Stupid is as stupid does.

[STP]

So last night, I'm up here in Palmdale, riding the paved road alongside the aquaduct. It is pitch black and the wind is blowing hard. The sky has a moving panorama of almost imperceptible dark grey clouds scudding past the stars. My sig-other and I have the HID's and we're getting pushed around by the gusts in the darkness. We've been out there for an hour now.

I round a curve and now I have a quartering cross-wind. The temptation is to think how miserable it is. The thought rolls through my head. 'You must be stupid'. Looking at the vast swath of lit houses beneath me, the warm and cozy homes stretch outward for miles, like strewn jewels.

I imagine the chubby denizens of our town in their comfy Lazyboys and I remark to myself, that I too, could be quaffing something tasty out of a Rim Nordic glass. Maybe something from the vault. Those three bottles of Stone's 11th Anniversary ale. A gust hits me again and I refocus my attention on the ride. The black hills rise alongside of me and the outline of a manzanita stands stark against the night sky.

Why not enjoy the ride? I am decked out in all my winter gear and I realize that I am not cold, nor am I really miserable. I convince myself that I am just a little cool. The wind can be a good thing, when you are flatulent on a winter night and are wearing tights. Too much holiday goodies at the company potluck and now you're working it off.

We ride again tonight and why not? It is easy to come up with a dozen cheap excuses, but it's not that hard to actually commit and get dressed for it, because once you're out there, why it's not that bad. You're riding after all. There are those, you surmise, who wish they could, so that makes it a privilege, not a chore.

[PacMan]

Very well said. I froze my @$$ off on our Saturday night ride and thought of all kinds of excuses to not ride Tuesday night. Well, I rode both nights and had a blast each time.

[53-12]

Thanks. The past few years I find myself edging closer to that other side - opting to stay indoors where it's warm and bright more often. Wife and son think I'm crazy to go out in the dark and cold, but there is something exhilarating about it. Darkness seems to give the impression that I'm going a good 5+ mph faster than I actually am. And anyway, I can still relax in a warm home with a cold one afterwards.

[Shannon]

It's too creepy to ride up here at night. There's nothing around. At least the light coming from the homes gives a minimal amount of comfort when you're out there. We did a couple night rides out at Montana De Oro over the summer and it was pitch black.

[Reedster]

On cold days I have a 15 minute rule. I have to get all ready and go ride for 15 minutes. If I don't feel like doing more riding after 15 minutes I turn around and go home and don't feel guilty. Most of the time I realize that it isn't as bad as I thought and I keep going. I just have to get some kinetic energy going to overcome the lack of inertia when sitting in comfort at home.

Good job STP.

~R