I noticed I missed a day - April 9 - day 99

This was an early spring day and the water was really moving down the hill.

I was out hiking for four miles that day, according to Strava.

https://www.strava.com/activities/282057624

Still melting

The half melt

Raging spring

Day 142 (Friday, May 22) - double ride day

I decided to ride twice  - once easy in the morning with Chris and then another time quickly through Burlington Land Locked Forest with Dave.

Morning ride: https://www.strava.com/activities/309362073
Afternoon ride:https://www.strava.com/activities/309687916

The photo is from the morning ride

From the morning ride

Day 141 (Th May 21) - beautiful morning fog

Some days in the spring and fall, you wake up to a very chilly morning, and the fog forms on the water and transforms the landscape.

That was by far the best part of the ride.

https://www.strava.com/activities/308739381

Fog on the reservoir

Day 140 (Wed May 20) - discovering the pump manual

I learned how to use the pump manual to (poorly) lift the front of my bike up. What a revelation. I felt  so much more comfortable getting the front end of the bike lifted by pushing it into the ground as opposed to trying to lift it. I'm slowly getting the hang of the flat pedals...

https://www.strava.com/activities/308117646

Traffic headed by in the distance as seen from the interior of the Fells

Day 139 (Tues May 19) - fast ride with the Rippers

I didn't even bother to bring the camera. Here's a lame phone photo...

The ride was really fast, and the many hours in the saddle on the mountain bike didn't exactly translate over.

https://www.strava.com/activities/307504804

Dave rides by

Day 138: Singlespeed recovery ride in the Fells

It sounds contradictory, but I think I got a decent recovery ride in today in the Fells on a mildly blustery day. The skies were gray, and the weather was cool, which was nice change from the sunny warmth we had over the weekend.

Starva: https://www.strava.com/activities/306944227

Yep - the red house again 

Swampy reflection

Day 137 (May 17) - Forgot to bring my mountain bike pack for a ride at Harold Parker

Oops - I forgot to bring my mountain bike pack for a ride at Harold Parker with Matt, Mark, and Rick.

Fortunately, I did have a water bottle with me and my first attempt to ride the Ripley with flat pedals at Harold Parker was (mostly) a success, as I built on the work from Saturday on using the flats on steeper pitches. Not all was perfect, but I'm getting better.

Since I forgot my mountain bike pack, I also didn't have my camera with me, so I used my iPhone to take a couple of (somewhat) lame photos.

Matt coming out of a particularly tough section of HP (not shown in this photo)

Spring light in the woods

Day 136 (May 16) Solo ride in the Fells early

I finally started to get the hang of riding with flat pedals and was able to make it up some steep pitches that had previously stymied me. Just like everyone says, you really need the practice with flat pedals to get used to them.

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/305507723

The view from the "Beaver Rockpile" in the Fells

The Ripley in its native rock pile terrain

Day 135 (May 15) - easy Muffin ride on the dirt with Rob, Josh, Bruce and JD

I put in a few hard efforts at either end of the ride, but for the most part it was a really mellow ride before the weekend.

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/304281558

Willy sniffs out some food near the Fells resevoir

Day 134 (May 14) - Thursday loop in the Fells

Matt, Paul and I had a nice ride in the Fells. My knee didn't hurt too badly - I was at least able to ride the "Favorite Loop" in reverse.

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/304281558

Matt riding through the trees near the reservoir in the Fells

Day 133 ride #2 (May 13) - ouch! Hard weird crash before the actual ride

I was noodling around the parking lot at work before the lunchtime ride at LLF with Amos, and I tried pulling a wheelie with clipless pedals on the single speed. Next thing I know the front wheel is way up in the air, and I panicked and could not get out until the last second. Then somehow I hurt my knee during the release from the pedals, and it is still sore nearly a week later. Dumb move...

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/303807288

Day 133 (May 13) - Practicing with flat pedals, againIbis

I did my favorite loop in the Fells with the flat pedals. It didn't feel great, but I'm getting better at it. Slowly, and sometimes not so surely, but definitely better.

Starve: https://www.strava.com/activities/303642531

Ibis overlooking the water

Day 132 (May 12) - really fast road ride with the Rippers

Oof. I wasn't used to riding so hard on the road, and never got a photo during the ride. The end of the ride featured drizzle - one of my least favorite precipitation types...

Below is one I took of the chickens after the ride was done. 

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/302937312

From L to R: Emmy, Shadow(?) and Lucy enjoying a nice spring morning

Day 131 (May 11) - evening hike with Anita

The Fells were just verdantly beautiful  and Anita and I were able to enjoy a very nice hike near the resevoir.

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/302743558

Lily pond near Long Pond

Spring woods

Day 130 (May 10) - Harold Parker on the Spot 29er single speed

I had a great maiden voyage on the 29er Spot single speed at Harold Parker with Matt. It felt so much more capable than the 26" single speed and just very confident through everything.

Unfortunately, the ride was so fun I never managed to take a photo until the very end. And a lame one at that.

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/301739510

View from the singlespeed cockpit of the Jenkins Road parking lot at Harold Parker State Forest

Day 129 (May 9) - Flow in Russell Mill

Dave took Mark and I for a very circuitous route through Russell Mill. We did lots of double backing, but rode some great bermed flowy single track.

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/303701782

Mark demoing my Ripley at Russell Mill. We agree that the Ardent 2.4 tires don't work well with the superwide rims

Day 128 (May 8) - Muffin (easy) ride in the dirt

I took out the Minolta 50mm lens after reading yet another article about the joys of adapting old glass. The photos it renders are just lovely.

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/300361598

Beautiful backlighting of the trees

The old lens gives this photo an almost analog aspect

Day 127 (May 7) - group ride with Paul and Matt

Another glorious spring day. Paul ended up leading us around my favorite loop.

I'm still struggling with the flats on the new bike...

Strava:https://www.strava.com/activities/299742822

Paul in the sun taking a breather

Day 126 - new single speed in the Fells

I took the new single speed out in the Fells today. It was a lot of fun, and I was surprised how much terrain I was able to clear without hiking. It was just a great long ride, and there were even a few good opportunities to take some photos at spots where I normally don't stop.

North reservoir house

Single track coming up!

Spring reflections and color

Day 125 (May 5)- riding with flat pedals!

I've decided to try to learn to ride with flat pedals. I have the gear - shoes, shin guards, and pedals with pins, and I went out to see how the setup works.

It was pretty fun, although I have a long ways to go! The good thing is that I was able to lift the rear wheel without being clipped in. It is not a bad start and it definitely feels more "casual" and less dangerous than riding with clipless.

Red house through spring branches

Day 124 (May 4) - quiet walk in the Medford cemetery

Although I missed the photography challenge for the cemeteries, I was inspired to take some photos at the nearby Medford cemetery on Monday.

I am a little bit creeped out by cemeteries, but it was a great spring morning for a stroll with the camera.

Painted hydrant in the middle of nowhere...

Transplanted cemetery

Day 123 (May 3) - the Rocker Spot crushes it in Willowdale

Wow,

I was clearing sections that were much harder with the titanium single speed with the 26" wheels. And one section that I never successfully navitaged with the single speed.
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Lake deep within Topsfield state park

Day 122 (May 2) - 25 miles on the mountain bike - oof!

Oof! I rode three miles from my house to the NEMBA adventure fest, then led the advanced group of riders for nearly three hours, and then I rode back with the intermediate group for a bit and by the time I was home, it was three hours and 25 miles later!

Starve: https://www.strava.com/activities/296721662

Unfortunately, I was too busy leading the ride to take any photos of note.

About to enter the last doubletrack before heading home.

Day 121 (May 1) - easy spin around the Fells

The geese were out in force. One of them even got kind of close to me!

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/295912053

Cute goose swimming near the land bridge,

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Black and white goose swimming in the resevoir