Friday Writings for Randos - In the days of growing darkness

{A weekly that features pieces from other writers that touch some facet of the Randonneuring experience, even if that was not the author's intent. It's stuff that's best read out loud - slowly.} This week it's. . . 

Lines Written in the Days of Growing Darkness
by Mary Oliver

Every year we have been
witness to it: how the
world descends

A gift idea - Ride 2

Tis the season (to read a really good book)

Keith Snyder is a Randonneur and a writer (the published kind). He has just published a collection of short fiction called Ride 2. The contributors include award winning authors and some never before published voices. It's rare that I recommend a particular product but if you like good writing then I really recommend this. The stories (and a few poems) all involve bicycles, but, like life, the bicycles are not the whole story and sometimes, not even a major part of the story. The submissions cover a range of topics, moods and ideas. Each piece is its own experience and memorable for its own reasons, kind of like a good bike ride. And you can enjoy it for less than the price of two cups of fancy coffee. It's a small investment for a big return.

I am not a book reviewer so if you want a more detailed review here are two:

Here's one review:

And another review 

Get it for yourself or for a friend or both. You won't regret it. 

 P.S. if you have a computer you can get Kindle service with a free download. Just go to Amazon and download it.

Friday Writings for Randos - Uphill

{A weekly that features pieces from other writers that touch some facet of the Randonneuring experience, even if that was not the author's intent. It's stuff that's best read out loud - slowly.} This week it's. . .  

Up-Hill 

By Christina Rossetti (1830–1894)

Does the road wind up-hill all the way?
Yes, to the very end.
Will the day’s journey take the whole long day?
From morn to night, my friend.

The Jersey Devil in December.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Sunday was a good day to lounge around in a robe and warm slippers, curled up on the couch with a cup of coffee, a hard crossword puzzle and a sharp number 2 pencil with a good eraser. Instead, at 6:00 am, in the lingering night that makes a December morning, I was driving through fog, interspersed with rain, to meet three Randonneurs in Vineland, New Jersey and ride a 201 kilometer route through five south Jersey Pineland counties. 

Friday Writings for Randos - Re-learned lesson

{Friday Writings for Randos - A weekly post that features pieces from other writers that touch some facet of the Randonneuring experience, even if that was not the author's intent. It's stuff that's best read out loud - slowly.} This week it's:...

An excerpt from:

Schuylkill to Susquehanna Permanent (1/16/2010)

 By Don Jagel*

  
Riding along River Road, at about 60 miles into the ride, I was really starting to pay for my early effort. My butt was dragging.  Arriving at the Subway Restaurant (Control 3) in Columbia, we stopped for lunch.  By this time the temperature was well into the 40's, and close to 50.  Wow, that is the way January weather should be.  After lunch we started the uphill ride out of Columbia. My fatigued legs didn't like the idea of spinning again, especially after sitting for awhile during lunch. Rick patiently waited for me on the uphills and tried to hold himself back on the flats so he wouldn't leave me too far behind.

Riding across America

Typically, I save the links to other people's writings for Fridays. But I've been enjoying Chris Nadovich's account of his 2009 bike ride across America. He wrote it en route. It's honest, direct, plain spoken, and funny in an understated way. I don't know how many people have read it so far, but more people should. It rings true, possible and audacious all at once and that makes it all the more inspirational. I left the best parts back at the source, but here's a small sample. . .