Gettin' Over The Hump

We'll be getting over a couple of humps this Wednesday, that little hump between now and Friday, and the bigger hump of the Winter Solstice, which occurs at 11:30PM on December 21. We will have that paltry 9hour 49minute 30second day behind us. New Year's Day will be 31 seconds longer than New Year's Eve as the days get longer at an encouraging rate. On March 11, the day we go back to Daylight Savings Time, sunset will be at 7:14PM and the eleventh will be 2minutes 10seconds longer than the tenth.

Date	Sunrise	Sunset	This day	Difference	Time	Altitude	Distance

Dec 20, 2011	7:12 AM	5:02 PM	9h 49m 33s	− 06s	12:07 PM	31.9°	147.177
Dec 21, 2011	7:13 AM	5:02 PM	9h 49m 30s	− 03s	12:07 PM	31.9°	147.168
Dec 22, 2011	7:13 AM	5:03 PM	9h 49m 30s	< 1s	12:08 PM	31.9°	147.158
Dec 23, 2011	7:14 AM	5:03 PM	9h 49m 33s	+ 03s	12:08 PM	31.9°	147.150
Dec 24, 2011	7:14 AM	5:04 PM	9h 49m 40s	+ 06s	12:09 PM	31.9°	147.142
Dec 25, 2011	7:14 AM	5:04 PM	9h 49m 49s	+ 09s	12:09 PM	31.9°	147.134
Dec 26, 2011	7:15 AM	5:05 PM	9h 50m 02s	+ 12s	12:10 PM	31.9°	147.127

You can follow your solunar path to springtime here.

Don't get me wrong. I'm years past wishing away any of my days, but it is encouraging to realize that at just about the moment that the shortening days start affecting the mood, the pendulum swings. Our harshest winter weather lies ahead but we'll be getting a little more sunshine every day.

Not that it's been all that bad..
After an intense work day, I fell to the temptation of Tuesday's humid 60 degree temperature and headed down to the River Trail about 4:00. There were a few optimists out riding in shorts and short sleeves, but I found the addition of knee warmers and a long sleeve base to be perfect for the mellow conditions.

The winter light and the clouds help make I-430 a thing of beauty on a calm evening.

Tuesday was as comfortable an evening as we can hope for in late December; warm, humid and not a breath of wind. It pays to be ready to ride and there were quite a few folks out and about enjoying the unexpectedly nice evening.