Riding in the New Year

It’s weird when it’s January 1st and it’s sunny and in the 40s. But I wasn’t going to lose the opportunity to enjoy some time outside. I thought maybe I’d go for a hike, but after a walk for some coffee I decided I’d rather ride my bike.

I wheeled out the XOXO and made some adjustments. I made sure all the bolts are tight. I tilted the handlebars and raised them a bit. I tweaked the front brakes. And then we were off.

We stopped at Buckingham Lake, pretty despite the scum on the surface of the water. Then we went down to Whitehall and rode the length of that, waving to other cyclists and wishing them a happy new year. Left on Delaware Avenue, which was light on traffic, clearly marked with sharrows, and perfectly lined up with the wind. A strong tailwind is a wonderful thing. We were hauling. A driver in a truck tooted his horn as he just barely passed me. At the next light I pulled up beside him with an enormous grin on my face. A new bike and a tailwind are a wonderful thing.

I cut down Holland to pick up the multi-use trail on Hackett, and cruised home.

I hope you rode your bike today.