A gray wintry day, but that has its own kind of appeal. It was cold and windy, but I was dressed for it and never really felt uncomfortable. Decided late in the ride to do a few extra miles (Gary's 39 v his 34) in an attempt to get closer to a year-end goal. Solo. At one point along Commissioners Pike, a pickup passed me (widely) and I saw his load of produce boxes looked to be listing dangerously despite the shrink-wrap. Sure enough, soon I came upon him picking up cardboard and sweet potatoes from the blacktop. On my second pass late in the ride, I thought about picking up and bringing home one of those orange beauties still lying there, but by then I had the bit (and the balaclava) between my teeth and was in a hurry to finish. Also on Commissioners Pike, I came upon what looked like an accident scene, with a tow truck and an older Chevy SUV near a piece of badly mangled guard-rail end. No ambulance, which I took to mean that no one was hurt. Like someone said: Ride a bike, see stuff.