Change is Good

So yesterday Louisiana did something kind of unusual. We elected a new governor who is a short, skinny, young guy of Indian descent with better than average academic credentials and experience in Washington. There are a few things about him that make me nervous, but I can't argue with the positive message it sends to the rest of the country, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt -- for a while. It remains to be seen how well he will be able to work with the rest of the state legislature, but at this point almost any change would be good, and at any rate it's better than another "Bubba" governor.

It was another day in good-weather paradise today, and the Giro Ride was noticeably calmer and easier than usual. Once again I was more interested in enjoying the ride than enhancing my competitive edge, and spent most of the time safely tucked in near the back of the group. Yesterday's accident on I-10 that forced us to alter our usual route ended up closing I-10 for almost twelve hours, and in this morning's Times-Picayune I was pleased to see one of Steve's awesome photos. Today, everything was back to normal and we had a nice ride. After a fast stretch back down Chef Highway and the service road, I heard Charlie say, "Hey Randy, are you going to say in your blog that you didn't take a single pull today?" Well, here it is. I didn't take a single pull all the way back down Chef Highway. Guilty as charged. Sometimes the Master Plan just calls for sitting in, and who am I to question the Master Plan? Just to sweeten the deal, I took a picture.

Soon after returning home the weather started to deteriorate. Right now, around 5 pm, there are dark clouds to the southeast, the wind is gusty and the forecast for the next 48 hours is looking pretty dismal. Once this weather passes, though, we should get our first taste of sub-60 weather. As much as I hate riding during the cold months of the year, I can't help but look forward to the change. People always say that "change is hard," but sometimes change is also good.