SS Ride with BFF

 This weekend I was invited to Micki's for some holiday baking and card making.  If anyone knows me well, you know I am not very creative, so I was a little skeptical about making the cards but the cookie dough did entice me!  She invited several friends over and had recipes for everyone.  I got there early to help get the kids cookies started.  I rolled out the dough, cut some cookies, and then the kids showed up and of course they wanted to help too! So I would roll it out and they would cut them and put them on the tray for baking.  It turned out that I was in charge of the oven , which was fine with me.  I would put the pans in and make sure they didn't burn.  This was my "out" for making cards... someone has to watch the oven!  I had a great time and I think I can tell you where just about everything is in Micki's kitchen. :)

Once everyone left and the house was clean, Steve came home from REI.  We ordered some pizza, of course I had to have some with meat on it and Micki got her veggie/spinach pizza.   Our bellies were full and my "Sweetness" (SS) was making some noise.   So Steve took a look at it for me.  All the while Micki and I are telling him stories from the day.  He did some modifications to my bike and now the brakes work better and the front brake doesn't rub.  Thanks Steve!

This morning we got up and had our oatmeal, a pre-ride staple. We decided to go to the McDowell Mountains on the Fountain Hills side.  As we get closer to the park there are some nasty looking rain clouds forming.  We were almost done with the ride as I took these pictures, you can see it really wants to rain and the clouds are getting darker and darker.

The ride itself was fun.  I got more used to the single speed and realized you can only go as fast as your gear, so in some spots I was pedaling, for nothing.  It was not making me go any faster.  I finally got into a "rhythm" and hit some rolling sections with some water boards.  That was fun... this bike is much lighter than my other bike and it seems like I can get more lift from it going off the water boards.  "I felt like E.T." One time I got major air and I even came down correctly... back wheel first!  It was awesome!  We are at the end and there is one last little hill, but you have to work hard for it.  Micki got there before me... no surprise... I came round the corner and started up.   She is digging in her pack looking for her Nano to take some video... I'm half way up the hill and I am standing up to pedal and going super slow.. yelling at her.."I can't go any slower hurry up and get it out before it's too late.... too late,......... I'm at the top".... we start laughing.   We get back to the car and change and it starts to rain.  We have such good luck, it usually holds off until we are done.

                                                     

 I had a great time this weekend and a great ride with Micki.  Good times!  No, that's not a cast on my arm, that is my wonder woman power band that helps me rock the 1 cog!!