welcome 2014

Of course I welcomed in the year with a ride. It's tradition. From back in the day when I had to sign up to get a school horse, I've ridden every New Year's Day. Good weather and bad, sometimes just to sit on my horse, to be near. To start the year the way you want it to continue.


Any view between happy ears is the best ever (even if "my" rock is high and dry). It was clear, dry and 67 degrees, with the little green grass shoots shriveling away. Nothing to eat along the trail, and we took it easy, the goal being an uneventful ride to start the year!

I was cleaning up my ride tracking app (I use Strava but keep it private otherwise bike people get annoyed) and the app/website keeps all the numbers. They tell a story for 2013:

Miles: 738. (Sometimes it seems like a lot, until you see the people who do thousands of miles just in competition, wow!)

Riding Time: 141 hours, 27 minutes (just under six complete days, seems like it should be more! Of course this doesn't account for hours spent grooming, after-ride care, hand walking and hanging out, etc)

Rides: 79 (that's a lot of weekends and evenings!)

Elevation gain: 88,566 (Mt Everest 29,029, climbed three times!)

Averaged over all rides: 9.3 miles per ride, 5.22 mph

I know lots of people ride more, and many less too. Whatever works! I just thought these numbers were interesting. I wasn't trying for any goal, I'm looking forward to see what 2014 brings.