Les Vaches en route a l'OOF

I met Mike for a midweek ride to OOF because it had been awhile since we have done a ride before work to get breakfast.  Upon cresting Sprucebrook Hill in Southbury we found that there were a new herd of calves, while last year's group was now off on their own in the next paddock.

Benevolent Deity Century Ride

 

Mike and I decided to do a ride along with Team 26 starting at Edmond Town Hall.  Once again, Father Bob had a great invocation and quite a few political leaders, as well as others, who are victims of gun violence got up to speak. It was moving. It's hard to believe that with everything that has happened since the Sandy Hook shooting:

Sutherland Springs, Texas
Mandalay Bay Casino, Las Vegas
Pulse Nightclub, Orlando, Florida
Inland Regional Center, San Bernardino California
Umpqua Community College, Roseburg, Oregon
Episcopal Church Hate Crime shooting, Charleston, SC
Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC
Congressional Baseball Shooting
Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, FL
Nashville, TN Mall Shooting

Our government still does nothing. Even after one of their own gets shot, all you get from Washington, DC is Thoughts and Prayers for the victims. Its just worthless lip service from our elected officials, who the people of this country put there, only to have them cow tow to special interests and lobbyists. They don't represent the people that put them there otherwise they would be bending over backwards to make this great country safer for the people they represent. I am embarrassed. At least, on a state level things are happening to improve our safety and preventing gun violence but we really need it to be at a national level to for it to be truly impactful.

Standing to Senator Blumenthal's left is Matt Knickerbocker, the First Selectman of Bethel. He's a cyclist and pretty good one at that. Monte Frank gave his closing remarks and said that he is carrying a petition of a quarter of a million names asking for new measures in Congress to thwart gun violence.

The riders assembled and then we took off. Team 26 includes two of our riding buddies this year and we wanted to support them by riding as far as we could with them.

Spring into Summer Bike Commute

Leaving my house Thursday morning it was 42 degrees so I started out wearing a jacket but when I got up to town I realized that was a mistake.  Still riding through the cow pastures along Route 302 and then down into Poverty Hollow it was still quite chilly.  By the time I got to Newtown Turnpike in Redding, I finally ditched the jacket.

Thirsty Thursday: Einbecker Mai Bock

I was at My Place, a local restaurant and watering hole and happen to notice they had my favorite beer on tap, Einbecker Mai Bock. I first discovered this beer when I lived in Germany after high school and it by far one of the best Bock Beers in the world. It's a little strong but really good.  It's one of my favorite Unter dem Tisch Biers.

2nd Bike Commute, riding home in a Wintry Mix

Probably wasn't a good idea to ride to work after doing a somewhat strenuous ride the day before. When I left the house Monday morning the bike felt off and my cadence sensor wasn't working but I pressed on but when I got to Echo Valley Road I realized I forgot my work id and headed back.  At the house, after getting my id, I tried adjusting the sensor but it wasn't working.  Thinking its the battery but I did raise my seat post half an inch and it felt much better.