Has it really been a year?

Today I was kicking myself for not bringing my camera along on the ride. One year ago today Tom Ryan and I boarded the plane in Newark and arrived mid-afternoon in California, eager, anxious but ready to start the adventure of a lifetime. Today we got together for what was really the first real ride since we parted in Ohio (we did have one short ride in November but I was still in recovery mode). And so I rode over to Pennington (6 miles maybe) to pick up Tom just as we had done so many times in training last year. The skies were a bit threatening when we started, in fact we had a few random drops (and we both hate rain)but the clouds moved out and the sun and blue skies took over and we had a terrific ride. For those who might care we did 55.5 miles, 3200 feet of climbing and a leisurely 14.5 mph. We pretty much agreed that not a day goes by that we don't think of that ride and the people we rode with...and we did our best today to hash over all of our memories: too many to recount here but let it be said that we had a story and a memory for virtually every day and every-body we shared the ride with. Tom is, of course, training for the Anchor House ride (and he is ready) which I will almost certainly not be doing but we both agreed that we could understand Mike going back and doing the ride again. I ride a lot on the spur of the moment, i.e. the jobs are done and Susan and I have no plans and I'm gone, so it was good to ride with a friend. It was also good to measure my progress (i.e. recuperation) against Tom's riding. Suffice to say I felt pretty good about where I am today - won't be running down Fred or Jim this week but then we didn't do that last summer either.... So to all XC09'rs who may be reading know that we were thinking about you today...wish we could all be starting out from Manhattan Beach on Sunday.