29er

Yesterday I hopped on the ol' 29er for the first time in awhile. I had an appointment in midtown before work & didn't want to ride my full-susp. bike. Nor did I want to lock my road bike outside the building. So, I pumped up the tires, wiped the chain and headed out.

I forgot how much fun it is to ride it - it being a Gary Fisher X-Caliber. The tires whirred on the pavement as I made my way along the path in the mid-morning. The sun was just starting to heat the air and the grass was wet with dew and maybe even frost from the night. September morning; about 40 degrees.

Riding home was even more fun. The bike responded positively when I stood to climb, racing the sun's descent. Jon was on his road bike but kept his pace to mine so we could enjoy the ride home together. Just a little Termination Dust (first snow on the mountains) on a few of the peaks. The birches turned yellow almost overnight.

This time of year we ride when the riding is good & sometimes when it isn't. Despite satellite weather reporting, I'm not sure if it will rain tomorrow or be clear and sunny. Today, it's been raining and the wind is picking up, blowing the leaves from the trees in the front yard. It's the season of homemade soup, fresh-baked cookies, fenders and rain gear. It also looks like a good time to book a ticket to somewhere sunny. Eventually.

Tomorrow I have to go to work a bit early - if the rain keeps up, it'll be another 29er day for me. I guess I should thank the rain for that.