Puppy Dogs and Rainbows

Read more and you get to see the puppy towards the end of this yarn!

Ride Report--I go to the bike locker after work--back tire is flat. Somehow I've missed something in the tire. Hmm... This really sucks--two flats in one day. Then I get an idea. Pump up the tire enough to get down to Pima Street Bikes. Phil and Judy are still there and I have just enough time before they close. I get enough air with my hand pump and it seems to hold, so I sprint off.

Judy replaces the tube and checks out the tire and I'm good to go.

So there I am on Pima Street. Monsoon clouds are rolling in and its gonna start pouring any minute. Rather than go back up to Campus and ride Glenn to to Mtn Ave. What the heck I'll just take Pima to AHSL and get to Mountain Ave that way--and I get rolling.

Dang, but it is windy! And on Mountain its even more windy! So I've a fierce headwind all the way to the River Path--no big deal. Except now its getting stronger, and the clouds darker.

From my days in South Dakota, the Lakota people would tell me stories about the spirits and the fairies playing, and up to mischief when the wind was like this. You shouldn't be out when they're having their fun--because if you are they will delight in taunting you. You know, like grabbing your handle bars and giving them a yank! Or a bunch on them getting hold of your ankles to make your peadaling more difficult! Or holding onto to your jersey so if feels like you're not even moving. Yeah they had their fun teasing me alright.

I'm riding head-on into this wind and into dust clouds. Off the bike path and North onto La Cholla now--straight into the wind--I can only ride a few miles per hour. Mes amis it is un-natural wind and I must tell you I can hear a low roar and it seems to blast down the street... There's a Circle K up ahead where I stopped yesterday for water. I'm taking an ass beating and I pull in to get out of the wind, drink some gatoraide I mixed at the office, and take my last two Endurolites. I also note that I'm covered with a thin layer of grime--great.

Well, I'll wrap up. I get back to the car and just then the downpour begins. Just made it.

Callie is waiting at home and I unload my bike. She likes to sit in the trunk for some reason when I'm working in the garage.

Here she is just watching the storm as it rolls into Dove Mtn.


We finally get more rain.

I cooked up a mess of Spam and eggs for dinner--also Callie's favorite--for I felt I made a good effort to get myself back to the car before all Hell broke loose. I guess I didn't have much choice!

Allure Libre!