Memories...

This year's version of the cross-country ride began on Sunday and between Jim's photos of the Manhattan Beach wheel dipping and the couple of blogs that I've seen of the first couple of days I'm in a very kind of nostalgic mood. I have such vivid memories of that first hill (brought to mind by Jim's photo), of the last couple miles of palm trees and small orange groves on the way to the hotel that first night in Riverside...and every blog entry by one of the XC11 folks brings it all back. I would love to be doing that ride again but at the same time every time I think about it I also think of all the folks who were on XC09. I would want to see Ira, Jim, Harry, Magic Mike, Hank, Champ, and all the rest - I remember them all and in the end it was not only the ride it was the wonderful people. I still get a chance to ride with Tom although recently we have done better at missing each other than getting out on the bike. The major event in my (our) life these days is that in March we decided to put the house on the market and take our chances in this lousy market. We have been talking the last few years about downsizing, finding some place that took care of the lawn and the snow and is all on one floor. So, long story short, we did in fact get an offer, we have found a beautiful house in an "active adult" (I actually hate that label) community and all of a sudden our lives are out of control. For weeks we were in and out of our own house every time a realtor called for a showing. Then we were the ones running out to view every new possibility that came on the market. Now we have deals on both ends (and are keeping our fingers crossed that nothing comes up to mess up the plan) and are deep into packing, deciding what goes and what stays and trying to plan for a bit of time while we have "camp out" between closings. I feel like my life has been taken over by realtors and lawyers... And meanwhile my cycling log looks like the dance card of the class geek at the junior prom. I've been struggling to get out even once a week even as the weather has turned into true spring with temps in the mid 70s and everything green and blooming. Sunday I got out for 50 miles (before the Mother's day dinner), yesterday I worked around the house all day and no ride. Today I decided that I have to make some priorities - no matter what I can schedule around the work and the minimum will be a two hour ride....So I ran around like a crazy man this morning but this afternoon was mine for a ride. Thirty-five miles, a bunch of hills and a 15.5 avg. speed - not bad for someone who has only about half of his usual mileage at this point. I think I have convinced Susan that without this bike time I will shortly be a very crazy person so from here on this will be part of the ritual. My one regret at this point is that Tom and I were both planning to catch up with XC11 and ride with them for a day or two - both Barbie and Harry are doing the last third from Champaign - but I am beginning to think that will probably not work. Between the closing of our current home and the gap to the closing of the new home I cannot quite see a trip to either Ohio or upstate New York...I haven't quite given up but it looks extremely iffy...In the meantime I will ride and I will enjoy the XC11 blogs.