Super Wolf Mother, Bloody Bad Ass Moon

It seems like every time there is some astronomical even related to the moon the news media make up a new nonsensical name for the headlines. This time it was the name was the "Super Blood Wolf Moon". It made it sound like a once in a lifetime event. In reality it was just a normal lunar eclipse that happen to fall in January which is the wolf moon. Although a lunar eclipse is not as cool as a solar eclipse it still can be fun to watch.

I didn't really expect to see the eclipse since the long range forecast showed it would be cloudy. The storm ended up clearing out quicker than expected so the skies were clear for the eclipse. Unfortunately it was 15 degrees out so there was no way I was going to stand outside and watch it. Luckily the position of the moon during the eclipse was directly above the skylight in my kitchen. I was able to actually set up my telescope on my kitchen floor and point it through the skylight to watch the eclipse. The view was a little fuzzy since I had to look through a semi dirty triple pane window but it was better than freezing my ass outside.

I did manage to get a few picture but none came out that great because of shooting through the skylight. It was also very windy so that makes a more turbulent atmosphere which makes it harder to get a clear view of the moon.

When the moon got to full eclipse it seemed dimmer and not as red as other ones that I have seen. It was actually too dim for me to get a clear picture. I may have to invest in a little better camera for the next one in a couple of years. Each lunar eclipse is a little difference and interesting in its own way so I'm glad I got a chance to see it. 

Riding in Bad Weather

During the winter you tend to extend the type of weather you ride in just so you can get out. Some people think this makes us bad asses for going out in the cold but the reality is that we are so addicted to biking that we would rather get cold and muddy on a bike than sit home and be pissed that we didn't get a ride in.

Two weeks ago it was warm enough to get out on the road Jack and I did a 40 mile loop to Bordentown. It was sunny and close to 50 degrees so it wasn't a bad day for a road ride especially in January. There was a little wind from the west but since we went mostly north and south it didn't feel too bad. This was one of the few rides we didn't run into any bridge outs. However we crossed Old Trenton road a couple of times by Mercer park so Jack suggested we check out the closed bridge down the road. Jack had crossed it a month ago and wanted to see the progress. This of course meant that we were going to cross a closed bridge even though there was no reason to do this. I guess I have taken the people I ride with over so many closed bridges that they now depend on that thrill of walking through a construction site and getting muddy to be able to enjoy a ride.

I didn't ride last week because I had a minor sinus infection and didn't want to make it any worst. I am pretty sure I got the infection at a play in New York. We went to Lincoln Center to see a revival of  "My Fair Lady" starring Laura Benanti. If you don't know who she is she is the actor that plays a parody of Melania Trump on the Cobert show. She is not only a good comedic actor but has a phenomenal singing voice and was amazing on stage. I can understand why she is one of the top Broadway actors at the moment.

 Although the play was great we were sitting with next to a bunch of women who looked like they had the bluebonic plague. I tried my best not to make any contact with them but I suspect the air was infectious. I luckily only came away with a mild soar throat and was very tired. It only took me a few days to feel better.

This week with a big storm approaching it was a little too cold to hit the road so I posted a ride out of Washington Crossing. The plan was to head north towards Stockton and back. It was cloudy and around 35 degrees so I got a good turn out. Chris, Laura, Jack, Pete, Racer Pete, and Bob with his brand new and way too clean mountain bike. I guess he got the bike so he could join us on the cold canal paths.

It was the perfect temperature for a winter ride it had been cold enough that the path itself was frozen and would not be sloppy or muddy. There was still a thin layer of snow on the path from a storm a couple of days ago but it didn't make the path any more slippery. If you are dressed right with good gloves and booties its easy to stay warm at 35 degrees.

We went up the PA side through New Hope. At Washington Crossing there had been another group of PFW there doing a canal ride. Ron who was leading said that the path on the PA side was closed just above New Hope. I wasn't concerned about the closed path because worst case we would just have to ride on the road for a couple of miles. Besides as people that ride with me know closed does not always mean that much.

The closed part of the trail ended being because of a new bridge being built over the canal. The was a fence blocking the trail but it was possible to get around the fence if you were careful and didn't slip down the hill.

We crossed the river at Stockton and headed back to Washington Crossing on the NJ side. We spread out a little as a group on the way back but finished together. It was a decent ride for a cold winter day. I'm sure there will be more of these as we do our best to ride through the bad weather.