heavy dark times

The weekend was productive. Got a long trail run in and a long road bike ride up to Brainard Lake and back down around the flats. I would have ridden the mtb, but feeling a bit overwhelmed with art that needs to get done and also wanting to go away next weekend prevented me from heading up to the hills for some real biking, PLUS Will's bike was in the shop, well it still is. We had plans to head down to NM, he was going to ride the DBT for the second time and I was going to ride the South Boundry. Next year, if I get a GPS, or a buddy who rides at my pace, I'd like to give it a go.

Feelin' heavvvvyyyyy! Winter is coming on, we did go to the Italian Festival Saturday night. Perhaps, I ate too many sausages and cannoli, but it sure was tasty. Added to the Italian food is the lack of sunlight, I can already feel it. The days are shorter, less time to ride after work, and now, I start to become a runner again, until ski season of course. I would love to get a cyclocross bike. I have been debating putting down a bunch of cash for a nice new carbon fiber road bike and converting my old steel Italian road bike to a commuter. For commuter bikes I currently have a 1970 something blue Schwinn (which now has 2 flats) and a 1943 Schwinn (looks just like the Fat Tire Beer bike). But damn when you get a flat, those tires are a pain in the ass to change, no quick release, I suppose I could convert them, need to venture on over to Community Cycles (my used inner tube supplier).

Well the shorter days and more pressure to get ready for Open Studios makes me feel like I have less time for my real passion, biking. I mean, I love art and making it is incredibly meditative. Selling your creations is also a wonderful feeling. But, and it's a big but, I love to be outside and abhor indoor work especially when the sky is so blue and inviting, maybe we should move to Vancouver? I could get more art done there for sure. But I have lived in Eugene, and the lack of sunlight did put a damper on my mood. So it's a battle or I better put, a balance of work-art-biking/skiing(outside time). I find the older I get the less time there is, I suppose it is because a given length of time becomes smaller and smaller in relation to your whole life as you age.