Thus beginneth the break

A prelude of things to come...

Thursday. Got a bunch of stuff coming up: Mother Nature's going to be quite cooperative with me and my cycling/firewood gathering endeavors this weekend; and, my friend Rob's (and his family) up in the Vail Valley this weekend.

Friday. I'm mentally decompressing in my house. It's been a long, busy week culminating in giving final exams, grading those final exams, and entering those grades along with comments via computer into the district website where parents can log-in and check out their kids progress (or lack thereof). My only outlet for this stress is riding the rollers. Usually it's at 4 in the morning before I do my morning, weekday breakfast rituals. Riding the rollers is no substitute for actually riding in the streets, feeling the wind, hearing the whirr and hum of the drive train, and the friction of the tires and wind resistance opposing my progress. Those sensory inputs are like doses of a drug that needs to be increased because previous doses' have no affect for the current high. If it wasn't so sunny here in Colorado I'd be a real mess. This weekend though my friends (talking to you), the weather's going to be cooperative. Cooperative means: sunny, above freezing, and with little to no snow on deck. Stressing out about finishing up the year coupled with a serious case of the jonesing-on-the-road-bike fix can be mentally disastrous. If I can get a 2h+ ride in tomorrow, it'll be exponentially therapeutic. I also have to buy a cord of wood as well. About to run completely out.

Saturday, I was pretty pooped out from loading, delivering, and stacking a cord (of lame pine as opposed to hardwoods) that I didn't get out on my road bike. I leave that for the Sunday team ride with the newbies up in Boulder. Hopefully chilly-chill because my legs haven't been riding at all since October. My wish is that everybody's in off-season mode and it won't turn into a shit on your neighbor ride (if the nudniks don't show).

Here's the wood on our front yard (after I hammer threw it all manly-like from the truck)


Here's the end result with my daughter for scale (she actually helped in stacking)...


A couple of days ago, Melissa got some washable markers for our kids to embellish our sliding glass door with a Christmas motif. Instead my second daughter inquires about her chances of NOT being on the receiving end of a gift from St. Nick.

I know it's hard to read but she articulates: Dear Santa, I like Christmas, I am sometimes a good girl. Will you still give me presents? Circle Yes [or] No. Too cute that girl...

Sunday was a day or riding with the Vitamin Cottage-Natural Grocers newbies. Great new kids on the block. The coolest surprise was immediately recognizing (my sweet) Melissa's old friend and ex-colleague John showing up for the ride. John's going to be racing for us this season (45+ Cat I.V.). Seems like the new people are mellow and interesting. I love mellow and interesting. Appears the chemistry with this group will be goods to gizzoe (sorry Snoop Dog)! We rode a mellow 2 hour (20 mile/hour pace) ride skirting the outline of Boulder while the incumbents (us old guys like Kenny and me) sussing the abecedarians (recruits), and general jawing. Kenny looks different in a cool, non-threatening, Ted Kaczynski beard in full effect sort-of-way. Not a lot of new guys but at the very least a decent core of like-minded, riding hominids to start the new season with.

Heading out of town...


Heading back to Boulder on the Diagonal Highway with the Flatirons in the horizon


On the way back we hit a local bakery and absorb various forms of solids and liquids in the form(s) of lattes, soups, and muffins. It was a great way to start the week (or end the week depending on where you reside on Earth). It's forecasting snow for Wednesday night, better get it while the gettin's good y'all.