Seasons

Cold and flu, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Holiday, Cyclocross - this is the season of seasons, and as usual they all seem to pile on top of each other, competing for my time and energy. The last couple of weeks have been pretty much a disaster, riding-wise.  The chest congestion is stubbornly hanging on, and together with the off-and-on cold temperatures, rain and wind, I've had ample excuses for skipping training rides.  I'd fully intended to ride this morning, but when I woke up to a cold and windy morning, accompanied by a dash for the kitchen to stop a coughing fit caused by a "tickle" in my throat, I decided that discretion was indeed the better part of valor.  I always take those little coughing fits - you know the ones where your eyes water and you can't stop coughing until that tickle in your throat goes away - to be a sign of healing.  Anyway, it remains to be seen whether I will go up to Natchez for our second cyclocross race of the year. I'll be shelled immediately, of course, but on the other hand it would be nice to get away and do something different.  There are a lot of competing alternatives, of course.  The club is doing an easy no-drop ride on the Giro route, so if I didn't want to do the regular Giro Ride, there's that.  On Sunday there's the Giro, and I suppose a northshore ride, for the morning.  In the afternoon there's the Oak Street Po-boy Festival within walking distance from home. There's even a pre-festival city ride that ends at the festival, complete with "bike valet" parking sponsored by Bike Easy.

This morning it was pretty chilly and when I rode up to the local Starbucks I found them brewing Thanksgiving Blend, which I like, and the shelves full of Christmas Blend, which I also like.  Since I'd just finished off my last bag of Bike Fuel, I figured it was time to stock up on Christmas Blend, even though it's not even Thanksgiving yet.  Lots of stuff to catch up on today before the pseudoephrine wears off.....