Yesterday's Bike Ride

I had my bike in the car so I drove to the Middle Road Sanctuary only to find that my back tire was totally flat. Since I use Stan's No Tubes there was no way I could fix it on the road without an inner tube so I drove back home where I discovered that the flat tire was the same one that I had put a slime tube in a couple of weeks ago when I went flat on the Sunday ride. (You are supposed to add fresh Stan's every two months or so, but I let it slide and it has been at least six or seven months and the Stan's had dried up to the point where it couldn't do the job.) So I pumped up the tire and went for a ride from home. First out to the cliffs:




Then I headed back into the woods where I was not the only wild animal that roams around as you can see.

There is always something magic about flowing water.  Alongside the stream I surprised a little brown furry animal about 5" long, not counting the tail.  It ran along the bank and then was totally still, hoping I wouldn't notice him.  I got to within a few feet when he jumped into the stream and, floating high in the water, easily swam over to the other side.  It must have been a rat, but it was a nice clean country rat.  I seen pictures of lab rats swimming around in tanks and only their heads are above the water, but this little guy's back was floating high out of the water and you could see all of his four paws paddling away.  Maybe his furry winter coat was trapping enough air to float him like that.

On the way home I was able to stop in a Chilmark Chocolates just before they closed and get a little treat for Marianne and myself.  Altogether it was a very enjoyable little ride.  I don't really understand how every time I go for a ride it feels good and yet just about every time I have to work at forcing myself to go.  Something is wrong there.  I know part of the problem is that it is cold and the days are short, but I think the problem is in my mind.  I wish I knew how to fix it.  Any suggestions?