The State of California celebrates Cesar Chavez Day, so all CSUN staff got today off.

I spent mine taking half the pets to the vet for standard shots, then cycling. My intent was to do three laps of the Hansen Dam area, come home for lunch, then do three more. This effort should put me in final shape for the 50-mile ride in Mexico next Saturday.

The first three laps of 9.1 miles each flew by and I did come home for a lunch (really needed it -- blood sugar got too low).

But three miles into my second set of laps, Becky suffered her first flat. So I walked the miles home and spent the rest of the afternoon reading in the hammock because it's so darn pleasant outside this time of year.

That will teach me not to cycle any more without the repair kit and hand-pump. Just was lazy about taking it along, or rather, getting mounting hardware for the hand-pump so it could be taken along.

Next weekend should still be fine, though, because last Saturday I did four laps (40 miles total) and the heat and sun were about the same. Pretty beat right now though -- it's kind of draining. But good to be back in the serious saddle after so long away from it.