Rick

I write stuff for a living. Cycling nut. Okay, just a nut.

[SMU @SMU]

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.

Join us in welcoming the newest Mustangs to SMU!

[Rick @cycledudeone]

I've got to admit that my Covid 2nd booster shot was the roughest one yet. The prior three shots were a walk in the park, but this last one gave me a headache, a queasy stomach, and body aches. But yet, I'm still alive and happy I got it.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

After receiving my 4th Covid vaccination, 2nd booster, I had this strange urge to yell "BINGO" as the technician filled out my Covid vaccination card.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

For those of us that are considered to be at higher risk from Covid despite having a vaccine/booster, the thought of having an indoor restaurant meal again still feels like a pipe dream.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

200 miles on the bike last week. A miserably cold and wet 20 miles today. Despite cycling in the vicinity of 200K equivalent miles over 20 years, it's getting harder each year with age.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

Second time in two weeks my daughter was directly exposed to Covid at school. Last time, we dodged it. This time, who knows?

[Rick @cycledudeone]

Covid here. Covid there. Everyone seems to have Covid. Not encouraging.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

First day off the bike in literally months. Decided to a rest for a day or two.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

Just for grins, I decided to look at a few of my tweets of 5 to 7 years ago. OMG, my life has changed (not for the better) radically since I (semi) retired and the pandemic started. Wish I could say it would get better anytime soon.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

As they say, getting old sincerely and truly sucks big time.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

A decade ago, even temperatures in the mid to high twenties wouldn't keep me from venturing outside on the bike.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

As I have advanced in years, my enthusiasm for riding in cold weather has waned. But today, I'm proud to say that I rode in 35 freeze-my-butt degrees. With wind chill, surely down in the twenties.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

Today's bike ride highlight: At 11:30 AM, going down the trail near White Rock Lake, a bobcat slowly strolls down the trail in front of me. At least I'm too big to eat.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

I'm both glad and sad that I'm not traveling this holiday season. Right now, you couldn't pour me onto a plane.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

Got the biopsy report back from the latest skin anomaly. After waiting on the phone for 15 minutes and then being told that they'd have the doctor call me, it sounded like too much drama for a clean result. It turned out to be a clean result. Whew.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

Went to gym today after the announcement of the ew variant. At first, I saw a number of people wearing masks. But then, I realized that was just an anomaly. The true percentage of mask wearers was still in the 5 to 10% range.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

The Beatles "Get Back" is fascinating. But this comes from someone (me) who has seen the Beatles in concert when still a child and worshipped their talent forever. Now, if one wasn't a fan, sitting through the documentary would be like watching oatmeal dry in hot sun.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

Oh, the woes of too much fun in the sun years ago. Had yet another skin biopsy this afternoon. No biggie, but it bled more than anticipated after I left the doc's office. By the time I got home, my shirt looked like I took a bullet instead.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

240 miles this week on the bike. It's not as easy as it was just two years ago. But then again, I'm carrying almost 20 more unsightly pounds due to pandemic stay-in-the house woes.

[Rick @cycledudeone]

Zoo animal week continues at the gym. Today, one of the patrons amazed other gym attendees by his dead-on impression of a real crowd-pleaser, the striped hyena.