FT +4

Her rental went back today but before she had to give it back to the bike shop she had a specified number of miles she wanted to ride.  The goal was to have ridden one more mile this year than was ridden on last year's visit.

The Michigan residents had important shopping to do so we were on our own to get the requisite mileage.  We also had to arrive at the bike shop in time for the FT to be scooped up by the returning shoppers for a return delivery to the mountain.

I have a lot of miles ridden in Michigan, especially for a non-resident, but sometimes I am sorta looking at the grid of streets and guessing.  I believe that is how we ended up on a piece of pavement which is well  within the circle of miles we usually ride but is still a piece of pavement I do not recall ever being on before.

Certainly if we had ever ridden before we would not have been as startled as we were by the appearance of the Scruff Face Baptist Church.

We spent some time disucssing whether or not the former WWF TV host was a Baptist.  FT suggested that he might be without god but I remain quite convinced that if nothing else he believes strongly in the god of Jesse.

We were making the downhill on 160th and making good time so we paused briefly for the semi-traditional Bowerman's side entrance photo.

We made it to the bike shop in a timely manner and the FT was pleased to discover that her total number of miles ridden actually exceeds last year's total by four, FT +4.

Here's someplace we didn't go this year.

Actually, since accommodations became available on the mountain the FT had only been there a small handful of times anyway.  As for myself, until very recently I made at least two trips there per visit.  That was where Michigan Blue wintered (and falled, and springed, and actually most of summered) and went there to  pick it up and to drop it off.

Now there is an unfamiliar car parked in an unfamiliar spot up there towards the end of the driveway.  I stayed out on the street.

Today in France FC Nantes has opened the new Ligue 1 season hosting promoted side RC Lens.  FC Nantes was not permitted to participate in the transfer market during the summer open transfer window due to use in a game last season of a player whose transfer had not actually been completed.  Not being able to add any players to a side whose best player from last year will be playing in Italy this season is probably not a good thing.  RC Lens has its own problems as they were nearly had its on the pitch earned promotion denied due to business reasons when its principal owner failed to provide ligue required financial guarantees.  Until the very last minute, that is, and RC Lens took the pitch this evening in Nantes.

FC Nantes prevailed 1-0 on a second half goal by Yacine Bammou.  Bammou is new to the top team, having previously been a member of the FC Nantes "B" team which plays at the fourth level of French football.  Today was Bammou's first ever appearance for the top squad and his first appearance at the top level.  Bammou came on as a substitute in the 63rd minute and scored the goal in the 65th minute on what seems likely to have been his first ever touch in Ligue 1.  That's sort of like but probably even better than Hrbek hitting a home run in his first major league at bat.

I took this one tonight with my pocket camera.  The Gatsbys were having another Saturday night party, this week's party was on the beach and featured live music, a keyboard player/singer.  He said, "What a beautiful sunset."

It wasn't actually that dark but with a pocket camera you end up with what you end up with.  If we get similar conditions tomorrow, I will be out there with my good camera.