Well, I have ridden the road bike a couple of times
this week, to test out the hand and body since my
hidious Mtn bike crashapalooza...adventure two weeks
ago. The left hand hurts a bit with all the jarring and such,
and after about an hour it starts to cramp up a bit. But I
do notice that it is getting a little better each day. Other
than that, it's status quo I suppose. The last two rides I
did a good bit of climbing, so my average speed is way
down, but I'm sure by next month I will be able to push
the speed up a few ticks. I'm now at 370.27 miles, at an
average of 15.303 mph. Highest average pace was 17.84,
while the lowest was 13.7.

The real upside to ascending...is of course -descending!
I love it. Fast and furious. As long as I can see where the
road bends or even better if I am familiar with the piece
of tarmac, I have no problem bombing it as fast as I can.
It is a huge rush to power through corners while tucked in
behind the bars. Although a little voice in the back of my
head is always reminding me of the dire consequences
of what would happen in a fall at 40 mph....Yikes, I try
not to think about it, but inevitably I do. I suppose that
is part of the lure, confronting the looming danger.

A portion of the ride took me past the Black River stream,
that runs along Black River Road. A beautiful mountain
stream sends its cold, clear water flowing over rock beds.
What a sight. Then there was the short run along Ravine
Lake in Far Hills at the end of the ride. A narrow road that
winds along the banks of the lake, it rolls up and down just
slightly, with some nice blind corners too. The road is sort of
european-esq I guess. It would make for a great route in a
cycling race. This can't be NJ!? Yea, but it is...most people
don't ever get to see these parts, at least that is what I believe.
The country-side of Hunterdon & Somerset Counties are gorgeous.

I shut out all around me, as I'm blasting down a hill, the
only sounds are the rush of wind, and the humming
of speeding tires. I spot a hawk, swooping in...he's majestic,
he is fast. Glorious and and agile, I give him a glance, dare
do I attempt to try and follow...Elbows and head tucked
in as much I as I can, in absolute vein hiding from the wind,
that god-damn wind. His long, graceful wings are spread out
catching the invisible air, rapidily the hawk disapears into the
clear blue, fore as hard as I try it's just no use, I cannot catch
him, the winged warrior of the skies, swooping in on his prey...