Cabin Fever? Meet The Bullfrogs

July has not been a good month for me.

First, Char gets sick, twice.

Then, I get the horrible head cold of death, from Charla.  Thanks.

Then, I get hit by a car on my bike.

Then, I get a horrible 72 hour flu.

July, I quit.  You win.

The worst part about being sick or injured is being prevented from doing the things I normally enjoy.  I can’t focus on work when I’m at work.  Too many emails, not enough energy and way too much cold medicine make for a grumpy and lazy Jason.  And then I can’t enjoy anything at home because I feel too terrible. There’s no enjoying any guilty pleasures like playing a computer game to take your mind off anything.  You can’t focus on the screen and don’t have the energy to click the mouse or keyboard.  Can't help cook dinner or clean up.  Just.  Nothing.

Nothing is not fun.

But the absolute worst part was not being able to go out riding or running or swimming.  For obvious reasons all three activities have been mostly off the books this month. 

But now, thankfully, I am getting the last of the flu out of my body and can start living again.

Char and I went for a ride Sunday out on the west side to the border crossing.  I wanted to take her on a new route, put her on a nice long hill and see how she would do.  We ended up backtracking within the first two miles to find another route that hadn't been washed out and covered with mud after the previous weeklong storms.

Along the way, we kept hearing the strangest noise along some of the flooded fields and irrigation ditches.  A long, rough, droning tone.  We thought at first it was the power line transformers buzzing, then maybe some birds calling to each other across the fields, and then it hit me.  Bullfrogs!  

With the increased rainfall and flooding, they were mating like crazy before everything dried out again. Such is the transient nature of living in the desert.  (ok, high steppes to be exact)

Wonder Woman relaxes with a hot coffee after  a muddy ride.

I’ve never regretted going for a ride.  Not even the time I got hit by a car.  I always appreciate something about each ride, whether I learned something new about my body, technique or just saw something memorable out on the road.  Even though Char and I had some sticky, messy moments and had to backtrack out of a muddy disaster, I’m thankful we did.  

Or we'd never have gotten to listen to the bullfrogs calling.