Well, It's Autumn

Yes, summer '08 has ended. Here in our area it was not a particularly hot summer. Officially in Rochester, MN, we never went above 90 (although my thermometer did get that high a few times.) It hasn't rained a lot recently.

I ended the summer on Sunday with another bike (bicycle) ride. I preached for a chaplain friend and then did a ride on the way home. It was on the Cannon Valley Trail here in southern Minnesota. I did about 9.5 miles out for a round trip of 19. It was warm and sunny, but the smell of fall was in the air and there was some color around. It has been a few weeks since I have ridden and I am certainly not in the shape I was in back in August when I did my 60 miles. As a result I think I pushed a little too much, especially since I did another one of my "should-have-checked-the uphill-side" and had to do go uphill on the way back.

In fact I have now started a diet. I have gone above 200 and stayed there for quite a few weeks. I ordered one of those special diets that has you eat five "meals" a day of bars, shakes, oatmeal, soup. Then I am to eat one "regular" meal that is lean meat and lots of veggies. My goal is 30 pounds. It may be a big goal and may be unreachable, but it's what I hope for. I think a lot of things will be better if I manage to do that.

So, I will, as usual, keep you posted.