Nature Boy

A few years back during a cold winter, a opossum would creep onto the front porch, stumbly drunk as they'd walk.  We'd leave a bit of dry cat food out for him.
On came a good cold snap and that night I saw opossum laying by the food.
I took a towel, and picked up the pretty non-moving body.
Put him in the little access room we had to warm up.
We'd look in, to check up, he seemed happy and alive.
His little toes curled as I rubbed the pink bottoms of his feet.

Nature Boy is not a long segment,  just up from the river, a way to get to the Wissahickon.

                           dusk comes quick


We took the opossum to the wildlife center on the edge of this nice patch of nature.
We found out that the opossum was a girl, we named her Virginia.
opossums don't like the cold.
they like the southern climate.

I'm healed up and got the OK to ride hard.
It's two races left for me now in this racing season.
Wonderful Reston.
and
Limestone.


Nature Boy is one of my favorites segments.

Virginia lived for a about a year longer up at the Schuylkill Wildlife Center,  she liked to be held, always had a full stomach and warm place to sleep.
Cheers, dlowe

The Female Gaze

   I looked for quite a while at the above photograph, by Diane Arbus.   It was in the show I went to see today in a small gallery, empty except for me and the prints, at Haverford College.  I went to see the Dorothea Lange, the famous print,  Florence Thompson, and her two children,  The Migrant Mother.   The antibiotics have started to work on my arm, and the redness is shrinking.  No riding, no riding the long annual Thanksgiving ride this year.  I think I should be out on the bike Friday.  I plan to take the opportunity to make the best of this really grand cyclocross racing year.  To take it right to the end, December 14th Limestone CX.  It is important to me to train hard, or rest right,  to not lose concentration at this ending late stage of the season.  To see it through.    Photos @ Haverford: The Female Gaze.

waving

I go bit by our cat yesterday morning,  He, Pascal was riled up by a cat sitting on the other side of the door, outside looking in.   I tried to shoo Pascal away,  but he spooked and chomped my right fore-arm.

This morning my arm was red, infected.   Of to the ER.  Got some IV antibiotics, a prescription for more, and luckly sent on my way.    
A couple of instructions,  don't do strenuous stuff, and keep your arm elevated above your heart.

Its 70 degrees out today.
I had plan to get a mini end of the season training block of 10 days of nice riding.
get some fitness pep back into the legs for Limestone CX,
and I love Reston, maybe if the weather looks good do Reston too, on 12/7
Its a great course and staying at the sweet suites hotel, with a bike path next to it,  just a few minutes from the course makes it a good race trip.


Yesterday racing went well,  12th, got a good jump and sat 5th wheel for the 1st 1/3 of the lap and dropped back to my battle and I am happy to say I rode hard, smart, hard, as hard and as smart as I could.      

                                            photo: Anthony Hennessy

                                           photo;  Dennis Smith


keeping my chin tucked like a boxer and my fingers away from the brakes


please a bit more CX...
cheers racers, dlowe

longing

today is Ljiljana and my, wedding anniversary
We got married in 1986.
Pretty much we meet in college, and started seeing each other, and have been together since.

I got home late last night,  from seeing a show, the Twilight Sad:

a bleak sadly romantic album,  I love,   The Twilight Sad - "Sometimes I wish I could fall asleep".

Ljiljana was up very early, this morning,
I heard her,  finishing getting ready for work, and I got up to have a cup of coffee,
chat a bit,
Send her off with a kiss, and I'd go back to bed.




I have not been on my cross bike since the last race,
and I might as well stay off till the next, tomorrow.
one ride this week,  today, on the mountain bike.


I don't know why about me, that I yearn for one, to stick with something,


I like the cathedral, and the multi-generations of life that is built into them.
I like riding down the path, that most likely the german mystic monks walked, in Wissahickon.
Cross feels that way to me,
these short efforts, seasons of racing,
I like just being part of something, that last.  I feel that I am part of something that will last.



xxoo.
dlowe

some of my photos of Ljiljana...