Happy December, the busiest month of the year on the social calendar; on the bicycle calendar, not so much.
If it’s not too cold or wet, get out there and ride! Burn off those calories from holidays past and holidays yet to come. If you’re free on the 21st, bling up your bicycle and get to Monterey’s Custom House Plaza for the annual Critical Christmas Bicycle Ride!
And so, we’ve finally arrived to my final Spoking my Mind column! After 25 years and 300 columns, it’s finally time to step down. Fear not; as long as the good Lord allows me, I’ll never stop writing… or riding!
Last month, I thanked all of you who joined me on my quarter-century journey of writing for South Valley (née Out & About) Magazine: publishers, editors, shop owners, event planners and especially all you readers! I never could have done it without all of your support.
This month, I want to reiterate my thanks to God, Who steered me to the bike as a way to get back into shape; Who gave me that push to conquer the mountains and savor the downhills; and Who gave me the endurance to finish the ride!
I can’t remember a time when I haven’t ended my December column with the following poem, and I don’t want to break tradition. Since it is my final column, I’ve tacked on a bonus couplet…
I wish you a Happy Hanukkah,
I wish you a Special Kwanzaa,
I wish you a Merry Christmas,
and a Happy New Gear!
May all future years hold much joy and no strife,
Please savor the ride for the rest of your life!
Save the dates
Anytime: Gilroy/Morgan Hill Bike Match, bit.ly/BikeMatch
Dec. 21: Critical Christmas Bicycle Ride, Monterey, See Facebook
Feb. 28: Pedaling Paths to Independence, Linden, pedalingpaths.com
Curt “Cycle Guy” Hentschke is a cyclist, seeker, song farmer, and scribe. Send your cycle celebrations and cerebration to he*********@***il.com.
