Obligatory New Year's Day post

Stoker, the most senior of the three cats for which Jenn and I provide a home, has been telling me how he needs some pets. This is not a different thing for the new year.

I have looked at a few numbers before typing this post. Apparently a fair number of folks have looked to see whether I have posted today--there was a spike of some nineteen visits a couple hours ago (and I keep wondering whether those visits are actual people or spambots).

So here it is, New Year's Day. Societal custom dictates comparisons with past years and discussion of coming goals. Being known as something of an iconoclast, I'm not but so keen on such an exercise, but I'll make a nod to custom anyway.

2012 saw a sharp reduction in bike miles compared to 2011's personal best. As noted before, there were a couple of changes early in the year such that I knew 2012 would not be a banner year for my cycling. Still, I rode a bit over 4400 miles, almost all of them utilitarian in nature. A bit over a thousand of those miles involved one or another of my three trailers and Andy Dyson's first-generation Bikes at Work trailer. Only a little over 1200 of those miles were "feet first," on recumbent bikes, which is a HUGE departure for me (I couldn't have imagined such a ratio five or six years ago). The upright bikes are just easier to use for much of my utility cycling, whether it's load capacity, ease of locking, or some other lesser-known feature, although I also think that trip length is a factor--much of my riding is done within a five- or eight-mile radius right now.

Other notable events in life, new toys department: New-to-me Bikes at Work Trailer, and hitches to connect it to two of my bikes; the Big Dummy, a bike I expected to enjoy although I didn't realize how much I would enjoy it; an assortment of tools, battery-driven and non-powered; my first bike-mounted video camera (which will probably lead to a nicer one at some point, and my having to learn how to edit video).

Other notable events of 2012 for good or not-as-good: Bluegrass Bicycle closed the doors for good, leaving holes in the lives of all involved. I put out my shingle as a handyman, with little fanfare and not much more notice (an advertising budget would help, I'm sure...). BOTH of my stepdaughters earned their Bachelors' Degrees!! Cisco the Dog left our lives after thirteen years of being a sweet, enjoyable companion to Jenn, Rachel, and Sarah, and almost five years with me. I bought a car from my mother, making me the owner of record for three gas-powered vehicles despite that I try to be car-free-light.

Stuff on the horizon for 2013: I'm being recruited for a position in the bicycle business (details are confidential at the moment, and are in the negotiation phase). I'll be doing some more teaching with Bicycling for Louisville and elsewhere. I'm considering attending a symposium in Florida focused on bicycle education, with discussions probably to include getting folks to take the excellent classes we can provide.

What else will happen? Stay tuned...