Dogs and Bikes, and a Dog on a Bike

I've been getting stuff done at home today, but one of the most important things I did was set aside time for a ride. Long rides are really good for my mental state, and on this first really beautiful day in a long while, I took the opportunity to be out in shorts. My 33 mile round trip took me to the end of Navy Pier and back to Evanston. It was great seeing so many happy people, kids, and dogs out in the sun. This makes me feel particularity good after the last few days of stress-fueled food consumption.

Being at the animal shelter yesterday was wonderful for a few reasons. There's a purebred German Shepherd Dog there; the shift supervisor said it's been about two and a half years since the last one, and this one may go to a breed rescue organization. Her name is Molly, and she's wonderful. I expected not to have too much time with her, but as I got ready to mop the floor at the end of the shift, the captain told me to go ahead and go out to the run where she was being brushed. She was a really sweet dog, and reminded me so much of what I remember of my grandfather's dog, Loki, who traveled with him to all the farms where he shoed horses. I have a vivid memory of the inside of his pickup truck all coated in dog fur, and it makes me really happy to think of it.