Taking Stock

Going down to Cincinnati tomorrow night. Allison wanted to go down home to work on a photo project in her parents' backyard; I'm headed to Barlow, Ohio early Saturday morning to spend some time with my grandparents, who are celebrating their 60th anniversary. My grandfather is 85, my grandmother 81, and they're both doing well enough. Thing is, is that now that I live in Chicago, I don't get to the farm so much to spend some leisurely hours talking to them, or in the barn, picking through centuries of detritus. My bike's coming along, so if I'm feeling the itch (and don't I always), I'll get out and do my favorite loop. I always look at my time in Barlow as a way to get perspective on things, take my life into account. Sifting through old photos of my great-great-grandfather, or digging into the innards of the blown tractor gearbox in the garage is therapeutic, in a way.

If we get back in time Sunday, I'm doing the John Bryant OVCX race in Yellow Springs. Went there three years ago and broke a crank on the first lap, ending my race. I've been itching for revenge ever since. Up here in Chicago is the Northbrook melee and the weather's looking promising, CX-speaking, for once.