The First Morning

Yes, I rode to work today.

It was much warmer this morning than yesterday morning. Actually it was warmer for my ride to work this morning than it was for my ride home last night. But the real news of the day was . . . . this was the first morning I noticed the days are getting longer.

The sunrise was breaking out as I left the cafe this morning. I'd become use to it not beginning to bloom until three or four miles into my morning ride. I suspect it won't be long before the sun will once more be in my eyes.

Winter sunrises seem to be especially beautiful here. I wonder if there really is a quality to the weather that makes it so, or is it the longing for the return of the light and a hoped for spring? Or, then again, is it simply I'm around to see them?

• 38F/3C with enough clouds to make for a marvelous sunrise for the ride to work.
• 46F/8C and still dark for the ride home.

Me And Three Other Cars

Yes, I rode to work today.

Me and three other cars were passed on the right this morning by a police cruiser (#545). It was at the same place as my pre-Christmas encounter with Santa. He had no flashing lights on. If he was in a hurry passing us didn't do much for him. We were on Arsenal Street, a street of three way stops and stoplights--a street where even if you go 20mph over the limit when you can (which he did at least) you still end up at Grand Blvd at nearly the same time as those who keep closer to the posted speed limit. Since I was going straight and he was making a left turn, I ended up next to him at the light.

As I waited for the light to change I noticed he was looking at his cellphone. I didn't actually see him texting, but the way he was holding his phone certainly made me suspicious. I will admit his other driving behavior might have prejudiced me just a little.

I mentioned this episode to my friend Chris who responded, "Cops run two or three radios, a cell phone, and a laptop all while in their cars... hmmm."

It does make one think doesn't it? I'm not sure where this belief that humans can multitask came from. We can't. Some of us have hummingbird brains that are able to jump from one task to another and back without losing our place, but no one truly multitasks. And, whenever someone tells me they function better when they are multitasking I can't help but think of the folks who tell me they actually drive better after a few drinks.

• 17F/-8C with a few clouds for the ride to work.
• 35F/2C and still dark for the ride home.

 

Please, Be Safe

Yes, I rode to work today.

Today was my last ride to and from work in the calendar year 2011. I'm taking a couple of days off. I am happy to say, I have no doctor appointments or dentist appointments. I do have an appointment. It is for routine maintenance on my car. With the scooters in my life the Yaris hasn't aged near as fast as my previous cars. It is now two years and a quarter old and even with a few long trips it has a only little over 20,000mi. I bought my first scooter two days before I bought this car. The scooter was a planned purchase -- the car was not. How many miles have I traveled on the scoots? I'm closing in on 17,000miles between the two. And, believe me there weren't any long trips in those miles.

Yesterday morning , I varied my usual route to work. A fellow at the cafe warned me of an accident at one of the intersections I usually pass through. Later I found out there had been a fatality. It was a single car accident. A young man was speeding, lost control, and hit a tree. He was only 17.

The tree used to be straight. It bears the scars of its encounter with the car. Someone had put a few votive candles at the base of the tree.

I read about the accident when I got to work. The police weren't saying if the slushy conditions contributed to the accident or not. If they did it was the old "Going too fast for conditions" thing. In another accident yesterday morning a 13 year old girl died. And, today there were two more fatal accidents. Today the roads were clear and dry. It is dangerous being on the road whether riding or driving.

Tonight after work I felt drawn to the place where the accident happened. I stopped and took a photo. Then, I just sat on the Symba for a while and offered some silence up into the darkness.

Please, be safe.

28F/-2C and some sun for the ride to work.
44F/7C and dark for the ride home.

First Snow

Yes, I rode to work today.

When I got up and looked out the window I was surprised to see so much white stuff on the ground and on the cars. There was snow in the forecast, but I wasn't expecting so much of it to stick.

It really wasn't much of a snow, but it definitely qualifies as the first of the season.

The roads weren't slippery. They were just slushy. By 10am all the snow had melted.

I rode home on dry roads.

• 34F/ with a very fine mist and an occasional snowflake for the ride to work.
• 43F/ and dark for the ride home.

Reassuring

Yes, I wrote to work today.

It was another late start for me. This time the cause was an early morning appointment with a periodontist. Whoopee. Actually, it turned out about as well as such things can be expected to. With some luck I will only need one procedure and the problem will be taken care of. I hope so. Since this was a first visit I needed to go into my head injury history. My riding a small underbone motorcycle came up. It turned out that not one, but both of the periodontist's assistants ride Harley Sportsters -- 883 like SonjaM. I don't know quite what to make of that, but somehow it was reassuring.

• 35F/2C and some sun for the ride to work.
• 35F/2C and dark for the ride home.

Gray

Yes, I rode to work today.

"They call this the first day of winter, but actually it is the beginning of winter's death," Deng Ming Dao.

The shortest day of the year came dressed in gray.

38F/3C and overcast for the ride to work.
38F/3C, dark and a little windy for the ride home.

It Looked Good On The X-Ray

Yes, I rode to work today.

This morning was a visit to the doctor. I learned I broke my leg when the car hit me while I was inline skating last July. I'd say that certainly explains why it hurt so bad after the accident. It was a hairline fracture and it is all healed. It looked good on the X-ray. I, also, learned that I'm rather a mess. I have significant arthritis in both knees, my left shoulder and my neck. This wasn't really news. The good news is the doctor couldn't believe how few symptoms I'm experiencing. He actually called it amazing. I can think of other ways I'd like to be amazing.

I was at the clinic all morning. I didn't get to ride to work until early afternoon. It was sunny and mild. I know it's Christmas time, but I'm good with no snow

• 45F/7C and sunny for the ride to work
• 45F/7C and dark for the ride home.