how do you get there?

I admit. I have been in hibernation. Today I got out on my bicycle. Tonight actually. It was dark. It was windy. It was cold.

I did about 2/3 of a butterlap. I felt incredibly out of shape. Yes, me. I don't always ride my bike. I can make many excuses. Lately, I have used winter as one of them.

But tonight reminded me of why I like to ride as my main means of transporting myself.

How much energy does it take to move my body one mile? How much more when I have to go up a hill? Against the wind?

I think you know how that feels. I think you will know how far you can push your body, when your body is all you have - and the frame joined by two wheels underneath you.

How happy do I feel afterwards when I've seen that my body can still do it? Mucho. And next time, I can do it even better.

When we all pull up to a stoplight together, we can talk about our day. I can meet you. You can meet me. Really.

A nice young man explains to me that he knows how to bake sourdough bread.

I can sing my friend Happy Birthday.

We can all stop for a beer... or two... or three.

We form friendships because we transport our bodies through the night together. We wait for each other to catch up. We finish the ride in the same place with the same people.

We make an effort with our muscles, our lungs, our hearts and we will do it all over again tomorrow. Or the next day. It doesn't matter. As long as we keep doing it.