this day was going to be a group activity, since Beckie is heading out of town for a few days. she needed to do a 2 hr run, i needed to do a 2 hr ride, we needed t.Human time… SOLUTION: the canals. she went her loop down Power, i refused to take G down something the roadie hits 43 w. no bike lane, so went down Thomas to the Higley entrance…fantastic. we met at Granite Reef. it was like that scene from that movie that is iconic but which i do not know the name, and which has been mocked in countless movies thereafter. i best remember the satiric version from Airplane! where Ted Someone and Julie Someone ran in slomo and then humped on the beach. the point being: G went all From Here To Eternity??? on Beckie. but was still strapped into the trailer, and was being greeted by Kila. it went horribly wrong from there…

G freaked, Kila was hot and ran towards the river, Beckie followed, the bike got stuck. really, it was only the crying that made it at all a problem…we turned back West towards Higley and G fell asleep. at Higley, Beckie was at 7 miles and the dog was looking like she need to stop at 10 and not 14. Beckie knew about an entrance to the canal itself right off the road, of which i did not know, and she took Kila there to cool off, and it is cool when after all this time living here she points out some feature that i do not know. So the plan became Beckie and Kile would head home, Beckie would finish her run, then meet me and G as we were finishing our ride at the park whilst bearing beers and warm clothing. and off we went.

G got sad, but then enjoyed the canal and the oranges and the horses and the ducks. and we chatted and went neigh neigh neigh and quack quack quack. there is one gate i had to cross where the path is right on the edge of the canal, and i *think* G said something to the effect of “fall.” But maybe i was just nervous.   We went to Gilbert Rd and back.   She enjoyed the tunnel, she enjoyed the horses, she said she wanted to get out and was cold.

ME: we’re about 15 minutes to the park

G: wanna get out

ME: do you want your jacket

G: yuh

ME: do you want your hat

G: yuh

ME: can you make it for 10 more minutes?

G: ok

and then i rode on, and looked back, and she had put on her hat. then back up Thomas to the park.!!! 2 hrs and 18 miles. then Beckie met us at the park, with beer, and warm clothes.