I heard a story on the news recently about a vacationer who hitched a ride on a sea turtle and it dragged her out to sea before she realized that she was in danger and let go.  I thought of this almost disastrous outcome as a dozen of us were hurtling down 446 at 30+ mph, wind at our backs and temperatures steadily dropping below freezing.

Today is my birthday.  I have this little ritual, that is now becoming a bit unwieldy as I am on the lee-side of the half-century mark by more than a couple of years.  I ride my age on my birthday.  Maybe it’s counter-intuitive, riding longer, farther as I get older.  But I’ve been doing it for as long as I can remember.  Some years, I don’t quite get there for the usual reasons, travel, weather, work.  But today I got it or came pretty close.

I left my home, the fiscal cliff, and 2012 behind and was able to rally for a 2:00 ride today,  the first day of the new year, January 1, 2013.  It was overcast and felt colder than the 28 degrees indicated on various thermometers in town.  I sent a tweet out and a few text messages, to see if there were others who would enjoy some motivation to start the year where we ended it, on the bike, on 446.  Emily Palmer, recovering from a cold responded.  Don Galligher (DRT) was hopeful to join us and a few others were apparently already on the road.