The first "cold" ride

Since the lunch ride was a bust I took the bike home and got in almost an hour before dinner. It was dark and dreary but I wanted to get out. I knew if I stayed in I would sit and watch the news. I'm trying hard to not park it when I get home. Stay moving. It was funny how long it took for suit up for a cool weather ride. I pulled out my riding jacket and zipped off the sleeves. this is a serious wind halting jacket and arms on and zipped up is some serious warmth. I didn't need that much. I ended up with a long sleeve under armour t-shirt with a short sleeve jersey over that and the vest. I had long tights on but just wore regular riding gloves instead of the full fingered ones. I've got to get some shoe covers because the toes were cold. I was wondering to myself if I just had the "oh boy it's finally cold" syndrome or was it really. As I rode through a neighborhood several miles from home I kept thinking I was smelling wood burning and sure enough I spotted smoke coming from a chimney. Then another and another. I had a good ride and got in 15.7 miles and averaged 16.3 which I didn't think was too bad considering the hills. There were several times there would be a car behind me and it would prompt me to move it a little faster. One of the funniest was the car at the red light to cross 107. I came up behind it and I guess they were frightened or just typical motorist mind of "don't let guy on the bicycle pass us". They kept moving up and moving up until they were out in the lane of oncoming traffic. Light changes and zoom zoom. Sort of reminds me of the crazies on the I-630 loop at rush hour home. The ride was really nice. Folks waving from their driveways as they arrived home from a day at the office. People getting their mail, herding their kids in for dinner. The sound of their laughter. A few leaves blow across the road here and there. A dog barking in the distance. Life here is just good.