Riding more frequently than writing again, file under First World Problems. Here's what's been happening.
On Saturday, I rode East for the usual hills-and-traffic fun.
All went well until a front moving through decided I was too dry, and shared its water with me for the last 40 minutes or so of the ride, as I passed through Malden and Medford, headed West towards Arlington.
There was a pleasing amount of thunder and lightning, very dramatic. I was wet enough, by the end of that.
Sunday involved no bicycles. Monday, however, featured a quick sprint up to Lexington Center and back before dinner. Pleasant, if not novel.
Tuesday brought a bit of dubious novelty, in the form of hot, hazy weather with air that smelled like a neighbor heating with wood, but in fact had blown in on the Jet Stream all the way from Eastern Oregon, a sort of burnt offering on a continental scale. I wore a KN-95 to ride for the first time since the Pfizer shot seemed to lower the Covid stakes of riding barefaced. Figured it was just as well to keep those 2.5 micron particulates out of my lungs while I was cranking up to Depot Park. In consequence, I resembled The Birdman of Arlington.
The smoke and haze were hard to miss. Nevertheless, lots of folks were out walking/running/skating/riding in it. I was glad of the mask, and wondered a bit that I didn't see more in use.
The man with the elaborate bicycle touring rig (bike, trailer, camping gear), who seems to be giving it a series of dry runs before taking it Out Yonder, rode to the little park at Bow Street, Lexington, and repaired to his hammock. Not a bad idea, really.
I can remember when Peepers Pond wasn't choked with duckweed every Summer, but it certainly has been for the last few. The resident family of swans were on maneuvers, and I stopped to watch them.
I came for the swans, but I stayed for the ducks.
rod