Happy New Year

We woke up this morning and put one of the morning talk/news shows on the TV. The reporter was standing in Times Square and the snow and sleet was flying and it looked absolutely frigid. Susan and I opened our slider to the balcony and, after watching the sun come up, took our coffee and tea out to our chairs and sat and simply luxuriated in the warmth of the morning sun and its reflection on the ocean. I cannot remember a more auspicious start to new year's eve. Breakfast out of the way I headed out for another ride on A1A, the coastal route in Southern Florida. It is the height of tourist season and so this two-lane highway has been crowded with heavy traffic the last couple of times I've been out but the road also has real bike lanes on most of it so it is bearable. However, for some reason, maybe because it was cloudy and overcast when I started, the highway traffic was light this morning. I don't think that I have ever in my life been on a bike on New Year's eve - too cold, too snowy where I come from - and so I find myself heading for Palm Beach in 70 degree weather (the sun soon came out and it was 82 when I finished) and pinching myself all the way - this can't be real. A few days ago I also hit the 5,000 mile mark for this year. To be honest, my original goal was 10,000 miles but a motorcycle in Ohio forced a couple of revisions. Actually I'm really pretty pleased with the 5K - I have done that only once before and for awhile this year I thought that even that would be out of reach. More to the point I think is that I had a great ride today - about 50 miles and felt like doing more when I finished. I might not have predicted that a few months ago. Much as the accident in June consumed time and energy and attention it was not the real point. I had the adventure of my life with XC09 even if it was shortened a bit. I rode with some really great cyclists and, probably not entirely by coincidence, some really great people. We saw deserts, mountains, the "amber waves of grain", the backroads and small towns of America - and I wouldn't trade that for anything. And on that note I wish all (or both of you) who may read this a very happy and prosperous 2010.

Florida Cycling

When we were doing the XC ride we had a couple of folks from Florida and we all wondered how they could train for the mountains and the climbing we had to do through the Western states especially. So I finally managed to get out on the roads here in Florida today and I think that it may just be irrelevant. The day was so nice - sunny and temps somewhere around 75 - that I think the hills just don't matter. When you can ride all winter and also go as far as you want then I think maybe the frequency and distances more than makes up for the lack of hills. Which I did notice on the ride by the way: think of Nancy who conquered everything with style and grace. Anyway I took off on Highway A1A on the Eastern coast this morning and felt like I was joinging a bicycle parade. There were literally hundreds of riders on the road flying both north and south with the Atlantic on one side and the Intercoastal on the other. I started in Hillsboro Beach and headed north - there was a headwind and I wanted it on a my back for the return trip. The road is flat, the traffic horrendous (lots of "cue tips" pulling out of condominium driveways) but they have decent bike lanes most of the time and there are so many other bikes on the road that drivers are at least aware. Thanks to the weather in New Jersey I haven't been on the bike in a couple of weeks and so my plan was to do maybe 30 miles and come back another day. However my computer kept quitting on me and I lost track of how far I went. When I got to the city limits of Palm Beach I decided it might be time to turn around. So I ended up doing a nice little fifty mile hike and was actually ready for more...Nice day, nice ride - I could get used to this.

24 and 24...

I've titled this little entry 24 and 24 because first it is about 24 degrees - without the wind chill factor - and because we have officially 24 inches of snow. And it snowed almost around the clock, 24 hours.

The lower photo is a bit of our back yard and deck - you need snowshoes to navigate. The second photo Susan took on my return from the morning ride - other than dodging snowplows it wasn't too bad...

I hoped to do a century but wanted to get back and shovel snow...gotta be tough to be cyclist in New Jersey....

No cycling today....

This is the scene from the bottom of our driveway as of a few minutes ago. And the weather folks are telling us this is just the beginning, that with just a little luck we could see up to 15 inches of this stuff by tomorrow morning. This is the path that I normally take to get out my neighborhood and out to the country - I don't think I would make it to the next driveway. Although I must say that returning from a "milk and bread run" an hour ago I did see someone on a mountain bike who appeared to be successfully navigating one of our unplowed streets. Maybe he had studded tires?

One of the last reminders of my encounter with the motorcycle is my back so I'm wielding the shovel with great care. We have a little electric snow blower that I usually bypass in favor of the exercise but I think it may get pressed into service today. So to all of you Californians, Texans, and Floridians enjoy your tropical temps and sunshine today and think of us cold easterners perched on our indoor bikes spinning away with the blizzard outside.

Cycling with football...

Another cold and windy day in NJ - I want my sunny days back. I don't mind riding in the cool weather but my threshold is at about 40 degrees and no wind. When the wind chill factor drops below 40 the bike remains on the hooks. And so I have just finished my third session this week on the indoor bike. I have it set up in front of the TV in our catch-all TV-Computer-Exercise room. The truth be told I hate the indoor cycling: it is boring, kind of mindless, excercise for the sake of excercise. I feel good when it is over but the process really puts me off. I turn on the TV and watch either one of the news stations or a sports station. I have found that I can usually find a "classic" football game, i.e. one from the 80s or 90s and since I usually have no clue who won it is like watching the game fresh. The best plays for cycling are the running plays. As the runner twists and turns through the line and into the open field I start applying my own body english and I find myself increasing intensity and pushing harder, almost like going up hill as I change into a tougher gear. Long passes can be good too but tend to be more momentary - the receiver stretches and I tend to go up with him but then he falls back to earth and I'm back on the seat and just spinning waiting for the next play.... And so I've worked up a sweat for today, feel good about getting some exercise and its time to get a shower and move on with the day - how I envy those Californians who can go out almost every day.

Happy Thanksgiving...

No photo today and no ride either but I would feel like something was missing if I did not at least acknowledge the spirit of thanksgiving day. We are hosting the traditional dinner today with Kelli and family and Katherine and her family and I am very aware of how lucky I am to be here and celebrating. I am very tempted to make the cracked helmet a part of the centerpiece of the dining room table (except for the fact that Susan would probably chase me out of the house if I tried it). I know I am stating the obvious but I have much to be thankful for this year: certainly and most simply my life; and then all of the things that we so often take for granted. My wife Susan who has stood by my throughout these past few months, my daughters and my step-children, my grandchildren. I appreciate the fact that I can wake up this morning and be a part of this wonderful life more than ever before. Thank you, thank you, thank you. And to all who might read this, my wish is that you too have the best of all possible days today and every day.

Back on the roads - again

As I suspected the cataract surgery did require a few days of recuperation but it was not nearly as bad as I had anticipated. I found out that cataract surgery is the most prevalent form of surgery in the United States - I cannot now recall the exact numbers but it is somewhere in the low millions every year. And while it is surgery and is performed in an operating room it is really not much more than what is involved in a typical eye exam. The entire procedure took little more than half an hour and the entire pre-op/post-op took just about two hours - including the coffee and cookies in the recovery room.

I have told a couple of people that counting all the time I've had with various medical professionals over the past six months I'm beginning to feel like some one's trusty old Volvo - shows a lot of miles on the odometer but still runs pretty good and the mechanics keep patching and fixing the little breakdowns and it is back on the road and ready for another trip.

I actually got the bike out on Sunday, a beautiful day after three or four days of rain and warm enough for short sleeves. Today was a little cooler but still nice for mid-November. I'm still rediscovering some the roads I have not seen since early spring and today's pictures are taken from along a couple of those roads in Hunterdon county.

And like Ira I typically ride alone but today discovered a potential partner (as did he in a post a couple of days ago). He is kind of on the skinny side, almost flimsy you might say, so he is not much help when you are looking for a draft. But he certainly doesn't slow you down either and with just a bit of a tail wind he can be an absolute inspiration.

Spring in November

No photos today although I did regret not taking my camera at the end. The last two days have seen most unusual weather for New Jersey in November. Yesterday hit 70 with full sun all day and today was high sixties with just a few scattered clouds. I blew and raked leaves on Saturday, dragging them out to the curb so that I could establish a clear conscience and the right to ride. Yesterday was a forty mile day and I was comfortable in shorts and jersey. And since it was Sunday there were also a ton of cyclists on the roads. I was riding alone but part of the fun is being able to wave at others and be a part of the crowd. At one point yesterday I was climbing a long-ish kind of hill and caught up with another guy, probably about my age, and gave him a "howyadoin" as I passed him. I paused at the top for a drink and a fig newton. And as he paused a moment before passing he said he had had a fall a couple of weeks ago and was still struggling with the effort of getting back into the cycling...I could only say "I know how you feel" and more than you might guess. And so today - another perfect day - I went out with Tom, first time I've ridden with anybody since I've been back on the bike. I have just needed to do my own pace, be able to pick my routes according to how I feel, and to pack it in when I felt like it. So this morning I put on my XC jersey and took off. I knew Tom wasn't going to push but still, I felt the need to ride a respectable pace and choose a decent route. We ended up wandering over some familiar roads, picking up a couple of new ones, and finally going after the more challenging (hill) portion of Lindberg road. And it turned out to be a great ride...no pain, I could hold my own on both pace and the hills and we did a respectable 44 miles. Although, to be completely honest, I do come home and grab a couple of Advil, my new best friend, before I head for the shower. And I think I will now have a couple or three days of no riding no matter the weather. Tomorrow I have a meeting with our eye doc for cataract surgery. He makes it sound very routine but I suspect I will be taking a couple days hiatus from the bike...

A little easier....

Another great New Jersey fall day - and there are deer in that field - really! The second is a pretty little pond where the swan rules. And as you might guess from the leaves we still have color but the peak is definitely behind us. A couple of days of rain last week followed by just a bit of wind and most of the leaves are now on the ground. Not a great thing for the leaf-peepers but not such a bad thing for people (like me) who have a ton of leaves to blow and rake out to the street.

Today was kind of a rehab milestone, of which I've had a few recently. I headed east toward Assunpink and Allentown - lots country roads but not too many big hills. And for the first time I did just a bit better than fifty miles - and aside from the usual creaking of bones I feel pretty good tonight. And in addition to the photos I had a red-tail hawk fly just a few feet above me trying to hold onto his lunch: a squirrel that dropped right into my path (but was obviously beyond saving). And I also spotted a red fox running through the edge of weathered corn field. These guys are pretty good at staying hidden but they are a pretty sight when they make a rare appearance. And once again I'm reminded of the reasons I enjoy cycling so much. Beyond the sheer physical pleasure of the turning crank and rolling wheels the sights of the countryside are simply a gift. I go home feeling peaceful, my head clear, and my spirit more alive with that sense of joy the afternoon in this wonderful world can provide....And the weekend ahead promises to be very nice - maybe I'll make it to the covered bridge.

Fall colors are still with us...

The sun was kind of in and out today but still a great day for riding the back roads in Mercer and Hunterdon counties. The temps were in the mid-fifties but no wind. I left the house thinking I would head for Sergeantsville and the last remaining covered bridge in NJ, a very scenic spot in the fall. However I'm still kind of taking my cycling temperature every time I go out and at about fifteen miles I decided that I wasn't up for a sixty mile ride and cut it back to about forty. As you can see from the pictures though you can't go wrong with any route: every road is just so nice at this time of year. So, even though I was tempted to stop and make a photo every mile or so here are just a few - and extra points will be awarded for anyone who spots deer in the shot (Jim, don't get distracted by the girls in bikinis).

I'm still re-discovering some of the familiar roads I've taken for years but have not ridden for the past six months. In a way I feel like I'm making up for lost time but also it's a great feeling to take the new bike over some of the rollers and s-curves that make up these roads. My ankle still feels a bit weak but amazingly my back, which still tires easily, has no problem at all with the bike position. It will be a while before I can comfortably do a century but to paraphrase an old truism, I'm just glad to be doin' it....