My Week that Was - August 2

Elroy-Sparta trail. 7/25/25 dwm

 One story that goes back eight days happened on the drive home from Elroy, Wisconsin. 

 

 The recumbent was secured to the rack hanging off the back of the Prius but the cushion for the bike seat was noticeably flapping more than usual. 

 

  I'd never took the cushion off the seat. On long trips I remove the seat because it's easier to put on the car and there is less drag while driving at highway speeds.

 

 However, removing the seat is a hassle when you get to the trail because it takes a while to fine-tune the seat's exact location where I can sit comfortably and apply pressure to the pedals.

 

 We were probably 20 miles from our destination when I was checking the rear view mirror and saw the cushion, covered with a black mesh, lost its Velcro connection and flew into the middle lane before skidding to soft landing on the road. The cushion was virtually weightless so nothing was damaged. 

 

As I watched my seat cushion disappear as I drove south, I wondered how much it would cost to replace. The next morning, the start of this week, I found a cushion for my bike, a Volae, on the website for the bike shop where I bought it. It was on sale, so I quickly ordered one, I hope it arrives in time to ride this weekend. 

 

Monday was the first day I wore the new Fit Bit. It arrived last weekend but it was wearing a frown on its face after I charged it. After spending a few days unplugged, I checked and found a smile. From there, I was able to charge it and connect it to my phone. The Fit Bit I had a few years ago could tell when I was on a bike, something the most recent "smart" watch was unable to do.

 

Our pregame meal. 7/30/25 dwm

Wednesday we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Prairie Ridge campus. There was a nice program with the Mayor, the Congressman, and other officials congratulating the mission of Oakwood Village on the east side of Madison. 

 

The highlight of the afternoon were the original "Pioneers" and "Settlers" who moved on to the fledgling campus on its first day. 

After the program, a dinner featuring a variety of courses was served to residents. I helped with the slider station, although I'm not sure how much help I provided. It was nice seeing so many residents turn out for the festivities.

 

That evening, Oakwood had arranged for employees to attend a Madison Mallards game. The Mallards are a team of college baseball players selected to take part in a special summer league. It was a rainy day and the temperature as 30 degrees cooler than the day before. 

 

The Mallards play on artificial turf, so they play through almost any weather. The game went on and so did the pregame meal included with the price of our tickets. The rain kept quite a few employees away but those who made it had a good time over burgers and brats. Since I didn't have any rain gear, I headed home before the game started but after watching one of our team members throw out the first pitch. It was a good pitch, the employee who threw the pitch he felt good about the toss considering he wasn't able to warm up.

 

Several groups threw a 'first' pitch. 7/30/25 dwm

 Thursday was a day to wrap things up before another three day weekend.

 

 I finished making the calls for the week although I didn't find many of the people at home. There was progress on articles for an upcoming publication and I was invited out with co-workers to celebrate a birthday.

 

 Friday was practically perfect. The area has been under advisories for poor air quality because of wild fires in Canada. I didn't notice much haze, and what there was cleared out by mid-morning. I'll have more on the 20th ride of the year on Tuesday. 

 

 July sure came and went in a hurry, so we're down to the last month of summer - get out there and enjoy it! Thanks for reading.