Summer Ride

Yesterday I took the day off from painting and went out on a real summer ride-- 2.5 hours on a loop to Høle. It is along Rv 13, dubiously described as "Route 66 of Rogaland." It is probably my favorite route, but it takes an hour of riding before it even becomes interesting. Then there is a massive hill, and then I am confronted with always forgetting how far it is back to civilization. Taking a Sunday ride on the last day of vacation for most people put me in the path of countless RVs-- many with German plates. But I have a special "thanks" reserved for the idiot who patiently waited to pass me, only to give me a half meter of road. I could have touched his RV. My guess is many of these are rentals. They are all white. At least they are not the American monstrosities with extended mirrors that eat cyclists. There was only a brief stretch of sketchy RV fodder-- the road leaving the ferry crossing at Lauvik. I didn't need much encouragement to turn off on the road less traveled--- knowing fell well it would be a long climb and no shortcut.

Did I mention that it was hot yesterday? At least 30. When I made it home, Julian was still napping. We fed him and headed to the beach at Sola. It was a circus trying to find parking. We ended up parking in a massive no parking zone, along with about a thousand other cars. No worries--- there are likely three police officers on duty in the entire metro region during summer holiday-- and on a Sunday. We met up with our neighbors. Julian had a blast, and I even made it into the water up to my ankles. Even on a warm day, the ocean in these parts makes Lake Superior seem tepid. I was pleased to see no jellyfish. There have been times where jellyfish are everywhere, and I didn't want Julian to have to deal with them. It was worth it to take the day off from painting.

Today the weather was the same hot, cloudless skies. I have essentially painted the entire house, if you don't count the fence in the back yard--- or the windows and doors. Tomorrow I will likely start on the second coat-- which should go much faster. I need to reload my iPod. I have inexplicably been listening to nothing but 80s classics, with a few 70s classics like ELO tossed in for good measure. It is probably the same music I was listening to last time I painted a house--- when I was a kid. I will have one hell of a sun tan by the time I am done. No one will believe I wasn't living at the beach these few weeks.