2013, a year in review

And what a year it was.

My primary career ended up stuck in a permanent wheel spin. The year started off with a bang with a great first six months, but fizzled a bit at the end. I don't discuss what I do for a living on the Internet, but take it from me that for someone doing what I do for a living, this is fairly normal. This year this "normal" was pushed to the limits a bit though.

For various reasons, I did not meet my goal for the number of km that I wanted to get on the bicycle. My goal was 10 000 km. I managed to get just over 5 500 km. That is a huge difference, while still being a reasonable amount of km for a non-competitive cyclist. What happened, not to make excuses, was that my head just was not in the game this year. I felt some what energyless, and my riding buddies either were too busy to ride, or did not have their own heads in the game either. This added up to the year not adding up the way I wanted it to.

However, in other ways, the year was amazing. Here is why, in no particular order.

I was able to reconnect with a good friend of mine. We both share a love of cycling and of photography. Lately, he has been too busy to get out and do much, but was able to find the time this year to get together a bit more often. This has been a real treat.

I got a new bicycle (and then proceeded to not use it much LOL) that I just love. Hopefully, by July, I will have finished tweaking it a bit and will have it right where I want it as far as how it is equipped. Being the bicycle nut that I am, new bikes make me happy.

My daughter came into her own at school and with her extra-curricular interests. She has had an amazing year and it has been a real privilege to watch her change and develop new interests. Neat stuff.

I have rejoined the health club and am working away at the weights, cross training, and RPM classes. I am hoping that this gives me the edge coming in to spring for 2014 as far as riding goes. We shall see!

I finally realized a dream of mine and started a small photography business. It is going fairly well, and is a lot of fun. I greatly enjoy creating pictures, and being able to create them specifically for other people is a hoot :)

My wife got some health problems sorted out and is on the road to achieving the fitness levels that she wants. She is happier and healthier than she has been in years. I cannot stress enough how relieved this makes us all.

Overall, the year was a good one. Hopefully, yours was as well.

hillside music festival moments

This year's rendition of the festival has come and gone.

For those not familiar with it, Hillside is a festival held at the end of July every year at the conservation area near Guelph in Ontario. It is comprised of three days of live music, spoken word, and children's entertainment spread out over five stages. Good food and vendors abound. Water is free. The main stage is permanent. The festival is the greenest in Ontario with dishes being reused, compost being collected, no plastic water bottles (bring your own and use the tanker truck!).

All this is good.

But why go?

A good friend of mine put it this way. There are these things called "Hillside moments". Times when things just click for whatever reason. You feel transported. Moved. On another plane. And all that without chemical assistance (heh).

The Kopecky Family Band is not, as the name might suggest, a family band except in so far as a close group of friends may be considered more family than family. Family is what you choose, and for them, it was a choice well made.

Sometimes, the moments center around the music, around the discovery of a new band that you have never heard of that gets under your skin and makes you crave more and more of what they have to offer.

Pokey Lafarge's infectious music - a curious blend of styles from the 1930s, but almost all original music - gets under your skin - they are entertaining, funny if you watch carefully, and very very tight as a band.

Is it the food?

12 to 14 hours a day of making sausages, rain or shine, heat or cold. Does not matter. Sausages are king.

 Sometimes it is about who you came to the festival with. Friends, family, who make the weekend or day or even the hour you see them and visit with them more special for them being there.

Or is it being fortunate enough to meet with, or connect with a performer in some way that would not happen in a more formal, or distant venue?

We ended up chatting for a bit after the show - she liked the pictures I sent the band.

In this case, Snowblink's lead singer and my daughter made a connection as my daughter said to her how much she liked their music, and in return, received a gift of a little bell.

Or is it seeing others making connections of their own? Having their own Hillside moments?

Whatever the case is, the festival is one well worth attending.

2013 Kona Jake the Snake

Photo Credit: konaworld.com

All I will say so far is that it is hanging on a hook at my LBS awaiting me to come over with the rest of the money for it. I was not planning the upgrade right now, but since Kona is out of stock and the store isn't, my plan for an April/May purchase went out the window. I came very close to getting caught out like that last time I went to buy a 'cross bike, and don't want it to happen this time.

Thankfully, my LBS likes me and is willing to hold it for me.

The bike is lighter, stiffer, and on the surface at least much nicer than my current Jake the Snake (a 2005) model which is wearing out and getting tired.

I am looking forward to spring now more than I was before if that is at all possible.

After I ride it a bit, I will indicate what I really like about it, and what I think might need work.

In the mean time, it is ORANGE!!!  *big grin*