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We've had just a few days over the past month fit for riding. Some I got out on, some I had to play papaw. I may get a couple more. Hard to know in Kentucky nowadays. Fuel conditioner in the tank. Battery tender on the plug.. Santa soon to come by. I want to wish all you folks a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! and Prayer that the New Year brings better days without so much "illness". Hope you all been good so Santa brings some new toys and accessories fresh from Yama-Mama.. God Bless You All, ESE

Ok, its a slow week and time for a distraction from the "other" issue of the day... I've been growing, harvesting and enjoying my own oranges for the last 25 years, one of my simple joys in life, so here's what I've learned that I never knew I wanted to know... Orange trees produce one crop/year and its almost exactly a 1-year process from bloom to peak ripeness/sweetness. Different varieties bloom/ripen at different times and the most commercially grown varieties are Navel (large, thick rinds, easier to peel and commonly found in the store) and Valencia (smaller, thin rinds, hard to peel but very dense juice content, commonly used for making juice). There are multiple varieties of Navel oranges, Washington & Robertson being the most common. I have Washington Navels. My oranges start turning orange in November and by Christmas, they are all pretty much solid orange. This is the time commercial growers will harvest, pack and store them for delivery to your local grocer. Unfortunately, this is also when the acid content of the orange is highest and they have not yet fully developed their sugars. But, this is when they will have the longest post-harvest shelf life due to the acids fighting the bacterias which would cause them to rot. They are very juicy right now, but very acidic. Later, they become much sweeter but less juicy as the sugars develop, starting around late January. Now, here's where it get's crazy! No other fruit or vegetable that I know of has this characteristic - each annual crop of oranges can amazingly hang on the tree for a solid 6 months after they turn orange and continue to sweeten! The longer they stay, there will be a small % that does rot & drop, but those that survive are absolutely amazing. I also have a lemon tree, it produces year round and once ripe, the fruit will start dropping in about two weeks if not picked. If you've enjoyed homegrown tomatoes vs. store bought, you know the difference in flavor/sweetness, its basically the same thing with most fruits/veggies. Most of us have experienced that, but I suspect most of the world's population has never enjoyed a home-grown, fully tree-ripened orange before. I enjoy sharing them with others who experience them for the first time, they can't believe what they are tasting. For about 6 mos of the year, I get to enjoy a fresh-picked, fresh-squeezed cup of OJ in the morning - one of my simple joys in life. If you are ever in Northern CA from January to June, hit me up!! 😉 Now, a few more interesting tidbits: Oranges can survive freezing temps, down to 28 degrees for a couple of hours due to the sugars acting as a natural antifreeze. I've only had significant crop damage once in 25 years from freezing and I now I put halogen lights in the tree to add some heat if its going to get close. Some will say a hot summer makes for sweeter orange, but now there's a growing camp that says a cold winter makes for a sweeter orange. I subscribe to the latter theory, based on my observations and the premise that like a maple tree, the colder weather causes the tree to push more sugary sap out to act as an antifreeze and protect itself. There's a relatively new & growing threat from some imported fly which spreads a fatal citrus disease. I don't understand how/why its this one and only bug capable of spreading the disease, but I pray it stays away. I will be deeply depressed if I lose my orange tree. And now back to your regular programming.

Merry Christmas Don and everyone, and Happy New Year to all.

In my early 40's, my Dr told me my HDL was low, too low, below 40. Due to genetics, I've always had a lean/slim build and my Dr told me I was at just as much risk of heart disease as someone who was overweight. Blew my mind. That's when I became more serious and dedicated to exercise because that's what my dr told me was the best way to increase it. My last cholesterol test was Nov of 2019 and I came it at 49 for my HDL and 71 LDL. I've known a couple of guys in their early 40's, like me that were slim/lean and dropped dead of heart attacks unexpectedly. Perhaps I was on that same course had I not gotten my cholesterol checked. Glad I did. Glad I found out and thankful for the advice my Dr. gave me to exercise more. I also started doing intermittent fasting a couple of years ago. Fad or Fantastic? All I can say is try it and decide for yourself. I think its fantastic and its not a weight loss thing for me, just the overall body/mind health benefits that I experience from it.

Merry Christmas to all from Deb And Dan. Enjoy the time off and being with family and friends!

Merry Christmas everyone. Let's all stay safe.

Merry Christmas everyone. Get out and ride. I hope everyone gets to enjoy time family and friends.

Merry Christmas to you and all our members also. I hope that everybody has a Very Merry Christmas.