Today, I turned 56 years old, and I'd been planning a "Ride Your Age"
for some time. It was all coming together: I'd cleared the deck of
professional obligations for the day, the weather had warmed up
beautifully, and I was ready to go.

Then yesterday my eye became infected (for the third time). This means
stabbing pain when I look into light, and a bloodshot, watery eye. And
that meant a special unplanned visit to the eye doc this afternoon.

That meant removing the contacts, putting on glasses I'm not used to,
and wearing the patch to protect against the ice cream headache that
light gives me. And I thought it meant giving up the ride.

There wouldn't be time, and I wasn't exactly up to snuff physically.
And then I realized I could probably wobble around the neighborhood for a
while with my newfound monocular vision, if I just had the desire.
And so, I snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, by pedaling 5.6 miles exactly.

I can do the Ride Your Age anytime in the coming year, but I've marked
my birthday with a ride that, while short, was an exhilarating
experience of the joy of being alive on a warm, woodsmoke filled
day in San Diego.

PS: Thanks for reading this far!