I love the smell of kudzu in the morning

Saturday's ride was beset by annoying issues. All fixable, but requiring valuable ride time. Flat tire, a pain in the butt to change on ye olde duchess (no quick release there). Adjustments for the normal stretching of the brand new shifter cables... and one incident of a chain being stuck fast between cog & frame. That last one was completely my fault, as I was a total idiot and moved the rear shift lever for a front shift... wait! Go back, and reverse that. The levers don't click into place with each gear (think trombone slide valve, as opposed to an instrument with keys) so I'm used to guesswork. It was a definite 'Doh! moment when, instead of hearing the rear cog shift up smoothly, my chain dropped off the front.

Not to make it sound like a ride from hell, there were many good points. The company was good, and patient with my constant drops. The sun was shining. And, filling the air with the smell reminiscent of pitchers of grape kool-aid and popsicles from childhood...

The kudzu is blooming! Who cares if it's blazing hot and the air is thick with humidity... I love August riding.

Stopped by Tijuana Joe's Cantina on the way home, to satisfy the craving for salty food and icy beverages.

Definitely hit the spot.

After reading Jett's ride report from his Saturday intown ride this morning, I'm going to take a page from his refueling tips. Think next week's post ride meal will be paella. Never really thought about it from a recovery meal standpoint - or as he put it "reloading the sweatguns"