Training Log Archive: PGIn the 1 days ending Dec 16, 2018:
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Sunday Dec 16, 2018 #
2 PM
biking - dark blue bike 40:56 10.07 mi (4:04 / mi) +87ft 4:02 / mi
ahr:133 max:154 weight:139.5lbs
Last thing I expected today was to get out for a ride. Forecast was a mix of rain, sleet, freezing rain, and snow starting around 9 am.
Out of the house just before dawn, Christmas bird count today, my group of 6 had sector 15, and my part was mostly along Pearl Street (south of the range, plus a couple of small sections at the very west end of the range.
Had a fine time. Got sleeted on a couple of times, but both times it didn't last long, and got rained on for maybe 45 minutes, but very light rain. Saw a totally satisfying assortment of birds (remember, I have low standards), met several friendly residents, and didn't get shot or even shot at. Pretty good.
The 6 of us grouped up for lunch to compare notes. Had a new leader this year, the previous one had broken her arm while hiking a few days ago. New guy was cool, works for US Fish and Wildlife, supervises National Wildlife Refuges from New York to Virginia among other things.
At some point the question was asked how things were at work under the new administration. Different, he said diplomatically, though his views were quite clear when he offered as an example what they had to do if they, say, wanted to hire a new biologist in Virginia to replace one retiring. Now all new hirings had to be cleared by the Interior Dept., not just USF&W, and an essential part of the justification for every new hire had to be how they would help secure the south border. I kid you not. They've had to get real creative.
And if you're thinking of doing anything illegal at one of the NWRs, go right ahead, as most of their law enforcement folks are on regular rotations to, you guessed it, the southern border.
Did one more short hike after lunch, then headed home. Partway home it occurred to me that, regardless of what the forecast was, it wasn't actually raining and the temperature was about 40. No excuse not to go out. Checked the new rules, Valerie's to be precise, and headed out, 10 miles was needed. No reason to do 15, no reason to do even 11, hell, no reason to do even 10.1, you think I'm crazy?
Though I did think, after I'd gotten out of my bike clothes, how it would have been pretty easy to toss in another 5, or more. But no way was I going back out.
And it still isn't raining.
(evidence for Valerie of the major part of the outing)
Out of the house just before dawn, Christmas bird count today, my group of 6 had sector 15, and my part was mostly along Pearl Street (south of the range, plus a couple of small sections at the very west end of the range.
Had a fine time. Got sleeted on a couple of times, but both times it didn't last long, and got rained on for maybe 45 minutes, but very light rain. Saw a totally satisfying assortment of birds (remember, I have low standards), met several friendly residents, and didn't get shot or even shot at. Pretty good.
The 6 of us grouped up for lunch to compare notes. Had a new leader this year, the previous one had broken her arm while hiking a few days ago. New guy was cool, works for US Fish and Wildlife, supervises National Wildlife Refuges from New York to Virginia among other things.
At some point the question was asked how things were at work under the new administration. Different, he said diplomatically, though his views were quite clear when he offered as an example what they had to do if they, say, wanted to hire a new biologist in Virginia to replace one retiring. Now all new hirings had to be cleared by the Interior Dept., not just USF&W, and an essential part of the justification for every new hire had to be how they would help secure the south border. I kid you not. They've had to get real creative.
And if you're thinking of doing anything illegal at one of the NWRs, go right ahead, as most of their law enforcement folks are on regular rotations to, you guessed it, the southern border.
Did one more short hike after lunch, then headed home. Partway home it occurred to me that, regardless of what the forecast was, it wasn't actually raining and the temperature was about 40. No excuse not to go out. Checked the new rules, Valerie's to be precise, and headed out, 10 miles was needed. No reason to do 15, no reason to do even 11, hell, no reason to do even 10.1, you think I'm crazy?
Though I did think, after I'd gotten out of my bike clothes, how it would have been pretty easy to toss in another 5, or more. But no way was I going back out.
And it still isn't raining.
(evidence for Valerie of the major part of the outing)