IBUs and CO2, Among Other Things.

We got our gardens planted just in time for some much-needed rain to welcome our flowers to their new home. It's always nice to have that work behind us. Tammy is a big help but once they're in the ground I'm pretty much on my own when it comes to tending to them. I don't mind—I find it relaxing to be out there putzing in the dirt.

We've been enjoying our independence (I think I've mentioned that before here but it really is nice) and occasionally going out for a glass or two of wine or beer. It's nice but I'm finding that I have an allergy to the hops used in brewing beer, especially IPAs or those beers with higher IBUs. I have to be careful to order a beer with a lower IBU, preferably something less than 10 or I'll wake up with a pounding headache that will stay with me the entire day. When in doubt I'll reach for a Not Your Father's Root Beer. They're so good and they have an IBU of zero which begs the question: is it really beer? Hmmm.

We drove into Minneapolis on Wednesday evening to see The Book of Mormon at the Orpheum Theatre. Oh my but that was funny! It's a Broadway production that's touring the country. I was laughing so hard at times that I was worried I'd embarrass Tammy but she was laughing too. Yeah, there's some inappropriate stuff in there that caused me to wonder should I really be laughing or even clapping? But then another ridiculously funny scene would play out and I'd be laughing as hard as ever and looking over at Tammy to see her reaction. Go see it if you get the chance.

Tammy is taking an online watercolor class. Yes! I've been wanting her to get her paints out for the longest time and now she is. She's always been very artistic (as was her mother) and I'm happy to see her taking the time to dabble in this again. Here's a link to some paintings she did in college. I wouldn't mind playing around with it too.

I had my first flat of the season while doing my loop to Jordan last week and it was the first time I've used CO2 to fill my tire. No doubt my cycling friends are wondering how this can be. I have no idea other than I like standing by the side of the road looking like...oh, never mind. So, one thing I learned from using CO2 is that the next day your tire will be very deflated as a CO2 gas molecule isn't the same as an oxygen molecule and the gas will much more easily dissipate through the rubber inner-tube. And yes, I'm a convert and CO2 will now be my go-to method for fixing flats out on the road. It's amazingly fast!

Speaking of riding -- I've been slacking on my bike and with the race in Lutsen less than a month away, I need to get a move on. I went out today for a longish 94-mile ride (albeit on my road bike—I'll be using my fatty for the race) where I pretty much just went through the motions. My right knee wasn't all that happy to be out there and as I said in my comments on Strava "I think I left about 50 watts of power on the back counter when I took off this morning. I hate it when that happens."



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

David Crowder Concert, NWA188 and Photo Review

Riding, Retirement and a Home Revisited

A Tragic Loss