A Reason For The Season

This week was filled with some late nights, eating poorly, and getting pretty run down, so it was no huge surprise to feel some illness coming on last night. Some coughing, some aching, so bitching and moaning. But hey nothing a little Imperial Stout and spicy sausage stew/soup couldn't cure right? Wrong.

Woke up feeling like shit. Great. After a llllong trip to the post office (holiday season is the WRONG season to go to the USPS) to mail out some XXC swag to this month's contributors and to the kind folks that bought some gear, I sat abut the house thinking of reasons why sitting in front of my computer working on some ideas was better than going for a ride, and convincing myself that I had pneumonia and in no way should ride. Eventually that all passed and I could not resist the temps climbing into the 40s, the bright ass sun, and the lure of suburban park single track. So off to Boyce I went.

Aside from numerous downed trees from this week's strong winter wind the trails were just perfect. Frozen and dry for the most part, with the occasional section of tacky mud. There were a few sections that had a some ice, and needed to be walked, but for the most part it was titz.

The best part was that despite being ill, and despite convincing myself that I've gained like 40 pounds (I refuse to get on the scale, so I really don't know), I felt really strong. Granted I wasn't putting in a 50 mile loop with 8,000 feet of climbing (that will come NEXT month!!!), but for a couple hours on single track after being off the bike pretty much all week, I felt damn good and the Dos Niner felt nice and flickable today. Maybe putting on some muscle, a few layers of fat and taking a rest is what is needed to make a 24+ pound 29er feel flickable??

In any event, I was glad to find the balls to get my ass out the door today, because I was so nice to be in the woods and to ride some single track. Granted now, I'm achy and coughy, but for almost two hours today I felt great!! I'll take what I can get. Often this time of year makes me want to lodge my head in the closest gas oven, but when you can get some quality time in the dirt in amidst all the holiday drudgery, then you truly find a reason in this season.

As an added bonus I came home to find that B-Man and Wifey had the Christmas tree up and the decorating done, and I was saved the embarrassment of having to pretend like I enjoy the holiday season. Thanks!!!!

Quote of the day was from B-Man. "You always smell like bike!"

Later.