bikin' in a winter wonderland

I've been a mess. A situation at home hasn't worked out as well as The Excellent Wife (TEW) and I had hoped, and then she was in a fender-bender of an accident (she's fine, but she has a bit of anxiety about driving now)... and then a new hire at my job has gotten into some legal trouble and won't be coming back. I helped to train him, and we were starting to be friends, and I was completely blindsided by this. And the frigid weather has meant that I was sittin' on my increasingly-ample posterior and eating everything except the paint on the closet door, so instead of closing in on my goal weight, it's getting away from me. For reasons big and small, I've been collecting misery.

So I was glad when I saw that the weather for this weekend indicated a probable ride today, and gladder when I saw that Laura OLPH was scheduled to lead one, and gladder still when she and a few other friends emailed around that we were going to do the Rojo's-to-Rojo's route we did earlier in the winter. And when we got to the start at Cheryl's, nine others (plus Cheryl, Laura, and me) came out to do the ride, many of them my favorite riding pals.

We did this route, which was not quite the same as the last one. With the snow, it was a beautiful ride, but the roads were almost completely clear of ice. We did the straight-up-Princeton-Pike route to the Palmer Square Rojo's, stopping for coffee (of course; this is the only ride I do on which I can count on enough coffee -- after all, my performance-enhancing substances have been caffeine and Splenda), I got pics of Chris C in another excellent pair of tights, and a picture of Theresa's spiffy paisley hat. Form there, we went to Lambertville, to the other Rojo's. With uncharacteristic democracy, Laura agreed to lead us along Alexsauken Creek Road, which was eyecatching in the snow (I lost a lovely picture of horses in the snow, alas).

After coffee-and-such at Rojo's in Lambertville, Laura again allowed democracy to triumph, and led us up Franklin, a short, attention-getting hill (there's always a hill out of Lambertville; the choice seems to be how long and drawn-out the climb will be). Laura adjusted the route so we'd have some extra miles (almost 50! Great!). I started to cramp along Woosamonsa, but I carry salt pills (after a recommendation by many riders, most notably Ken G), and they worked better than I would have thought.

As we were coming through Pennington, a car started honking and the driver telling us off... and who was it but that same Ken G! He was, I think, jealous that he wasn't along, although he had his kids in the car and I know he prizes his time with them.

And now the bike clothes are in the dryer... and I'm thinking of Winter Larry's ride for tomorrow. Would that be too much excellence?

I really needed this ride.

Pics below:

Not everybody can rock a pair of tights like Chris C!

And that is a wonderful hat on Theresa.

I got TWO pictures of Laura taking pictures. That was one.

I liked that barn from the picture above enough that I got another one.

I found the two other pics I thought I'd lost!

I am unjustifiably happy with the one above, of the barn through the trees. I don't remember where it was. I also love the one of the horses below, from Alexsauken Creek Rd.