After a night of not so restful sleep, I rode my bicycle about 13.5 miles this afternoon. Even started a little earlier than usual. I had nothing to do, depression was lurking at the edges of the morning. After walking with Bill for a few miles yesterday we were both feeling it.

Bill never seems to have difficulty falling asleep whereas I sometimes do. Thursday into Friday was some of the best sleep I’d had in a while and tried to duplicate it the next night to no avail. Last night, feeling the effect of the long walk I figured that I’d have no problem, but I did.

Maybe it was because Bill wasn’t home until about 2:30 AM. I usually tell Bill I don’t sleep well until he is in bed next to me. I guess it’s true. But it wasn’t a restful sleep when he showed up.

So after watching CBS Morning News, a bit of the Rolling Stones, and some David Sedaris among others, and after a couple of episodes on the Golden Girls (I know, I know) I got it together and headed out.

Some roads that were under construction the past couple of weeks were reopened so that was nice. I pedaled past Newark Ave where yesterday was a Jersey City Pride celebration, today from where I cycled there was no sign whatsoever.

Into Liberty State Park was good, no problems yet. A short break under a favorite tree was nice, took another set of a series of the Statue of Liberty. Of course, you can’t see them here, though they can be found on one of the social medias.

Everything was going well as I rode on the path that winds alongside the roads going through the park. All of a sudden a car appears. It doesn’t look like a police car, but that doesn’t mean anything, they could be undercover.

As I passed them I saw that it was some older guy (looking older than me) driving the narrow path…parallel to a road designed for cars. I yelled into his open window, ‘WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?’.

I was not sure if he heard me as he drove by me, so I stopped to watch what he was going to do next. I saw a park worker in his truck but he didn’t do anything as the errant driver found a way to get back on the road. But seriously, what the fuck? Thankfully that was the worst of it.

Back to Hoboken where I saw my neighbors getting ready for their own trek up to Edgewater, They’re braver than me, no helmets for them and they’re not too put off by cars speeding past them a few feet away from riding on the sidewalk after the Hudson River Walkway ends in North Bergen. I stop at the border but there they go, off into the asphalt wonder.

I felt every step climbing up four flights to the fifth floor.

Saturday evening in the summer. Quite pleasant. Content stay home and do nothing. Well actually, here I am writing. I’m pleasantly red eyed and not very ambitious but I told myself to write and here I am doing so.

Right now the Kinks are singing about a Sunny Afternoon. Which is a summer song as far as I’m concerned. I think that if I hear it or play it in the colder months it feels sarcastic. Despite retracing my preparation for sleep last night, retracing from the night before, I did not get that elusive restful sleep. Perhaps I expected too much.

I was out and about before noon, after watching good friends Rand & Lisa streaming from the waterfront. Fun and exuberant and in the opposite direction of where I needed to go. A quick stop at the cigar shop on Washington Street to pick up some good sticks and then it was off to Shop Rite.

Once again the delightful Arti was heading up the corral of self check outs. After last week’s awkwardness I decided to play along. And it’s always good to see Arti. It was a beautiful summer day and Bill and I made plans to attend Jersey City Pride.

We went last year and had a good time. Former NJ Governor enjoyed looking at Bill’s “I Can’t Even Think Straight’ t-shirt last year and Bill made it a point to wear it again should we cross paths with that gay american.

He was absent from the celebration but we did run into a coworker, Nico, with his man who’s name I did not get since we were standing directly in front of the DJ speakers. It was the first time Bill ever met someone from my most recent place of work. It mainly involved lip reading.

After a stroll up and down the streets bordered with various booths and tables we decided to head back to Hoboken. We’re both in our sixth decade so there was some lower back tension and the occasional groan was heard. We hoped we would have seen my old friend Andy with his husband JD but they must’ve seen us first.

Bill was attacked by lantern flies on the way back which we duly dispatched. Now Bill sleeps, getting up in the early morning hours. He’s been a bit bummed by the ending of WCBS AM 88. Bill’s father was a long time listener and it brought back memories of Bill’s growing up. So he’s been listening to that a lot lately. That’s his thing. I think it’s cute.

Tomorrow I plan on bicycle riding, presently thinking of Liberty State Park. After seeing thousands of people on part of my route, it will be quite sparse I’m sure. Gotta get my steps or rather pedaling in.

I am obsessed with that. Not overtly but always mindful and plan different routes that would look odd on the map of my steps / pedaling. That’s my thing. And I think that it’s cute. Ça va?