A short but fun ride to run some errands, drop off the compost, and check the surf before heading out to dinner. Probably should have made some time to surf too, a new swell is filling in.
It has been a good year, achieved many of my goals, closed in on others and was able to slow down and enjoy things a bit more than years in the past. Looking back there is nothing I would change.
On the personal front for the coming year, I want to make it a point to surf more, make the time to ride as often as I was a year ago, and expand the family time allotment. It should be a little easier to manage my time this year with out little girl starting child care 4 days a week.
Looking back on the last year’s surfing I realized that I need to get in the ocean and not just ride past it. The surf is a large part of why our family makes the extra push to live blocks from the beach, and we need to take advantage of that.
In the past few months my riding has morphed from the morning photocycling rambles to 90% errands and commuting. I need to get out of bed early and make more time for to morning fun rides again. Likewise I will be riding longer distances again. Both organized rides like a few randonees, a few mixed terrain centuries, and at least one tour.
A fringe benefit of child care will be more lunch dates with my wife. Fridays will be dedicated daddy days, more riding adventures with our little girl. She still has at least another 8 lbs before outgrowing the BoBike mini.
On the business front of Ocean Air Cycles, the past years leg work will manifest as a real bicycle company, not just an idea and a dream. In the coming weeks the used gear will be moving out of the storefront and onto eBay. The storefront will be getting a facelift in preparation for the line of bags, soft goods and BIKES! I am still working a few design tweeks out, but my frame and bar bags will be added by spring, with saddle bags to follow. The designs and materials are a blend of the traditional with a twist of modern. Soft goods will include the standards like t-shirts and hats, as well as an improved touring wallet design, and some other clothing items. The bike frame sets are still in the engineering phase, with a prototype target for the end of January. The pre-sale and full line should be ready to go by the time weather is getting warm. Everything in the lineup will either be made by me, local contractors or in the case of the frames, U.S. contractors. This helps to keep lead times short while keeping our local economy bolstered up a bit.
I hope that the year was good for you too, and the coming year will be even better. Ride your bike, play outside, and do some new things you have never tried before!!! Don’t wait for the adventure to find you, grab the bars and ride!
