Full moon one week before the solstice.  Went for a night ride counting on seeing the "strawberry moon" after dark.  Well that never happened.  Forgot that at solstice, the moon stays very low.  Hills, trees and low clouds to the SE.

It's been quite cool.  Sun finally broke late yesterday and temps hit the mid-high 60s but came down fast as the sun lowered.  Didn't look but probably low 50s when I got back.  Little wind that died at dark.  Likewise traffic.

Left around 7 on the Mooney.  Stopped for espresso and to fiddle with my new helmet.  (POC Tsomething, basically an updated Trabec but feeling more like a road helmet.  Two more stops to add clothes and reflecting vest/lights.  Felt no rush because the whole point was to be riding late!  Last stop was 6 miles before the turnaround at 25 miles.  Hit that at sunset.  Headlight from flashing to steady soon after.

The ride!  It wasn't a "great" night.  Barely a sunset.  Sun had retired behind the clouds an hour before.  Coming home I never even found the moon's glow.  But - quiet except the animals and not even a lot from them until the late miles when I heard the frogs on leave celebrating or cursing their ship, the frigate.  (As loud as the squids I used to hear fighting when I lived in Alameda.)

Such a pure ride.  Just me and the bike.  And the Mooney!  I'm falling back in love.  Such a comfortable bike.  Love the nice, easy stretch to the handlebars.  Upwind feels natural.  Uphill too.  Yes, I cannot get as low or go as fast as on Jessica.  Jessica's closer and lower bars mean more power climbing.  But all this feels so easy on the Mooney.  And the steering is so, so sweet.  I can ride no hands anywhere, any time.  Steer around anything.  (And the Stronglight Asomething roller bearing 25,000 mile headset is smooth to die for!)  All the contact detail - just right.  Favorite seat exactly where it should be (Terry Fly on a Nitto lugged steel post.  Tektro V-brake levers that my hands love.  No-name bars with moderate and traditional reach and drop and Cinelli 65 style semi-pista rounding of the tops; a feature I love.  I've thought since I used to see all those Bernard Tevenet posters that such a curve would throw one's elbows out climbing and open up the lungs.  20,000 miles of pista HB'ed fix gears and, yup, I still believe that.  Plus! no bruised forearms from riding the drops out of the saddle.

The wheels!  Not light.  2.0-1.8 DB 32 3X equals winter commuter heavy laced to nearly 500g GP4s.  300g 28c tubbies.  The ride: dropped the pressure slightly to 85 front, 90 rear. I think that's it!  No surprises.  No comfort issues at all.  They ride quietly over those "rattle can" speed bumps, 5-7 parallel 1" strips to wake up speeding teenagers.

I rode lit up and reflectorized like a Christmas tree.  All went well until 8 miles from home when the headlight battery warning light came on.  (NiteRider Lumina 1000)  I've had this light several years but haven't used it a lot.  This was a first.  Switched it over to flashing.  Long times between flashes but they were long enough to absorb what was there, unlike the strobe flashers I've had in the past.  I was now on roads I know like the back of my hand so it wasn't an issue.

Great ride.  Great bike.  And what an evening.