Well the years just keep rolling on by, don't they?

My big treat to myself this year was a new car. After 10 years and 100,000 miles of faithful service, it was time to say goodbye to my '94 Celica and hello to a bright blue '05 PT Cruiser. It’s a gorgeous car and I love having all that space for carrying bicycles or home improvement supplies.

I'm still attending various events at Lake Harriet Spiritual Community (LHSC) and helped document the building revitalization by photographing the LHSC Dome Painting in March.

I continue to ride and socialize with friends in the Twin Cities Bicycling Club (TCBC). In April, I helped with set-up and rode the 39th Annual Minnesota Ironman Bike Ride and also organized the 2nd Annual TCBC Swap Meet. Several friends and I headed to northern Minnesota in June to stay at mom's cabin for Fox Lake Follies XXIV and the 16th Annual Tour of Lakes Bicycle Ride. Later in June, a group of us rode out to Stillwater to watch the professional racers at the Great River Energy Bicycle Festival. In October, I attended Jody H & John L's Wedding; it was John that introduced (inducted?) me to "real" bicycling back in 1990.

In July, fellow Odyssey 2000 (O2K) rider Ben W and partner Jenny M arrived on their tandem and stayed with me for a couple days. They were midway on their ride from the east coast to the O2K 5-year reunion in Washington state. In early August I met up with O2K rider Barb S and spent a few days visiting friends Dick and Heidi P at their beautiful home in Sequim, Washington. They were wonderful hosts as well as capable tour guides for two gorgeous days of hiking in Olympic National Park. Barb and I then continued on to the O2K reunion on Orcas Island where we had an amazing turnout. About half of the original riders and staff attended and it was great to see many folks I'd not seen since we parted in Singapore. In late September, I met up with a smaller group of close O2K friends for the Tour d'Avila. Our fabulous host Carissa C treated us to an incredible week of cycling, food, and wine tasting along the California Coast.

Most August and September weekends were spent at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival again this year. I have a great time dressing up in period costume and assisting friends Jon A and Sunny P at their pottery booth.

This year I joined the Single Volunteers of the Twin Cities (SVTC) and participated in a few events including the October Fall Harvest Fund Raiser.

I did only a few home improvement projects this year and have nearly completed my interior décor also. I just need to find that last couple of perfect accessories. I've got a few more fixes planned for next summer and hope spend a bit of time on some landscaping as well. Jedi, Skittles, and I enjoy the space and have a great guest room just waiting for you to visit!

I'm still working on my O2K photo albums and have several months left to publish. Maybe this winter I'll get more of that completed.

This Christmas will be spent with my mom's extended family in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I'll ring in the New Year here at home by hosting my 12th (Nearly) Annual New Year's Eve Party.

That pretty much wraps up 2005 for me. I don't have any specific plans in the works for 2006, but I do have lots of vacation time built up and hope to go somewhere overseas for a bicycling trip. Hope you have a fabulous 2006!

Valerie