September 21st on from New Paltz

Had full intentions of catching up last night, but right after the 20th posting was uploaded....HAMSTRING CRAMP!!!!!!  took the fun outa it.  So good night sleep, pastry shop for breakfast and now back at it.  taking a partial day off today....but more on that later.  So back to the 21st.......
I have been having problems with the hydraulic pressure on my front brakes.  goods from good to mushy.  I tried to work on about a week ago, but needed a torx wrench I didn't have.  Then the nipple nut that has to be loosened was rounding off with the 7mm open end wrench.  So I needed a six sided socket to get it off without rounding it off.  Got the socket outside of New Paltz last night.  No excuse now to not bleed the brakes this morning.....should have thought of one.....

Got the brakes done and OFF.  There was a bike shop on the way, so we thought we would stop. My brakes were sqeeking, not a good sign, but they worked.   I needed new bike shorts (the holes are getting bigger).  While there I thought I would see if they have disc brakes.  Never hurts to have spares.  the pads come in all different flavors so you have to take them off (front panniers, wheel etc.)when I got them out, they had oil on them....someone had been careless when bleeding the brakes.  So I handed my bike to the nice mechanic and let him change the pads and re-bleed the breaks.  About an hour job on a stand, lots longer with bike on the ground.  Much easier to keep clean of oil too.  End result, great brake job, but late start.  so, now we are OFF.

All my bike gear, sans bike, outside the shop

front of shop and look downtown New Paltz. I had to keep Barb moving as she started buying birthday presents.....not mentioning whose birthday.....

 

On another note, I had been getting nerve pain spikes in my shin....I think I mentioned that a few days ago.  So decided to go on stretching binge whenever I could.  AND my sister Peg had recommended the Foundation Book to me some time back and those exercises worked wonders.  They are kinda like yoga poses that flexes the back.  Can be done standing, but also found I  could do them while riding the bike ( just didn't let go of handle bars and hold arms behind me.....).  it was starting to worry me as I couldn't put pressure on leg when they spiked.   

This guys looks like me when I ski...except I can't bend my legs like that

corn fields in fall colors

rock formation.....

 We were going down the Shawangunk Kill which is a small river valley.  some up and down, but generally gentle gradient down.  Nice ride

small country roads, not much traffic

Then we climbed the ridge, before dropping into the Never sink river which is the headwaters of the Deleware River.   Could see forever once we got up on top of the ridge

Looks like a nice place.......like a castle

the Neversink River.  Pretty shallow, maybe that's where it got its name

Ended up at KOA with nice showers.......  My mid to lower back seemed tighter than usual, OH yea, the Foundation Exercises...........guess I really needed them........Good night
Oh, by the way, happy birthday Brent!!!!!