Season's Greetings!

Since my thanks-giving trip to my home town in October, I've hardly ridden my bike at all. We've been having drenching rain storms, with winds gusting up to 80mph one day. Besides I caught a bad cold which gave me an excuse to indulge myself by spending a day or two bundled up at home, drinking herb tea, eating hot soup, and reading and napping for hours at a time - very enjoyable. I recovered fast, but it's been hard to face the thought of vigorous exercise in cold, wet weather.

Still, I was aiming to ride 5000 miles this year, without regular commuting to rack up mileage. By mid-December I still had almost fifty to go. Trying to catch up, I did a couple of easy, flat twelve mile rides, then on Christmas Day rode a 26-mile loop to Lynden and back. The lay-off from riding has had its effect: I was tired and sore after only 26 miles, and have decided I definitely need a bike that fits me better.




Wintering in Ferndale is already very isolating and lonely, and Lynden on Christmas Day wasn't very cheery, either - the town was completely closed down by afternoon. All the churches on Front Street have lights and nativity scenes but services were over for the day and everyone had gone home. The weather was a little warmer, with a hint of blue sky and sunshine, though, and some of the views of farms along the way reminded me of old English or Dutch landscape paintings. So it was good to get out and get moving again.

Still have eighteen miles to go before the end of the year.

Snow on the foothills, but not at sea-level yet. Mount Baker is hidden in the clouds here.