Overdoing

I have failed in an all too commonly human manner of failure. I have done what is quite typical for this time of year. I have ignored common sense. I have convinced myself that I could do more than I could do. I have done too much. I have overdone. I am knackered.

I started out with good intentions. I wanted to ride my bicycle on a beautiful spring day. I came upon this scene as I rode away from my usual starting point (my garage).I have in all previous years missed the actual planting of the corn. Not this time.

I had to ride some cyclo-cross on my road bike to get that shot. I shifted down into my hill climbing gears and struggled across the unpaved field to the vantage point from which I took this photo. I believe that piece of equipment is called a corn drill and what is going on is that corn is being drilled.

I didn't make that up. That is what it is called.

I next rode to County Cycles. Wireless has recently requested custody of the last bicycle we purchased for her when she was still adolescent bicycle age. She remembers riding it to tennis practice when she was in 9th grade but it has been hanging in the rafters of the garage for the approximately 14 years since. Well, a person who has as many bicycles as I have is not in position to seriously question why she would want to have two. I started the process of handing over the Wireless Trek. At first I thought it possible that it would still work OK even after all this time so I pulled it down, pumped the tires and lubed the chain, and then mounted it and headed down the driveway for a test ride.

It did NOT go.

Last Saturday I took it to County Cycles. Today there were a series of phone calls from the new mechanic who was working on the bike about a variety of things. Finally I decided that this procedure wasn't going to be sufficient so I got on MY bicycle and rode over for a first hand look.

Once inside the shop I encountered Scott, my usual mechanic (who was not the mechanic working on the Wireless Trek). He said he had seen my name on a slip but did not think that I was the likely owner of the bicycle in question as the bicycle in question is more suitable for ownership by someone in junior high. I told Scott that the bicycle belonged to Wireless. I said it had been hanging in the garage rafters for 15 years and that apparently it had some issues. Scott's bicycle mechanic response was, "Ya think?"

Well, now I do but I DID kinda hope that it would go. It didn't go.

But with the help of Scott and the new mechanic I was able to arrange everything that needed to be arranged and returned to my first task, a bicycle ride.

It was nice out.

I found that same white bird again and this time tried to get a picture of it with the sun shining.I eventually ended up at the Fairgrounds where I encountered an absolutely certain sign of the changing of the seasons, the first appearance of the year for the rent-a-fence. They have the Minnesota Horse Expo over there at the Coliseum and livestock area this weekend. They sell tickets, therefore they need a fence.I checked the message boards around the grounds (EG:62 CB:60 AOWG: 69!) and discovered lots of interesting events scheduled for either this weekend or next. Some highlights are the Active Living Bike Expo, Craftstravaganza, Antique Toy, Doll and Advertising Show, and the Spring Extravaganza Car Show and Swap Meet. Next weekend has that Friends School of Minnesota Plant Sale (I think they also use a rent-a-fence).

Here's where the overdoing began. I got home from the ride. As is usually the case that was quite enough exercise for one day, thank you very much. But I had a message on the land line that repairs to the Wireless Trek were complete and it was ready for pick up.

Problem.

TOPWLH has a job and would not be returning from it in time to comfortably fit in a trip to County Cycles. It was starting to cloud up outside and the forecast for tomorrow is for a cold rain. I wanted to get that bicycle home this afternoon if I at all could.

So finally I walked over there.

About three miles.

I have been walking three miles on a regular basis since last November. Usually when I do that I finish the walk and come inside and that is quite enough exercise for one day, thank you very much.

So that's two days worth of exercise fitted into one day.

I arrived at the bicycle shop about 90 percent of the way to completely overdone. I worked out payment with Ron the store owner and then rode the bicycle home.

It was only a bit more than three miles but I had already done too much and now I was doing just a little bit more. I am officially over cooked, done, totally spent, knackered. I now must stop typing and go lie down.

Immediately.