Riding with Dog - MTB among the Trees with Shelter from Winter's Wrathful Winds

Dog biscuit bribes no longer needed, this dog is ready to run.

Constantly amazed at the number of things I "need" to make a winter ride with dog happen. Poo-poo bags are a must, though there are some at the trail head, (one doesn't want to be caught short), riding leash, winter riding gear, water for dog, bribes for dog*, ultra-succulent uber-bribes** for dog.

Getting ready is all about the preparation. Get everything prepared first, so that the last thing to get in the van is the dog. Last thing you want to do is have to chase a dog in hot pursuit of a squirrel into the street while trying to get bikes and gear into/onto the van/rack.

Here, she wears her doggie seat harness. Afraid of windscreen wiper noise, yes, but very at home on the trail, where she runs behind the bike at a predictable and organized pace, in the zone.

We had not done the Stillwell beginner loop for year or so ... so this was going to be a reintroduction to riding behind the bike but on a perfect length of leash.

Does she want more? Let's go!! Temperature right freezing;
people need extra clothing, dogs ... the same ol' fur will do. 

She can run wihtout the leash, but it's been a year or so, so no point in risking her forgetting and running off after the first chipmunk.

So we did a couple of loops with the leash to reconnect with the mind-set of running behind the bike. The leash is held just lightly enough to prevent entanglement, but just connected enough to provide directional input. If it were too tightly held I could be eating dirt, if too loosely ... it's hard to hold it too loosely.

Keeping an eye off-piste, before the
 run resumes.

Trail queen? 

About 5-7 seven feet seems to be the the sweet length of leash for us. She runs just to the side of the rear wheel about two feet to the right.




* Old Mother Hubbard's Just Veggin/Original Assortment
** Blue Buffalo Salmon Sticks

Winter Has Its Charms I guess - More Trail Walks, Rides and Runs

Jan 15, 2017. This part of the trail ... looks like the entrance to
 the magic kingdom, couldn't have planned it better. 

 Was this morning as good as it looked? Yes, I'd say so.

 Was that afternoon as grim as it looked? No, not really.

 We got out together, that's the first part;
not too much snow, that's next.

 Blue skies, check;

 Cold enough to keep it from being slushy, check;

On a clear day you'd be looking at Manhattan in the distance.
But foggy days have their special charm, especially by
the water. Jan 22, 2017.

 Not all good bike riding, running or even walking days are sunny -- or windless. And if it is windy, then the shelter of the reeds and trees can take the edge off, or even transform it to calm.

 This bike ride, however, started out with a couple of familiar questions — "Damn, this is painful! Remind me ... why am I doing this again?" and "What the heck do people find fun about dressing up in layers to go riding in near freezing weather?"

 But as most cycling addicts know, those two questions usually become less persistent within a few miles, and the needle subtly, imperceptibly shifts from shades of discomfort toward almost pleasure.   

One way traffic round the point. Windblown and overwash sand.
A touch of the Hamptons within 20 miles of the city, rather than 120.

 This day was neither sunny nor windless.

  In the morning, we had walked in the gray gloom on the shoreline trail, then taken a break for lunch. 

 But the week and the start of the weekend had been long and crazy, and the urge was strong to get back out there and clean the mind completely with a ride.

 To be honest, 45F and gray did feel pretty cold after a week with unprecedented, almost historically warm, sunny days in the low 50s.  But there was another motive at work: the gray skies and a growing northeast wind that was filling out the flags, portended a massive 'Noreaster.

 By midnight the trees would be roaring in the wind and the raindrops would be flying horizontally for the next 48-72 hours. So yes, if I wanted to ride at all in the next few days, I better do it now, while the mood is still mellow. 

Victoria: Chartist Insurrection

Watching Victoria tonight ... the Chartist Insurrection came up.

The photo by W.E. Kilburn is from the time. Sad that in this day and age it looks part artifact, part photo. We've been spoiled by modern technology, maybe.

A distant relative was a Luddite, exiled to Tasmania, and returned to England after all was said and done. And the world continued revolving, and little is learned of history on either side of the issues.

Next up Automation 3.0.

By William Edward Kilburn (1818 - 1891)Details of artist on Google Art Project - 0AEKD91yT2VH9g at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21977388