keeping afloat

it ain't easy learning the ropes all over again. i'm staying afloat. barely.

climbing and cycling are keeping me sane. we went for a nice, long bike ride on sunday in gorgeous weather. my place to old town alexandria. stopped for lunch by the river. laying around in the grass, watching people walk their dogs, push their infants in strollers, playing beach volleyball, stroll with their spouses, talk with their grandparents. grandsons in matching getups with their grandpas. young moms teaching their toddlers. old folks in their sunday best. locked the bikes up, checked out the torpedo factory and the plaza on the river. street musicians and balloon animal makers. kid smile producers. birds birds and birds. shakespeare lovers performing a midsummer's night dream.

heading back north along the potomac on mount vernon trail. water break at gravelly point to watch the planes take off at reagan. families everywhere. bikes everywhere. subarus with sailboats on trailers. tahoes with speedboats. a taxing final three or four miles through rosslyn and some neighborhoods to get back here. two bikes sit in my apartment now, hers and mine.

started bouldering again this week. lots of power lost in the top roping hiatus, but i think it'll return reasonably quickly. i'm gunshy about the left knee, but it ought to be in fighting shape by the time hound ears rolls around.

here's hoping anyhow...