As of today I need above average temperature

The Pioneer Press weather page reports that the average high temperature for today is now only 39. I really don't think I will be riding in the 30s so I am going to need above average temperatures.

Today I got it. It was about 42 when I started and with the sun fully out there was a promise of some additional warming while I was out. It is worth noting that these clear, crisp November days make up what they lack in warmth with spectacular beauty. Today was a day when it was well worth being outside on a bicycle.

I rode out to the north again. The archery deer hunt is going on at the lakes out there but I knew that one can ride on the paved road through Vadnais. I went all the way to Highway 96, the usual north limit of that ride, then bypassed the closed off Sucker Lake by finding a way through some previously unridden in neighborhoods on residential streets and dived down the road to Lake Vadnais. Just inside the gate I exchanged brief pleasantries with three camouflage wearing hunting types who were perched on the open tailgate of a facing the wrong direction pickup truck, presumably taking a break from the strenuous task of waiting for Bambi.

Once I got down to the lake I discovered that there was some sort of major duck convention going on at the north end of the lake.They are congregated near where the creek from Sucker enters the lake, but other than that I have no explanation for why they are all gathered there.

I suspect everyone saw this one coming from a mile away (including me). Freed from the shackles of daily labor and further assisted by spectacular November weather I today rode the miles necessary to establish a new personal record for most miles ridden in the month of November during the modern era. Pushed aside at last is the 2002 total (one of the two years when I rode all the way through the winter). I say modern era because I have owned a bicycle continuously since 1972 but only started riding a lot (and keeping track of the mileage) after we became empty nesters when Wireless went off to college. I say modern era fully aware that there isn't any need to do so as I never, ever, rode that many miles on the bicycle I owned prior to the modern era.

Another thing I have taken to saying during the modern era is that I fall off my bicycle about once a year. Actually I am pretty sure I hadn't fallen off for over two years, I think the last time was on Spyglass in Michigan. It had been a long, long time since I fell off this bicycle. I am sure you have all noted the use of the past tense.

I had an event last week where I should have fallen off but didn't and today the bicycling gods got even. I pulled off the pavement at Vadnais to the road shoulder to frame today's photo. The ground felt and looked firm so when I turned to go back on the road I just gave a big push on the pedal and aimed myself towards the only a few feet away piece of tarmac. The ground wasn't firm, my front wheel went sideways instead of forward, shifting my balance to the side of the bike where I was clipped in. Down goes Gino.

I followed protocol. First I laid there for a while, taking inventory. Once down there just isn't any reason to pop right back up. I hit pretty hard, my shoulder hurt and I felt slightly breathless. Inventory went OK though so I proceeded to step 2: Get the bicycle off me with that awkward no leverage side lift to get the frame far enough off the ground to allow me to unclip from the pedal. Step 3, stand up and take inventory again. My shoulder hurts. Eventually I was plenty OK to start brushing myself off and gradually I started feeling better, maybe even well enough to ride. Actually at 12 miles from home I wasn't going to have a choice about whether I felt well enough to ride. But I decided that I did feel OK so I started for home.

Roseville is hilly, one of the reasons I really like riding here. I usually enjoy the hills and parts of all of my regular rides are in those rides for the opportunity provided to tackle one hill or another. As soon as I started riding away from Lake Vadnais today I started planning my route home to avoid the hills to the maximum extent possible.

But a 12 mile ride is plenty of time to work out the kinks. I wouldn't say that I am completely pain free here, after all, I fell off my bike. But everything seems to be working, no sharp or shooting pains. I think I lived through another one and can begin again to say, now more accurately than before, that I fall off my bicycle about once a year.