Jul 14 - much better

I'd been thinking that the shifting was getting pretty sloppy, not advancing to a larger cog without some coaxing and not upshifting (smaller cog) without going down two.  I'd figured that my cleaning hadn't done a good job, perhaps the spring was getting weak, whatever.  Yesterday when I went out on the bike I realized that the upshifting issue was likely due to some of the cable strands broken and inhibiting movement within the shifter and downshifting sloppiness due to cable stretch in the remaining strands. 

Pay Attention to the warning signs !  I lucked out, for sure.

The shifting is now a lot better, surprise surprise.  It's still not 100% which could be due to a lot of factors, including wear at the rear derailleur pulleys.  I was just looking online though and I can buy a new Deore RD for about the same price as a set of pulleys.  I might just do that.

It just started to rain, reality keeping pace with prediction.  That's why I went for a bike ride yesterday, in spite of the fact that I was almost panting by the time I'd walked up the driveway to the car.  This constant head cold / allergies could be in my chest too.  However, after 40 miles or so I was feeling better and enjoying the ride.  Energy back, head clear, it was a great day.  I noticed that there are few if any deer and horse flies.  Usually I have a crowd drafting behind me; yesterday even if I stopped, there were none around.  Odd.  The moose must be happy !

We had bass for dinner; they were biting when I went out in the morning.  I'd be out there today too except that it's raining.  The next clear night I'll go after crappie.  Last night would have probably been good but I didn't feel like it.

Today ... we'll see.  Our plans for the next couple of weeks are on hold, well, tell the truth we didn't have plans for the next couple of weeks.  Let me rephrase -- it doesn't look like Sara will make it to August 1st for the c-section so once we have a new date, we'll head to Reading PA and pick up the two girls.  If that's close to Aug 1, we'll then go to Hemmingford and the 100th birthday party for Aunt Kay; if there's a significant gap, we'll be back here first.

That's about it ... onward still.