Training for the Hilly Hundred - Nuts!

So Kitty, do I bike a century today?

Or work on my hills?








I'm on Phoenix today.
















That flat I changed yesterday?

Flat again today.

     :(

A black cat

crosses my path
















Dark clouds hover in the west.

Things look ominous today.













I'm going for the Geist Hills again.

Last time I got lost and didn't finish the route.

I plan on doing better today.








Sargent Road curves

through the forest...

This ride

will be gorgeous in a few weeks

when the leaves

all turn color.

Unless the drought drains the color

and they all just turn brown and fall.

That would be a shame.

Must be lots

of oak trees...

Look at

all the acorns

by the side of the road.











And look

who's munching

those acorns!













I pick up a handful of nuts.

So sad

to leave them on the road

to get crunched

by cars.

I'll take them home

and scatter them

at my Land

to grow oak trees

or feed deer

squirrels

Photo by Eric Begin

blue jays...


I read once that after the glaciers left

and the land was bare of trees

it was the blue jays

that brought back the oak trees.

Makes me glad

Al named her bike

Blue Jay.













Bike on up through Indian Hills.

Down to Granny gear

and

standing on the pedals.

I make it up the first big hill...

past the old plane...





But the next hill

Ka-bump!

I have to clip out

before I topple over.


I lamely walk the hill.


I had two more gears lighter I could've used.

But by the time I knew that

there was too much pedal pressure

to change gears.

Dumb Helen.




I spin down the hill

past Halloween ghosts

and Jack O'Lanterns.



I've always told KC -








- No Halloween decorations

until October.


These people

don't know the rules.








Look!

See that acorn

with the silly cap?








What kind of oak tree

is this?















I wouldn't mind

having a tree like this

on my Land!

















And the acorns

look positively

Medusa-like

on the trees!

I pick up a few more nuts.

So many acorns!

Must be a mast year.

You see, those clever oak trees put out few nuts most years.

Keeps the number of squirrels low.

Then one year

all the oaks get together and decide

to Mast.

They makes tons of acorns.

Too many for the few squirrels to eat.

So, many get buried

not eaten

and grow into new oaks.


Tell me those trees aren't smart.






Turn on 75th Street.

Biking the flats to Old Oakland.

But what is that?!

An Osage orange!



My kids called them brains

when they found them in the woods

on our Halloween walks.




I read once that Osage oranges were spread by woolly mammoths

who ate the fruits

and spread the seeds.




My kids say

I read too much.

Oh, yeah!

I'm supposed to be training...

Hills slow my biking

but my head keeps spinning

with random thoughts.











Here it is!

The road I missed last week

Florida Road.

I always see bikers turn this way.

And here's why!

Major hill climb!



I make it.

But I'm winded.

Time for some flats.

Lots of other bikers on this route today.

We smile and wave.

- See ya at The Hilly!









I take a break

by this scary guy.

I think about acorns

and hills

and Halloween walks.

Spin over Geist

Enter Spyglass Hills

and look!

Blue skies!

Brief stop home

to check on

TJ and Kitty.








Then back on the road

to conquer the hills

again!

Buzz past

Sargent Woods...

Hello, Deer.

No time to talk.

I do better on the hills this round.

Gear down.

Top that Indian Hill

like a pro.

Take a break

at the top

and wave at the

passing bikers.

I love biking and taking photos!

I love being outdoors all day.

Seeing a variety of landscapes...

...a variety of skies.

A family

playing football...

A family

of Black-eyed Susans.

Is this a teacher's house

with the pencil statue?

How ironic...

a blind sign

with such a lovely sky.

How could I live

with no sight?


No biking.

No photos.

Books only by touch.

I can't imagine.

Someone is starting

a vineyard!

I wonder...

What do grape flowers look like?

Who pollinates the grapes?

Better read more...

Bright red - Christmas colors.

Too bad it's evil.

Honeysuckle...

choking out our woodlands.


I'd cut it down

if I had my clippers.

Spinning back home

on my last round.

I see the sun

spinning to its

horizon.

TJ wants a place

to watch the sunset

and eat his ice cream

I'll have to send him

to the Geist bridge.

I pause to chat 

with fellow bikers...

...before they, too,

bike

into the sunset.

I stop to rescue

a few more acorns...

...before they're smashed

in the road...

....by heedless cars.

Almost home

I pass Walnut Creek...



and what do I see?

Walnuts!


Sorry, guys.

No more room

in the bag.

It's been

a great day

biking.


I don't know if my legs are trained.


But my camera eye feels well-trained

for taking photos

at the Hilly Hundred.