Red River Gorge!!!

Despite the fact that some of my favorite people have their birthdays in February, it has long been one of my least favorite months. 28, or 29, days of grey wet are the norm. Seasonal Affective Disorder is known to be diagnosed more in February than in any other month. Prozac and Celexa purchases climb steeply in February. Netflix sees an increase in requests for the Swedish favorite Grey, or, Not Quite Black But Damn Close in February. Personally, I make up more especially ridiculous "facts" in February than in any other month (with the possible exception of August, when everything melts).

So THIS February saw the beginning of a new approach to this malaise - the geographic cure. We loaded up the dog and various children and roared off to RED RIVER GORGE!! I took my bike, too.

It was sunny, snowy, and, I almost forgot, in a GORGE. Here is the beginning of my ride.

But within five minutes I was climbing this hill up to the Nada Tunnel. I felt like a badass.

I wasn't sure about cycling through the tunnel. I forgot to bring any lights and I'm scared of dark, damp, cave-like structures that can bring death if one meets a Yahoo coming the other way.

I decided to turn around and head back down the hill.

Lovely lovely lovely.

I started up another hill and soon realized that I was not in Red River Gently-Sloping Valley, but Red River GORGE.

It just kept going up. For a mile and a half.

Eventually I got to the top and saw the sign warning me not to poop off a cliff.

You really have to be careful when you're out in the woods.

Here some Sisters of Charity have a house with solar panels and a straw bale addition. They drive Priuses.

This is a neighbor. I think the good sisters could help this family reduce their heating bills.

I rode along the Red River.

And then I was back at the cabin. There was food, warmth, and a hot shower. The Winter Malaise was in retreat.