Sum up my fall/ winter to date...

Summing up my fall and winter to date is as follows:

1) Bought new house.
2) Remolded new house with my dad's help.
3) Moved into new house.
4) Prepped old house for sale.

The long version, which will not be detailed here, is about being completely consumed with home renovations and many major problems with the new house. Our brand new HVAC system crapped out after just a month and a half. We had to limp on emergency heat during a very cold snap and it's still not fixed. Life has been kicking me in the teeth with authority as of late.

Too busy to run, too busy to ride or hike; I've not been fly fishing in 5 months. All the activities that help make stress go away seem like distant memories. I did manage to take my nephew rabbit hunting once. That three hour walk in the woods with a shotgun was my "outside" time for the last 4 months aside from one ride at Harbison with my new neighbor Scott.

Three weeks ago I dug all my riding gear out of boxes, pumped up the shock and tires on the Cake and ventured out into the 40 degree wetness of a Sunday afternoon. Our ride was short, just 6 miles as neither of us had been on a bike in almost a year's time and the trails were still soupy. Despite the briefness of the trip, I had a huge grin on my face the entire ride. I missed being in the woods on a bike much more than I ever imagined I could. After just a few short minutes from the parking lot I was able to put the house frustration behind me. I felt alive again. The slow pace allowed me to look winter in the forest. I could have ridden longer and faster. I was not tired when we got back to the truck, I was energized. Mental health was briefly restored. The Gary Fisher sits among the boxes yet to be unpacked in the garage. She's covered with dirt and mud waiting for the next free weekend.