Winter

My brain finally clicked off during finals week, and I stumbled to the end of the first quarter of B-school. Two days later I hopped a plane for Europe and spent some quality time doing a whole lot of very little and sleeping in. Four books in 16 days and eventually some short but regular rides brought me back to even keel by the time 2008 shut it's doors.

The Geneva area was hit by a warm spell just as western Oregon was hit by crippling snow. I left the day before Eugene took it on the snout.

Tucked up on the edge of the hills, there are two options this time of year: along the hills, or down into town. So, along the hills I rode. I ticked off the miles along the same roads most days, but, being completely new to them, boredom was forestalled for a while. Instead I picked my way back along the same roads, endlessly considering why, at an otherwise normal intersection, there always seemed to be several direction arrows pointing to towns and roads of significance and one reassuring sign that read "Toutes Directions" ('all directions').