Fall

I'm sorry.  I've slacked off in my journaling.  I've had several post ideas, but I was never at a computer when the thought came, and I forgot my awesome ideas once I was sitting at a computer.

And so it goes.

I thought I'd write about fall, today.

I had a hard time letting go of summer this year.  It was really such an awesome summer!  The best one I've had in many years!  I'm already looking forward to next summer... it was that good.

Still, autumn is nice, too.  In fact, I can now go running in early afternoon without giving myself heat stroke.  But it is starting to get too chilly for biking because I am a wimp.  I don't like being cold.  Bill will put on extra layers and go out there even when it is fre-jeezing.  Not me.  No thanks.  I'll go to a spin class, instead.  Fortunately, there is a 6 pm spinning class every M-Th.

Same thing goes for running.  Once it drops below 45 degrees outside, I'm an indoor girl!  I was going to go trail running this morning, but it was 34 degrees.  So I ran on a treadmill, instead.  Then I swam laps in the pool, which is now indoors, too!  Our local pool is convertible.  In the summer it is outdoor, the rest of the year, there is a bubble over it.  Not very attractive, but very effective!

I packed up my gym bag this morning with everything I thought I'd need.  Plastic bag for sweaty running clothes, swim "toys", swimsuit & towel, and clothes to wear home.  The one thing I forgot?  Sandals for the walk home.  Call me crazy, but I don't want to put my sweaty running shoes back on my damp feet after swimming!  So I walked home barefoot.  I did that all the time over the summer, and today was nice enough that it was fine, but I better start getting in the habit of packing them before winter sets in!  I do NOT want to hoof it home barefoot in the snow!  Sandals?  Sure!  Barefoot? No.

*****

The leaves in the canyons are starting to fade already.  Their colorful display is nearly over and the trees down here in the valley are just starting to turn.

Bill and I went on a road bike ride together last Monday up Provo canyon and South Fork canyon.  The Provo canyon portion was on the Provo River Parkway Trail (PRPT).  It is a beautiful trail!  I really think I'm going to go run it sometime this coming week.  However, it is a little frustrating on a bike because of all the runners on it... and all the "Freds" who use the trail.

I learned recently that mountain bikers have a lingo for road bikers and recreational bikers, in other words, all cyclists who aren't cool enough to be mountain bikers.  Road cyclists are "roadies".  Bill tells me I'm one of those.  Recreational riders are "Fred".  You can tell them apart by the coolness level of their bike, their cycling etiquette, and by what they wear when riding.  A "roadie" has a respectable bike, follows the rules of the road, and is wearing cycling gear.  "Freds" are on heavy WalMart-esque bikes, often ride on the wrong side of the street &/or on the sidewalk, and usually wear a cotton t-shirt and cargo shorts.  Helmets with "Freds" are about 50/50.  All other bikers are hard core enough to always wear a helmet.

Anyways, back to the PRPT.  We had to slow down every time we passed a runner.  And the "Freds" had a hard time following the paint designated lanes on the trail and would often come coasting down the hill at us in our lane, causing some consternation.

Still, it was a beautiful ride!

You might wonder why we even took the trail instead of riding on the road like true "roadies".

The Provo Canyon highway is under construction and has signs up prohibiting cycling in the construction zone.  So the trail was the only option going up.

Once we reached Vivian Park and the end of the PRPT, we turned into a side canyon (South Fork) and rode up it to the top.  Or, at least, until we ran out of public road.  That side canyon had a lot of hill climbing!  At first I was not happy about that, but after a while, I started enjoying it!  Sure, it was really hard, but I was so proud of myself for being able to do it!  Just a year ago I would not have been able to climb it!  We climbed 1,200+ feet in just over 10 miles of riding.  2/3 of that in the second 5 miles.

Yes, it was beautiful!  And, yes, the downhill 10+ miles were exceptionally fun!  Round trip we traveled 21 miles.