Steady State

From the obituary of John Downey, a CIA operative held prisoner as a spy in China from 1952 to 1973:

"When you talk about 20 years in a lump sum, it sounds like a big deal,” he told reporters. But, he said, “On a day-to-day basis, you just learn to go along.”

And we complain when the internet goes down.

Godspeed, Mr. Downey.  Thank you for the perspective.

Fall Velo News

Yesterday I rode my bike for the first time since my hip surgery eight weeks ago.  The ride was a short 14 miles along the Oly-Woodland and Chehalis Western trails but it felt wonderful to be on the move again.  My new hip worked perfectly and without the pain of its predecessor. 

The day was sunny and cold, a big change from my last ride in September.  The weather then was pleasantly warm, the trees filled with green leaves.  These days the landscape is beginning to look more winter than fall. The bare trees almost, maybe do, equal the ones still holding their now mostly brown leaves. 

I didn't get out until 2:00.  It was cool enough then but by 3:00 the the day was that much closer to sunset 4:37) and I could feel an noticeable drop in temperature, especially in the dark, heavily wooded sections of the trails.  I was happy to be on my way home.