Running In The Cold With Eagles And A Broken Bike

The last couple of days have been rather "Chilly",  But we managed to run/bike in them anyway.   Today,  Cheryl ran 15 miles and never complained!    I think that is AMAZING!  She says that 15 miles  is no big deal.  I think she said,  "I eat miles like this for Breakfast!"    Sounds like someone is getting their confidence back. 


As for me,  I toughed it out.   It is much colder on a bike .A slight breeze makes it even worse.   Add in that My Super Awesome Bearing Experiment for my bike front "head set" ( That is Cyclist jargon for "Part that you use to steer your bike.")  You learn new things everyday;   and every failure has the seeds for improvement.   In this case,   Learning!   I learned that Shot gun steel shot is NOT the best alternative to a regular machine ball bearing.  Which really bums me out.  It DID work for almost 2 months.  ( I think.   I need to look back for the real answer)  (UPDATE!   Since September!   That is 3 months and some change!)  I noticed the handlebars getting stuck in a certain position and I was exerting far too much pressure trying to turn.  Well,  it appears that the steel shot ends up crushing after a little while.   Looks like we will have to replace them with the real deal eventually.   If we can find them!    Australia is the only place that seems to provide them.   It may take a full month for them to arrive.

Notice the "crushed" bearing vs the shiny new one. 

In the mean time,  I fixed it up with some new steel shot.   I know it will fail again, but I will at least be able to get through the next month.   I already covered why I won't be taking it into the shop for this one.  They did not instill confidence in me that they could solve the problem.    For now!  Bike is fixed!

Lots of Eagles. 

Right next to the rail and the river. 

There were a Bunch of Eagles on the trail today.   6 in all!   And there were several hovering over the lake as well.   Yesterday,  there were perhaps a dozen near a road kill raccoon.   Bald Eagles would never hint that they will eat a roadkill with that fancy plumage,  but they apparently do.   The river is the only open water now.   The ones on the trail seem to prefer fishing over "hamburger."  Either way,  I do enjoy seeing them. 

Cheryl shops online. 

And plays with her face and fingers

Tomorrow is supposed to be a "Winter Storm" day.   And with the Long run out of the way,  we are planning a day off.    The Internet is back up and Cheryl finds herself surfing and looking at stuff that promises happiness if you only buy it.   (It rarely does though) She is also spending all of our hard earned money on magazines...  that offer the same stuff and make the same promises.  Well,   what are ya gonna do?

Hiro "helps." 

He tries to help me as well. 

As for me,   I have been folding and fixing hings around he house.   The rest of the time I play my XCOM Enemy Within.    Someone has to save humanity from the alien invasion.... and it might as well be me.   Even the cat wants to help!   Although he mostly is just in the way...  just like any other sidekick. 

Doesn't really work, though.