Spring adventures

I have been wallowing in self pity about my athletic abilities since the half marathon a few weeks ago, so I decided to do something other than run around on pavement trying to get faster. While it's still a little cold for my comfort, I joined in a couple of group rides where we chased each other in intervals up and around the park by the river. It was fun, and I had forgotten how much more wattage I can produce when pacelining and hanging on wheels. I can never keep up the effort on the trainer somehow. I'm sure pinning recipes on Pinterest while doing intervals is helping me a lot.

I also ran out the Ouachita trail a ways last weekend. The trail went around Lake Maumelle, and it is the site of the aptly named Ouachita trail 50mi/50k at the end of April. It was nice to get off the roads, but seeing exactly zero other people on that side of pinnacle mountain made me nervous. I started thinking of the wild boars (I have heard may have existed somewhere within 1000 miles of there). There's always something out there that is going to eat me. My peroneus muscles are still sore 4 days later from all the ankle rolling I did.

And then I swam! That is happening with less and less regularly lately, but maybe once the pool bubble comes off I'll be more motivated. Ah, but then it is thunderstorm season, and I have another excuse.

We have taken H on a few excursions recently to get outside in areas not adjacent to our house. The daffodil field out west gave me ideas for my dream yard someday. My favorite flowers surrounded my favorite people, and we found acorns, ran through the fields, and smelled buttercups for hours.

Then yesterday we went out to Petit Jean mountain to hike to the waterfall with the cousins, who are on spring break. H loved it. He decided he wanted to RUN on the rocky trails. Then after climbing a few boulders, he wanted to climb up to the top of the rocks. Up THERE, Daddy.

 See, this rock climbing is easy. Let go, Daddy.

Jackson across the river

 "Whoa," he said, discovering the top of the mountain.

And as for my own house and yard, it's my first year to own a nice moist plot of soil that flowers will actually grow in. So the planting has begun. With lots of help.

So I just snap it right off like this?