Yesterday, I did the TD Five Boro Bike Tour again. As I said to my wife the night before, I often feel lucky to participate in this bike tour, and there’s simply something magical about the opportunity to ride your bike through the streets of NYC, the FDR, uncontested over the Queenborough Bridge, and my favorite, the gauntlet of the BQE. However, I only wish that I actually cycled anytime during the preceding year. Aside from a brutally cold winter, I scaled back my riding time to being a daddy. This is a trade-off I’d never give up, except that I feel like I was hit by a truck, as my entire body hurts. But, I did it, and I’ll do it again next year.

Couple of side notes: 1) Thanks for the mechanic team on Church and Reade streets at the beginning of the tour. My chain (albeit rusted to the core) unhinged itself on the subway, and they were able to realign it about 5 minutes before our group started. 2) I also pulled a cramp on both legs going up the Pulaski Bridge, and a second momentary panic – thinking the tour was over for me right there.