when a big tree removal truck blocks the trail, or sad if it’s an ambulance, but no one really get’s excited. I’ve seen some disallowed traffic on the more remote trails, but not here. Again, this is not when I ask a lot of questions. I get off the trail ASAP. If I wanted to dodge automobiles, there’s always road biking.

This more recent week was about refining the weight loss plan and doing the miles. This morning that meant being on the trail when it opened at sunrise. I don’t enjoy getting up for sunrise, but I enjoy being up for sunrise. It was a nice ride. I’ve been sticking to Big Creek/ Alpharetta Greenway because it’s a bit closer, it has no remote areas and it’s been a pretty dry summer, so flooding has been at a minimum. The segment I do is 10.5 miles, so there and back is 21. The mileage really dropped when I was supposed to do no ore than 45 minutes of exercise a day. I’m shifting out of that and did the full 21 this week. I’m heavily committed to the weight loss, but having done some reading, I’m not following the exact plan that was suggested. The trail has a 15 mph speed limit and some trail user traffic jams that slow down over all speed. 15 miles a day is 105 per week, but it is more than an hour a day when there’s a speed limit and congestion. I started opting for the compromise of a rest and a high protein snack bar in the middle. I’m experimenting to see which snack bar is truly high protein and low carb and tolerable, and this week I made it back up to the full trail, but not back up to my pre weight loss plan highs. I’m concerned, but not worried. It is doable, and I will do it, and I’ll find which parts of the eating plan I can live with for the rest of my life and make that work too.

Until next time, see you on the trail, and have a glorious day!