deconstructed christmas harmonies

 In previous years, I've posted links to videos of Dodie doing Christmas songs in a minor key. I love them. But it appears she's moved on to other stuff.

But, as if solely to assuage my grief, the internet has come to my rescue. In my thoughtless internet ramblings, I've come across Mary Ann Muglia, a singer and arranger. She arranges Christmas songs, and songs from the Great American Songbook, in wonderful close harmonies of a type that's somewhat out-of-style. They're wonderful, nonetheless.

But better than that: she also posts "harmony breakdowns", where she sings the accompaniment parts first, allowing you to guess where the actual key is going to be. I can't usually get it on the first part, but I can usually get it by halfway through the second. 

I'm pretty sure I'm not making any sense. Here are a couple of examples:

I love them. You will, too.

dfl. better than dnf, I guess

 

Above: Free Wheelers point out one of the "Four Ft Clearance" signs posted at a location suggested by the club. Pic by Martin G.

Laura OLPH listed a ride that was gonna be 35 miles for yesterday, which is about the mileage I want to do these days. I haven't been riding with her and the Hill Slugs, because I haven't been able to keep up with them for the full distance (and they generally go longer than I want to). But because of the shorter distance, even with the hills she likes to do*, I figured I'd tag along for this one.

*I used to be pretty good on a hill, too.

I didn't connect that she was shortening the ride because of the low temps. Holy bananas; it was 28°F (about -2°C) when I left the house, and not much warmer when I parked and started unpacking the car. Peter G has a "Shackleton Index", named for the polar explorer who saved his crew after his ship sank. The Shackleton Index compares how much clothing you have to put on, and how much preparation for the cold weather you have to do, with how long you're going to be able to ride and what you'll get out of it, to derive a value for whether it's actually worth going out for a ride on a cold day. (No, it's not exact, and there's not an actual formula, and yes, individuals will have varying values. Use you imagination, for heavens sake.)

We were nine. Some of us at the start:

 You can see the route on the ride page. Laura thought that the only hill worth mentioning was what she called "the slog on Woodsville Road". There were definitely more hills than that (going up Snydertown, for example). I did pretty well on the hills in the beginning.

As noted at top, we found one of the 4-foot clearance signs at a location suggested by the club. Martin G took the picture at top, and the one below:

Despite the shortness of the ride, we decided to do a quick stop (or what passes for a quick stop in this crew) at Boro Bean:

After the stop, though, I started to wear out. The hills got to me (even the long, slow climb - the kind I usually like - at 518 in Hopewell to Crusher Road), and there was a wind on which I had not counted. I fell back further and further, along with one of the other riders. Laura is always good about having the group wait for stragglers... but nobody likes to be the one holding up the group.

So, dfl. Better than dnf, I guess... And I did get out and do the ride. But I think I'm goin' for shorter, flatter stuff for now. Maybe I'll be in better shape for next summer.