Belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Simeon Green – French Bureau (Aus & Fr) http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/default.asp?pg=fullstory&id=5546

Sim soaking it up in Oz… a long way from the frozen roads of France.

Joyeux Noel from Oz.

It’s that time of year again… or is it? I usually spend Christmas at home, in the South of France. Every winter, Christmas rolls around and wakes us up with its frosty (hopefully snowy) festivities. A tradition for me is to get up and go for an early Christmas morning ride, (or at least what we in France call “early morning”). There’s something magical and special about riding on Christmas morning. The frosted ground turns the area into a postcard winter wonderland, and this is probably one of the only times in our modern world when you can go out on a bike and listen to the sounds of silence traveling through the crisp cold air. Everyone is wrapped up warm in their houses, lights shine through the windows leaving golden shadows on the white ground where cars are crammed in the driveway as families get together for a long French family lunch. There’s something magical about being alone on the roads, seemingly watching the world from an outside point of view. This year however will be somewhat different. A far cry from wrapping myself in 3 winter jackets to brave the -4 degrees of our French Christmas morning in the middle of winter, I will be spending Christmas in Australia, in the sun and on the beach with friends. Christmas in the middle of summer, so is it “that” time of year, or not? Either way, I’m not complaining!Here’s wishing all the jolly readers of PezCyclingNews a very Joyeux Aussie Noel! May the New Year bring you all much joy and success, many great rides and a 2008 cycling season that promises to be full of surprises as we move into a new era.Ho ho hooo... I hope Santa brings me sunscreen!