Afternoon rain

But we got out early enough for each of us to get about twice as many miles as did the last time we rode right before it started to rain.  It's still raining right now.

The GRider pronounced herself pooped.

It was actually nice when we started so I had some confidence in getting more than two miles from home.  However, the radar looked iffy and Lake Como was plenty far enough.  On the route we rode today it is about six miles to the far end turnaround point for a Como ride.

There was an article in our local newspaper about what a tough winter it was for local conifers.  This is particularly true of the smaller shrubs and bushes, as we rode today we pointed out blighted shrubs to one another  We also found a stand of something larger, some red pine in Como Park that looks pretty beat.

There's the lake back there down through the trees.

Actually the real reason we stopped there was it was also apparently a bad winter for lilacs.  That patch on her left where the grass is just starting to fill in had several large lilacs growing there as recently as last year.  Some may remember the lilacs with one branch of white flowers grafted onto a purple flower bush that I featured a couple of years ago.

Gone.

We rode around down to get closer to the lake as that is something she always requests.

I caught her slightly before she had completed preparations for being photographed.

We looped back through the Fairgrounds where they are getting ready to have something called an electric run.

I assume this is similar to what they did last year.  They run it in the evening with flashing lights, colored smoke, loud music, umbrellas in the trees and inflatable archways over one of the streets.

Some of that seems unnecessary but if they are having fun I am all for it.  No one runs for free I remarked to the GRider.  I spent the rest of the ride trying to recall the name of that woman who jumped into the Boston Marathon one year about a mile from the finish and was actually given credit in the TV coverage and early press for having won.  Only none of the other runners had any idea who she was and her physique was not typical of what you'd expect for an elite distance runner.

Rosie Ruiz.