Lions and Tigers and

Rain. Oh, My.
Yes, we rode in the rain today. It was "spraying" as we left the house, so we headed to Sports Basement in the Presidio to join a training ride.
As the day went on, the spraying turned to real rain, but we persevered. Fortunately the ride was only around 22 miles, so while we got wet, we were only wet for a couple of hours.

The route took us past the Zoo, and whenever I go past the zoo or even think about the zoo, I think about Tatiana, the tiger that was killed after she got out of her enclosure and killed a visitor to the zoo.
Many may disagree, but I don't think she should have been killed. It wasn't her fault that the enclosure was designed in such a way that she could escape. She was doing what tigers do, and for that, she should not have been killed. Ir saddens me and will continue to sadden me for some time to come.

In better animal news, there was a wonderful article in today's New York Times about the pit bulls that were owned by the football player who is now in jail (but not for long enough). They were scheduled to be euthanized, but rescue groups came in and took them. Most of them are at Best Friends, my current favorite animal rescue group. They are being taught to once again trust people and other dogs. It's an incredibly huge job, but if any group can do it, it's Best Friends. They have a sanctuary in Utah, and the dogs are currently at "Dog Town." I have high hopes that all of the dogs, while not necessarily adoptable, will live long, happy lives.

But back to today's ride. Conditions and difficulty shifting created a bit of tension between Jerry and me, but nothing huge. It was definitely a tough ride for us. Lots of climbing, which was hard, and in turn, lots of downhill, which was also tough with wet brakes. We rode down to the Great Highway, past the Cliff House, and that hill is steep, but Jerry did a great job in keeping our speed down. The ocean looked beautiful and angry today, and the rain really blew on us as we rode down the Great Highway. From there it was past the aforementioned zoo to Lake Merced. We circled the Lake, and headed back through Golden Gate Park. Riding through the Park is always tricky because a number of the streets are unmarked. But we made it back to Sports Basement then hurried home without our usual stop and shop. Sports Basement is irresistable-- so many great things-- but we were too cold and wet to even stop for the hangers they give away.
We headed home, took hot showers, and despite the downpour, headed to our favorite lunchtime spot-- Johnny and Theresa's Comfort Food Cafe. I had my usual turkey reuben and endless coffee.
We had to hustle home so Jerry could hastily pack. I drove him to the Oakland airport so he could fly down to Orange County to help his dad with a project.
So, I'll be home alone for the next couple of days. Not sure exactly what I'll do, other than baking yet another loaf of no-knead bread. I'm addicted!