With a late start for Tour de France this morning, I had enough time to go for a longer #bikeride . Bonked at mile 21. Thankfully had a granola bar to get me back home. Here is the Strava file.
Went for a quick #bikeride this morning as I didn’t want to miss much of today’s Tour de France stage coverage on TV.
After doing everything he could to help his team leader Vingegaard to become the race leader at Tour de France, Wout Van Aert left the race 4 days early to rush back home to be with his wife when she gave birth to their second son. What a guy! Is there anything he can’t do? I am a big fan.
After absolutely smashing the time trial yesterday, Vingegaard took another 6 minute lead over Pogacar in today’s stage which was the toughest stage of this year’s Tour de France. At the end of the race, Vingegaard’s toddler daughter was stuck to him. Didn’t let him get on the bike for cooling down. It was nice to see that these superhuman athletes are still humans and dads at the end of the day.
It has been a month since the official beginning of Summer. Can we please end it ASAP? Wanted to go bike-riding this morning but it was already 70+ and very sticky at 6 am. I am tired of all this heat already. Can’t wait to go on walks/hikes on snow covered trails again.
With all the rainy weather, Canadian smoke and short Summer nights, there was no chance to do any astrophotography in last couple of months. Here is an image from April taken as a screenshot while setting up a Venus in Pleiades shot. The spikes are generated by a Bathinov mask and help in focusing.
Loved this article about “The Dark Side of the Moon”.
Nothing to worry now @pratik . Everything will be alright.
After very little or no air travel over the last few years, we have several trips planned this year - work and some leisure for us and college-related travel for kids. With daily reports of climate crisis - record heat, floods, wildfires - it feels guilty to make all these travel plans.
Warm and sticky #bikeride on familiar roads in East Lyme, and Old Lyme. Love how green this whole area is and how empty these backroads are. Here is the Strava file of this ride.
I don’t like Summer. The days are too long, making my bed time later and later. No matter when I sleep, I always wake up before 5:30 am. This reduced sleep makes me cranky and messes up everything. Also, the night is not long enough to do any astronomy. Meh! I give Summer only 1 out of 5 stars.
Right now it is one of those times when there are problems all around in personal and work life with no (easy) solutions. Glad it is Friday and made it through the week but, the weekend is not going to change anything, only push everything out by a day or two.
On the bus with my bike to go over the Gold Star bridge (I-95). The pedestrian/bicycle path along the bridge was damaged in an accident and is still under repair. Strava file of the ride.
Today is July 11th - 219 years ago, on this day, Vice President Aaron Burr shot Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in a duel.
They should commemorate that every year with a re-enactment with current officeholders. Kamala-Janet duel? They don’t have to use guns, could be wrestling or MMA.
I don’t mind doing the work, I actually enjoy it. It is the structural hurdles that drains my motivation and energy.
Professional cyclists are just so incredibly strong and efficient at generating power. Vingegaard and Pogacar are putting out 6.8-7 watts/Kg for 20 minute mountain climb efforts in Tour de France.
In comparison, my 20 minute best is a laughable 3.3 watts/Kg. Not that I could be anywhere close to their performance but, feels bad that I can only get to less than 50%. It doesn’t matter that they are only about half my age.