Once Daylight Saving Time comes...the race is officially on. This isn't a race with another competitor...but with the sun which, as Autumn fades into Winter, sets earlier and earlier each day. If I'm going to ride after school during this time of the year my afternoon calendar has to be free...I can't be scheduled to work at the bike shop...I can't have any appointments...and, heaven help me...there can't be a faculty meeting.
 |
| I was scheduled to work on November on this particular day...but Jay ended up giving me the afternoon off. I had just enough daylight to squeeze in a ride at Rocky Ridge. -- November 12, 2019 |
Best case scenario this time of year...I get home, throw the Stumpjumper on top of the Cruze, and get a good hour of riding in at Rocky Ridge (the best option because of the park's proximity to where I live)...or, more conveniently, get on the Roubaix and tool around Manchester and Mount Wolf for as long as I can. Based upon the short time line that is available to me, variety in what I can ride is definitely lacking. All the while, each ride, I race the sun as it sinks lower earlier each day and try to out ride the shadows as they grow longer more and more quickly.
 |
| My good friend, Brent, racing the sun and out riding the shadows at Rocky Ridge County Park. -- November 22, 2019 |
 |
| Arriving home from my tour of Manchester just as the sun is setting. -- December 19, 2019 |
Ironically, there was no racing of the sun or feelings of being rushed yesterday on the shortest lit day of the year...the Winter Solstice. The day, which can either be viewed as the first day of Winter or the beginning of a three month countdown to Spring...was celebrated with a good old Ugly Sweater ride in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Ben, Tim, and Adam all braved the early morning 20 degree weather and helped me welcome Winter and celebrate the Christmas season. The ride was like breathe of fresh air. What we lacked in mileage we made up for with unadulterated fun...spending extra time riding (and re-riding) the ultra cool trails that make perfect use of the many old ore pits and other features (both natural and man-made) that make up the area behind Hershey Medical Center.
 |
| Taking a break during my Ugly Sweater/Winter Solstice Ride in Hershey -- December 21, 2019 |
 |
| Tim came completely ready to celebrate the first day of winter...with lights attached to his helmet and jingle bells on his bike! Tim Sindlinger and Adam Zeigler -- December 21, 2019 |
 |
| Ben Kelly enjoying the first day of Winter 2019. -- December 21, 2019 |
 |
| Ben Kelly, Dave Raymond, and Tim Sindlinger on the Hershey Trail System. -- December 21, 2019 |
 |
| Dave Raymond in Hershey, Pa -- December 21, 2019 |
 |
| Ben Kelly and Dave Raymond celebrating the first day of Winter. -- December 21, 2019 |
The sun set yesterday at 4:45 in the afternoon...but now that Winter is officially here the days will just continue to get longer. On January 21, just shy of a month from now, the sun will set at 5:25 PM...then on February 21, two months from yesterday, at 5:49 PM...making my race against the setting sun that much easier each day. In the mean time, I'll continue to race the sun and squeeze in as many rides and miles into the amount of daylight we have...and afterward enjoy the lights of the holiday season.
Have a safe and Merry Christmas.
 |
| Celebrating the first day of the Winter (and our ugly sweaters) in Hershey, PA. Adam Zeigler, Tim Sindlinger, Dave Raymond, and Ben Kelly -- December 21, 2019 |
Life is a journey...not a destination.
David A. Raymond -- December 22, 2019
 |
| All ready for the Christmas season! My yearly batch of my peanut butter and Rice Crispies balls. Just about everyone loves my balls! -- December 13, 2019 |
@mountnbiker73
Here are the GARMIN map and data from the rides featured in this post. #OptOutside
and
"WRITE SOMETHING WORTH READING OR DO SOMETHING WORTH WRITING..." Ben Franklin
Comments