60x25

Much of the first half of the season is taken up by trying to get my average ride up to 25 miles. On the first several rides of the year 25 miles is not possible due to the incredible lack of fitness for which I have still not found a solution. Early on in the year the norm is short rides, hard work. Once fit enough I have to ride more than 25 miles virtually every time out gradually moving the average up to the desired level.

And today is the day. Today's ride was my 60th of the year and I now have ridden 1,500 miles.

Today's ride was unusual for another reason. Today was the first time I have ridden in the morning. It was already 80 degrees by 10am. The prediction is for thunderstorms developing later this afternoon. And France was playing the afternoon game in South Africa. Clearly a morning ride was called for.

I rode south into a pretty strong wind. Admittance to the Fairgrounds was denied today as preparations have begun for that big annual old car show. I did get a nice picture of a pink Cadillac.Eventually the wind was just too strong for me and I turned back from the originally intended route. I rode past the Monarch butterfly yard. No butterflies yet but the yard is starting to look like a sanctuary.I have been posting a previously unpublished photo from each day of our trip and I have been waiting for this day to come around. I have a couple that I like.

Here is le Tour Eiffel photographed from Roland Garros.Here is Roland Garros photographed from le Tour.The green area in the center is the Bois de Boulogne, the large park on the eastern edge of Paris. Just at the left edge of the woods the stadium at Roland Garros is visible.

And because I like that one so much, here is le Tour photographed from the Place de la Concorde end of the Tuileries.And here, taken from Level 2 of the tower, is the Tuileries and Concorde.It was very, very windy today. It was the hardest ride in a long time. Maybe I should have ridden this afternoon, Mexico has just scored again for 2-0.

*sigh*