Today's ride

The winds along the Bay Trail were especially strong, making the waters very choppy and making me reduce my speed, as well as the myriad pedestrians all along the path from the Richmond Costco(maybe El Cerrito) all the way to the end of the line.
The roses in the city of Richmond were incredible. They are planted in groups and are shrub roses with smaller but prolific floral displays and all inspite of the constant winds, salt spray and low water during most of the year. The 'mimulus' relatives, 'clarkia', 'lupine' and California poppies('eschchlozia californica'?) were all in full bloom, as well as the 'echium fastuosa'. Well, the echium had really already passed its peak. There was lots of sunshine but the fog was arriving in full as happens religiously here this time of year. Yesterday was the coldest May 24 on record, with no sunshine whatsoever, so I was greatful for the beauty of today.
The winds, of course, are the big story of this ride. I managed to keep my pace at 16.5 mph in the face of those winds for most of the way and my friend Dennis, whom I was riding with, commented on my strong pace considering I was on a mountain bike and he was on a road bike. I feel much stronger then I have ever before, so I am appreciative of his input on my progress. He has been an avid rider for nearly 30 years and is the reason I am in the saddle these days.

Now, onto gardening: Hmmm, the nicotiana silvestris is taller than me with 6 major flower spikes blooming now and 5 more arriving soon, the 'asclepias phytocarpa' is covered in hoya-like white, nodding flowers(cousins, you know) with the "family jewels" to arrive later this summer. My 'hoya archboldiana' has 2 sets of flowers coming in 2 weeks or so that are deep red and incredibly fragrant. My 'hoya' mystery species that is hanging in the golden plum tree(delicious plums!!!!!!!) has 2 sets of flowers coming in the next month or so as well, assuming that they don't blast in the SF FOG that will inevitably set in most of June-August. The 'pychnostachys urticifolia' has close to 40 flower heads forming and will probably make flowers by the middle of June. My housemate, Gerry, is convinced that it will bloom before May 31 but I know he's wrong. The 'aeonium' species that he got and brought home, along with the ones I have picked up, will make a very significant display when they are bigger. Not sure yet how we will arrange 'em. Yesterday Gerry unloaded a 'lonicera hildebrandiana'(Burmese Giant Honeysuckle) and I have to put it into the yard somewhere. We have lots of vines right now and between the 'passifloras'(4 of them), the 'solandra maxima', 'cobea scandens' and 'thunbergia alata'(Black-eyed Susan vine) we are already well-"vined" but he's into these things so here we go. I do believe that is all from me for tonight......