ALL TRAILS LEAD TO ICE CREAM

It's cold outside right now.  Really cold.  The kind of cold that, regardless of whatever "cold weather" gear I put on, pretty much limits any ride to just about an hour...which is about how long it takes my toes to freeze.  Once my toes freeze...I'm done riding.  I usually go riding once or twice during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.  This week I managed to ride three days in a row.  Three extremely cold days...and three very cool rides!   Wrapping up a super cool urban mountain bike ride in the city of York, PA. -- December 26, 2017 On Tuesday morning I sent Mark a text to see if he wanted to take a cold ride.  He suggested that I meet him at his house in York City for an "urban" ride.  What I was treated to was a ten mile ride zipping in and out of the city of York...which was split evenly between pavement and off road.  I've lived in York County since 1995, but I've never seen the city from this perspect...

I take thousands of pictures every year.  It's kind of my thing...along with mountain biking, hiking, and  teaching history.  I have absolutely no formal training in the art of photography...so when I take (what I think is a really cool photo) it is simply by chance.  Picture taking while mountain biking and hiking serves the duel purpose of allowing me to slow down and rest my "recently operated on" back while also helping me to preserve some really awesome memories.  After looking through all of the pictures that I've taken while biking and hiking over the past year I found a baker's dozen that I am particularly proud of.  These thirteen pictures, in my opinion, are the ones that best highlight and preserve the beauty and awesomeness of the outdoors in which I love to spend so much of my time.  So...here are (in no special order) my favorite pictures of 2017. Enjoy! I took this ultra cool pic of my Stumpjumper while riding Ridgeline Trail in...

There's a novelty to riding your bike in places far from home.  I've taken my bike with me on a trip  to the Jersey Shore, to St. Augustine, and on many trips to my home town of Bedford.  I'm still looking forward to the day that I take it on a trip to visit my brother in Mesa, Arizona.  Cycling is such a cool way to explore and experience other parts of the country. Driving south through Virginia, Robin and I took a short detour on the Blue Ridge Parkway .  We were treated to a beautiful sunset along the way. -- November 25, 2017 Each year, Robin and I spend the week after Thanksgiving in West Palm Beach, Florida.  I know that  flying would be easier...but I like the thousand mile drive!  I get to spend time with my wife, see the Country, and easily take my bicycle!  I really look forward to riding my bike along the Florida coast.  It's so amazingly different from riding in south-central Pennsylvania.   You can forge...

Time is the one resource that you can never get back.  Now that the clocks have been turned back, and Standard Time rules the day, time is an even more precious commodity...especially if I want to spend any time outdoors during the daylight hours.   I'm extremely fortunate to live and work within five miles of the trails at Rocky Ridge County  Park .  Even so, the the window of time I have to get on my bike and ride (either trail or road) gets shorter and shorter this time of year.   The view from the observation area on the northern side of Rocky Ridge County Park. -- November 17, 2017 It was evident to me as I pulled into the parking lot of Rocky Ridge County Park yesterday afternoon that there were others trying to squeeze in some precious Vitamin N before the sun set and the gates of the park closed.  The parking lot was full and there were plenty of people out hiking and mountain biking.  I quickly pulled my bike off the top ...

The early November sun poking through the trees served as my guide while I was mountain biking at Rocky Ridge on Friday afternoon...highlighting the fallen (now flattened) leaves covering the single track.  At one point, I stopped to take in the scene in front of me...it seemed to be raining leaves, the temperature was unusually warm, and the air was filled with the sweet smell of Autumn.  Autumn is, by far, my favorite time to be outdoors.  It doesn't matter if I'm mountain biking, hiking, or on my road bike...I love the Fall...and Fall in Pennsylvania is really kind of special. The sun helps to uncover the "hidden" trails at Rocky Ridge County Park. -- November 3, 2017 Tim got this great pic of me at Rocky Ridge County Park with the Autumn leaves in the background. -- November 3, 2017 Tim took this pic of me riding over the fallen leaves and down Trail #7 at Rocky Ridge County Park .  The beauty of the leaves also hid the loose rocks and gravel un...