My recent weekend at Wilbur was as lovely as always, but being there does also involve some work, albeit of the most pleasurable and relaxing kind. While I was there, I was looking at the calendar and seeing if I could navigate having a few days with no obligations at all (the freelancer’s curse is not wanting to turn down work, and having some things to do all the time). I realised that I could beg out of the Monday sitting – especially as Zachary was already out of town – and the Dogen study group, and take an entire Sunday and Monday off. I could then follow this up with a day and a half of work and go into a Thanksgiving weekend where all I had on the calendar was a roam on Friday.
We have had a long stretch of dry, warm, and windless weather, which made my free time most enjoyable – and there is rain coming in the forecast, thankfully. I spent last Sunday night in Calistoga after a day out; it is a lovely place to spend some time, and was delightfully cold first thing the next morning. The trees were probably showing their best autumn colours, in ways you don’t see you much in San Francisco (I posted some photos on Patreon).
For Thanksgiving, apart from a sweet small dinner with friends, I planned for two long rides, as well as the roam, and on the Saturday got to spend some time out on Point Reyes, which was stunning in the warm sun. I got to see a whole string of gorgeous sunrises and sunsets (most of which have been shared on Instagram).
And in between times, I could spend many hours watching the World Cup – allowing myself to put all the political aspects aside – as a familiar way to relax and do nothing. Typing this on Sunday evening, I am tired, but mostly from the longest ride I have done in several months. I hope to be bouncing back to work this week refreshed and ready for the rest of the year.
Shundo David Haye 