Winter Cycling - 1st Star Wars Ride of December

Woke this morning to UGH! bad cycling weather news online. But then while making coffee, I saw first light with sun and a patch of clear sky.

Maybe I could get out for a "Star Wars on the bike" ride - a ride with flakes flying by my face like stars flying by Luke's X-wing fighter.

That got my heart going. I scrammed together a quick breakfast made with German Stollen (Christmas bread/cake), nut butter, soy nog (yup!), homemade cranberry topping, yogurt, dried fruit and honey roasted almonds along with a good blast of cafe au lait. 

As soon as I sat down to eat, though, I could see the sky getting fat with clouds. I ate four bites, got changed and hopped out on the road. Right away, just stepping on the pedals and feeling the wind on my face, my whole attitude changed. What a relief to be moving after a no-ride icy day yesterday.

I stopped to take a picture in Ashland just as the first few flurries fell - and just before my phone decided "we shut down now - too cold". 

The rest of the ride was snowy - or Star Wars'y - enough that I could hear John Williams' "Star Wars" symphony - along with Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" - in my head. I could also feel the flakes on my face and grit of road sand in my teeth along with the pretzel like taste of road salt on my lips - all just part of the very smiling inducing thrill of the first Star Wars ride of December!