BICYCLE BILL'S LAST RIDE (of 2010) !

"Old Bicycle Bill"

"Old Sam"

I did not want the day or year to end without a ride, so I took Old Sam out for about 11 miles today, then put a couple more on the grocery bike to close out the year. Except for a stiff wind out of the north, it was a perfect day to ride, sunny and about 60 degrees. Old Sam is the bike that I started my serious riding on and I'm very comfortable riding this bike. I took the big chainring off the front so it just has six gears, but that's more than enough for riding around town.

We (Old Sam and I) rode much of my usual exercise route in town. I mentioned the north wind, and had to take a couple of pictures of Old Glory painting that northerly breeze.

I don't usually ride down Red Oak street, but I'm glad I did today. The street is obviously aptley named, and is a real picture of how autumn has passed and winter is upon us. Texas weather changes daily, and as nice and warm as it was today, it will be in the 30's tonight and the 20's tomorrow night.

"The Grocery Bike"

I put a couple of miles on this bike today, and this picture shows what it is best for; that is, bringing home the bacon, or in this case, the pizza! That's my New Years Eve dinner!

I put about 2900 miles on the bikes this year, and while I hope to ride more next year, it is not a New Year's Resolution. I resolved to ride as much as I can a couple of years ago, and have pretty much stayed with it. I actually was hoping to make about 3500 this year, I guess the heart attack in June set me back a mile or two.

So what about 2011? Well I don't know what the future holds. It doesn't really matter, as long as we know who holds the future, and I do. I hope I'm still here updating my blog at this time next year, but if I'm not, the world will go on, and I'm really okay with that. That's the main thing I learned about myself while I was lying on that hospital table this year. As hard as it might be to understand, the heart attack was a positive thing because of what I learned from it.

God bless you and yours for a prosperous new year.

"His eye is on the sparrow, and I KNOW he watches me."