Back in April 2013, I started back with the mighty P. Since that time, each and every month, I have cycle commuted. When I worked downtown, I threw the bike on back of the car so Michelle and I could commute in together, and I would cycle the 17 miles home. Since moving to the Lynnwood office, I bike the 5 mile one way trip 3 or 4 times a week.

In addition I do longer rides after work in the summer. In the fall and winter though, I have to wait until the weekends to do so.  December 2016 has NOT been conducive to riding…First off, I was out-of-town. The first week of December found me walking along Honky-tonk lane in Nashville for work.

Since I was flying out Sunday, I wanted to spend the entire day with Michelle Saturday before I left (we had a great day as always!) so no riding.

Then, on my return, in fact the night I flew in, we had a rare snow in Seattle!

This meant no riding Friday morning before going to get the Manchild for the weekend. Of course, with him down, I didn’t want to just disappear from everyone Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon and Sunday was spent in Seattle for the Jingle Bell run overnighter!

So again no riding.

Monday, last,  I was able to sneak in a ride back and forth to work. But then, the temps took a nose dive, the roads got icy, and cycling was out! DAMN!

I will say I like it when it clears out on days like this though, the mountains were showing off.

OK the Manchild was up again this weekend, but he had an all day event in Seattle! In my head I thought, “OK today we ride!!”

and it snowed again….  It NEVER snows in Seattle and for sure NEVER near Christmas!  UGH!!!

OK, Ok, plan B.  Michelle and I went wine tasting instead. Only in a wine tasting room in Woodinville can you be sitting there and a lady walks up to the bar  behind you,  and asks loudly, “HOW DO YOU LIKE MY BOOBS???”

Ok she was speaking to Kristen behind the bar, and was referring to her artistic wine glass etched with the figure of a woman and two small jingle bells where the boobs would be… Which led me to yell to her and her group of friends (all with these glasses) “Nice boobs ladies!” as we left.  (No guy should pass up a chance to yell this when it is totally appropriate) They all toasted me as we left (and for the record most of them were toasted as well!)

We had a blast again, but no riding…

Yesterday dawned, I looked outside. The roads were clear and dry…  The clouds were gone and there would be sun. OK, yes it was only 31 degrees, which means the windchill would suck! But a wise man taught me long ago, “There is no such thing as too cold, you are just under dressed! ”

Another, or was it the same person.. No matter, another said, “Suck it up buttercup!” Suck it up I did. I busted out the warmest layers, the thickest gloves, and some full on hiking wool socks and saddled up!

I decided to just ride out and back on the Burke-Gilman trail. I am glad I did. Not only was I out, but nature decided to put in an appearance as well.

This guy struck a pose for me.

Including a close up! I love Blue Herons.

Across the river, this red tail hawk was looking for dinner

I will never be the fastest cyclist in the world, but I spot things others miss!

I hit the turn around point, which would give me 23 miles round trip, and started heading back.  The layers were working well, and I was feeling good, but it had been a while so I didn’t want to push it too much.

As I was heading home, I noticed something across the river. I stopped and took a photo.

Now a tree down is NOT that unusual, but look at the zoom in shot.

Yep, that was done by a beaver! I know, I am a bit strange, but the thought of beavers living in our river (I’ve seen salmon and otters) gives me hope that nature is doing its best to survive all the things we do wrong to the environment.  AND that maybe, we here in Washington state are doing something right! I will be watching the river closely (even more so than normal)  from here on out!

As I said, I am not the fastest cyclist, but I did find myself racing a HUGE flock of Canada geese. Pretty damn noisy as well! (No exaggeration, there were 5 times this many)

It was a great ride. Some families were out walking, a handful of cyclist pedaled by, and this hearty soul looked like he was having fun!

It was about 1.5 hours of a ride, but it just felt good to get outside and work the legs. Maybe I am now in winter mode, as I rode to work today with a snow/rain mixture coming down! Bring on the weather, hell I won’t melt!!

Like the wind!