Pedal for Paws.....

Katydid and I did a ride today in our college town called Pedal for Paws.

Wait, the RIDE was called that, not our town. Just had to clear THAT up.

The ride was to benefit Athens Canine Rescue, a worthy cause in our minds.

One reason we decided to do this ride was A) it was on a Sunday; and B) it meant we didn't have to leave home at 6:00 AM to get to the ride start. We could even load the bike in daylight! (But since Hubby was still sleeping, I couldn't PACK in daylight, which might explain the fact that I wound up with leg warmers [which I didn't need] instead of arm warmers [which I did]. Turns out leg warmers work almost as well on the arms.)

Another thing I really appreciated about this ride is that they emailed us the cue sheet (directions) last week. That meant I could convert it to a map on the computer and upload it into the GPS. Then the GPS beeps to let us know when to turn, and there is a bright pink line indicating the correct route. There are also symbols painted on the road, but having the map in the GPS is a great comfort.

When I was looking at the cue sheet, I was pretty sure the route would go right past the house where our Grandmother and Granddaddy used to live when we were young. I asked another rider if she would stop and take our picture (because Rozmo was so far ahead of us), and she willingly did so.

We didn't bother asking the owners if they MINDED us traipsing across their yard. Maybe they were still asleep. At any rate, I'm relieved they didn't come out shooting. We can't ride fast enough to dodge bullets. Hell, we can't ride fast enough to dodge a turtle with arthritic knees.

I love this house so much. I have many, many happy memories of time spent there. And some not-so-happy ones too. Like when my brother Jack would go to the railroad tracks across from the house and lie down on the tracks, telling me, "Yep. I hear a train coming." At which point I would cry and try in vain to drag him off the tracks, sure in my little tiny brain that he would lie there and allow a train to smash him to pieces.

See that window over the front porch? I once threw my ballerina doll out of that window. My cousin assured me she would catch it. She did not. Butthead. The doll never danced again. Probably tore her ACL or something.

I wish I had taken the time to take more pictures. Like the enormous magnolia tree in the front yard. Or the pecan trees in the back yard. But we were already trespassing, and we didn't want to be last to finish the ride. Again.

It was a very windy day and the route was very, very hilly, but we knew both of those things before we started. It didn't make it any easier, and my legs and back are very, very sore tonight. I see some P.M. medication in my immediate future.

This is the only ride I've ever done where I've found doggie treats in the goodie bag along with the usual PowerBar and energy gel. Gus wasn't thrilled with the dog bone, but Libby liked it okay.

And the t-shirt?

Orange print. On a blue shirt.

Like I'm ever going to wear THAT.