Smoke out

The extremely dry conditions this Spring here in Central Florida have given rise to numerous brush fires. There is one in particular that is just a few miles away in a boggy area that has made it difficult to gain access and extinguish. The result is that smoke collects in the low-lying areas unless there is at least a little wind. Bottom line is that I decided to postpone my scheduled Sugarloaf ride. It would have meant at least 15 minutes of breathing in the smoke. I will be away for the remainder of the week, so I'll have to double up on Sugarloaf next week to make up for this week. Next weekend is the MS150, for which I feel just marginally prepared.

Yesterday's morning ride was remarkable in that I had to stop on the trail to allow a 30" Eastern Coral Snake to finish crossing from one side to the other. Although these guys are supposedly common in this area, it is the first time I have seen one in the wild. Kinda scary that it was in a pretty populous area! I couldn't get my phone out quickly enough to get a decent photo.