Getting old-ER

As I close in on the last days of my 51st trip around the burning ball we call The Sun, I'm often reminded that "I'm getting old."

No, it's not just my 13-year-old daughter who constantly tells me (in so many ways, from my preferred music to my usage of certain phrases).

And it's not just how I reach for the reading glasses more often.

In fact, more mornings that not I feel creaky and slow when I get out of bed. Fortunately that feeling subsides fairly quickly and I'm back to "normal".

My younger daughter (just turned one early last month) keeps my energy up, mostly out of necessity.

I don't have any epic day-long endurance journeys planned for this birthday (like last year's half-Ironman-ish plus triathlon), but the day after I'll be hosting a ride going up Snoqualmie Pass and back to North Bend. There was a good crowd for this ride last year (in July), so I'm hoping at least a few people will show up. It should be a good time.

On the frame building front, I've got one bike complete and on the road, another about 85% of the way there (and I was almost thinking it was ready for paint, then remembered the braze-ons...), and I "finished" the fork for the 'cross bike. Of course, now that it's painted, I remember the cable guides... At least that was just a rattle-can paint job, easily replicated. Another sign I'm getting old? I'm going to just say that's a sign of being new at the game and not necessarily having the processes down 100%.

Yeah, that's it.

The weather is changing. I can feel it. We're likely done with days over 80 degrees until next July. Leaves are falling. Signs that another "riding season" * is coming to a close. And with it comes, for me and other Virgos, that tick-over of the age digit.

That's okay though. I'm glad to be around to see it. Plenty of adventures ahead.

I recently mentioned to my wife that I was "getting old." She replied with, "Honey, you ARE old." (With an 18 year difference between us, I guess I can see her point.)

"Then I guess I'm getting old-ER," I said.

Older than old...

* What is this "riding season" of which you speak? Yes, I ride year-round. I just don't do events in the winter.