January Update

There's been so much happening on the biking front in the last few weeks that I've been too busy to blog. Sorry about that, dear reader! Here's a quick list of highlights:

• After establishing a one-day-per-week private practice not far from our house, I've been commuting by bike every week and loving it -- even in frigid cold.
• The commuting has necessitated lots of interesting purchases such as fenders, lights, a rack, a pannier, good pants clips, etc. Tons of research and development, lots of fun.
• Over the holiday break, I rode every single place I had to go -- to meet friends, shop, go to the library, etc. -- using my new rack and pannier. I had a blast and retained much of my late-season fitness from 2012.
• Also over the break, it snowed a fair amount over two days, and I cross-country skiied five separate times. I was a bit burned out by the end of the break, but I was in great shape. Turns out skiing is every bit as good for bike cross-training as people say. I've been scooting up the hills the last couple weeks on the bike.
• A New Year's resolution: to lose enough weight so that I come in at maximum 160 pounds -- with a second goal of 158. I'll try that for a while and see how hard it is to maintain. Meantime, I'm eating like a ballerina -- tons of vegetables and fruits, lean meats, and then near-daily doses of healthy cholesterol, like eggs or cheese or red meat. Seems to be working -- I actually lost a few pounds in December, of all months.
• Just back from 27 miles and 1600', and feeling spry. Though the wet, 40-degree headwind was annoyingly cold, it just makes hot chocolate afterward that much more yum.
• Researching a good handlebar bag. I have a goal to ride longer distances in 2013, and this is part of it. Also, a great winter asset for holding that extra layer I need to don before those frigid descents.

Keep 'em turning, folks. Talk soon.