mileage

1299.3 as of Saturday

On a roll....

That's a good pun, eh? I guess that's - puns and multiple posts - what happens when one stays out late.

Missed this kick-ass fixie article from Wired the 1st time around.

Bamboobike

This fella has crafted his own bike out of...BAMBOO. Apparently, he's not alone.

This article by famed bike fixit manual guy Zinn talks about Craig Calfee, perhaps the most famous (well kinda famous - I didn't know of bamboo bike frames until tonight) bamboob.

And I thought I was clever for wearing a shower cap over my helmet during rainy days...

bike report

Mileage: Not sure. Bike's downstairs again. I'm posting from home and I'm macramed to the couch.

I had a lot to lug to work today. I'm always surprised how a few extra pounds make the hills that much harder. The weather is still chilly and very un-spring like. Bah.

I didn't smell anything at the restaurant commisary today. Perhaps it was an off day.

I watched the Doppler radar all afternoon, and planned to leave with enough time to avoid the rain, and I was successful. I even left work rather late.

I kept my clear plastic shower cap in my pocket just in case it started pouring, but there was no need. (The shower cap fits perfectly over my helmet.) By the time I arrived home, the sky was only spitting.

The ride home was nice. I went past the hospital on the way home. I like that four-way stop. I can't think of anything else that's interesting about my ride home today.

It's supposed to POUR tomorrow. We'll see about riding, since I'll have my laptop and I don't have a waterproof bag. Need to fix that - I like riding in the rain.

bike trail hurrah!

i've often thought about taking the anonymous mask off and revealing semi-personal information but i always get scared to do so. my justification for keeping this anonymous has always been that if it's anon, i can actually be more open about my opinions.

well that's dumb because i know there's no such thing as an anonymous blog, so i practically post nothing and that's no good too. i could do so much more - photos, video, etc. but I hold back. maybe one day i will work up to it...

sorry, off topic...

back to the heart of the matter...i am very excited because after years of debate, an already long bike trail in my area is going to be extended nearly to my house, well 6 miles away. (easier than accessing the trail via the beltway!)

i really want to post details, but i don't want to reveal details about me, so i'll sum it up by saying a very generic:

the trail is so cool because you can go to, um, other cities on it, and some of those cities have bed and breakfasts. nice.

perhaps this should have been titled rails to trails are cool...

Critical mass

I was all excited about breaking my CM hymen, but alas, that will not happen this month. Instead, I will be going somewhere with my grandma (family before protests, people!!!).

I am curious to find out how the CM'ers operate in my area.

After all, I haven't ever seen a CM rally/protest/demonstration/whatever, but I've heard plenty of stuff about them and I'm not about:

1) gettin' arrested
2) puttin' my bike down in the middle of the street (what if it's scratched!?! just kidding)
3) fighting with the po-lice
4) acting afool

Instead, I am about showing people that bikes are allowed on the street so face it, people.

Yeah, that's my agenda.

I see why some people in some cities where police aren't apparently aware of the laws are mad and taking action, and to that I say "Solidarity, brothers and sisters." (in a very white girl way). But my situation is different. We have police on bikes, and not a ton of bikes, but - KNOCK ON WOOD- I am used to faily polite cars (and confused pedestrians who start to resemble zombies whenever they see a bike while walking in crosswalks.)

This is not what husband thinks. He sees things quite differently and says that he does want to go to CM and put his bike in the middle of the street and all that. Glad to know that we're not into groupthink in my household.

ride report

miles: my odometer is downstairs and i'm too lazy to get up to look. plus, i don't think it worked today. again.

took a yoga class tuesday. i haven't done yoga in, what, three weeks and my body reminded me of that. need. to. do. yoga. more. often. that's that.

ah yes, on to today's ride...a bit nippy on the way to work. i didn't eat a big breakfast, just had a little yummy date, and that seemed to give me superpowers. i felt quite light and strong. i also think the cloudy, damp weather helped. my body seems to like that kind of weather.

i went to an afternoon meeting downtown and took the bike. takin' the bike to a meeting just feels so liberating. not only did i find a parking space quite easily -- hello! i'm a bike!! -- but it took me less time.

i even took a mini lunch today - stopped at the starbucks (ooh, corporate evil! flaggelate me!) for a chai latte (damn trendy bitch! you're disappointin' me!). i tried to hang out, i really did, but i just couldn't hang out. i had to get back to work. i'm that way.

so i pedaled on back to work and then closed the door to my office to make the quick change back into my work pants (i change into my cycling shorts because i hate to mess up my work pants. i am that way.)

we had indian food for dinner and then ice cream for dessert (our friends forced us to get the ice cream). boy am i glad i ride my bike to work.

no riding today

it's snowing in april. no big surprise; this is what the weather does.

on top of that, have a yucky head cold thanks to evil airplane fumes. ever since that trip to the mutter museum, i'm convinced that legionnaire's disease is in every hotel i stay in, every plane i ride in.

i brought my yoga clothes out of town with me, but there was no time to yo, so to speak. i really ran my ass off, much more than i remember in previous years.

therefore, it's been at least 3 weeks since my last yoga class. i must get back tomorrow no matter what.

as for riding, it looks like the sun and warmish weather will be back monday, but with a cold morning low, i'll be getting at least one more use out of my face mask and gloves for this year.

no riding today

Out of town for industry conference.

Rode about 100 miles over the weekend and had lots 'o fun doing it. Want to suppliment business trip with yoga, but can't seem to find the time. Been incredibly busy and think I'll stay that way as long as I'm here.

Heading to sleep now...

bike report

Mileage when I got to work: 1198.1

Highlights: The restaurant commisary smelled like yeasty doughnuts; I have decided that that is officially my favorite scent. I just hate when they're making veggie soup, which has a sort of sour smell, because that smell lasts a whole block.

Also today, I raced a street cleaner (the machine, not a person walking along). I won due to a red light, but the street cleaner was really gunning it.

My CatEye is working again. It's getting feeble in its old age and I noticed earlier this week that it was not registering miles and wasn't registering speed, either. I fiddled with the location of the microphone-lookin' pickup and all was better.

Highlights from the ride home yesterday: A kid who, I guess, was keepin' it real, yelled, "Heeey muthafucka!". I yelled back, "Hey muthafucka." He smiled. I think he was surprised.

bike report

Mileage when I got to work: 1178.6

It was raining most of the way, and although I blogged earlier about getting a wet butt, I still haven't purchased a fender.

The only interesting part of my commute this morning is actually quite embarrasing. I was going down the long hill to my work (that I have to go back up on the way home) and I decided to take the right lane because traffic was rather light.

I glance back periodically when I take the lane, so I notice that a car just like ours is approaching. Since husband is driving today (suit and tie day and nowhere to shower/change), I assume he's being my buffer for the other traffic. The car slows and pulls to a parking meter, so I stop too.

Only then do I notice that the driver is a black lady, not my honky (Danish heritage) husband.

As she's getting out of the car, I tell her I thought she was my husband. She looks at me funny. I ride off.

Bland and boring, thanks

I purposefully keep this blog bland, boring and impersonal. Details are sketchy, yes they are. Boring this blog is, yes. That's what a life in the media will do to you - make you not want to reveal a damn thing about yourself. Perhaps when I embark on my next career as the lady of a South American estate, I'll let you in a little closer...or perhaps not.

I created this blog, eh, I don't know why. Regardless, only you, dear reader (and dear husband) knows about this blog and that's fine with me.

So, a little about my weekend, eh?

Did a little 50-mile training ridelet with a group of men a few decades older than myself. One guy in his 40's (one of the younger ones - he isn't exactly decades older) really kicked ass in that European and he has the accent and name to prove it way. His wife evidentially makes some sort of health bars with fruits AND veggies -- not her job or anything, just because they're healthy like that. Anyway, this guy pushed a consistent 22 mph no prob. Nice.

The rest of the group (except for the nice guy we dropped pretty early) was cruising - lots of conversing - around 18 mph. I was in between the two groups, riding on my own and making pretty good time but, well, not pushing it in the least. I didn't "feel the burn" unfortunately. I felt good and not at all worn out when the ride was over.

Encountered a LEFT! asshole on the way back (rails to trails, baby) to the car. I gave my husband a look and took off after him. He was only going 21.5. No biggie. I am not fast, and I don't consider that a fast average on the relatively flat bike path.

So, something inside me snapped and I decided I was going to overtake him (I considered several options, which included lecturing him that if he wants to zoom around 70 year olds on cruisers and little girls with pigtails and pompom things on their handlebars, he should really try a road, dumbass) when we got close to a family, spread out all across the trail and a Rollerblading couple that's nearly parallel to them.

I'm sure you know what happens next. Dumbass yells LEFT!!!! and dangerously slips in between the two, just barely pulling it off. What a total idiot.

We were getting closer to civilization, so there were more kids and people in general and there was even a sign posted (just like the ones on the road) with a 20 mph speed limit. I slowed it down to 20 and the guy just kept going.

Then, came the point where there's a slight jog to get on a country road that parallels the trail. Husband decides to catch LEFT!!! but I stay behind because I don't want to even consider the guy anymore. These idiots are a dime a dozen and not worth it.

Husband did the LEFT! manuever to LEFT! by the way, just for the fun of it.

There's no point. I don't want to, nor have I ever confronted those idiots. Who knows, a confrontation may be in order when the kid pedaling the pom-pom adorned pink bike with the white tires is mine.

Photos: Ride those old stones, boys

Retro tees

I bet this retro Kraftwerk Tour De France tee would probably strike a chord with cycling hipsters.

Single-speeding it

Husband, this link is for you.

bike report

Mileage when I got to work: 1090.9

A rainy ride to work today. I need a fender or a longer jacket or a shorter skirt (kidding) because my butt is wet.

bike report

Mileage when I got to work: 1074.5

I know I posted this before, but it's still true, nearly a week after the cold has broken: I'm having a hard time adjusting to warmer weather rides to work. I still wear my tights (it's in the 50's going to work, so that's about right) and I also wear a tee shirt in between my jersey and light jacket. The jacket doesn't even have any lining.

Today's riding home forecast will be incredible - sunny and temps in the 70's. Nice. Not tights weather at all!

Rode downtown last night with husband, through some parks, past Opening Day festivities and made it home just in time for sunset. We were careful (well, as careful as one can be besides not riding) to avoid drunken people.

We also rode together to work, at least partway. I "dropped him off", so to speak, and then continued a few miles more to my work. It's not nearly as cool as those tandem families with the parents and kids all mounted up on a long bike. I read one time there's a dad who commutes via tandem and drops his kids off at school (via tandem) on the way. Not being too familiar, I gotta wonder how he can ride the tandem alone.

Hokey, but I want 'em

I really want these spoke enhancers, er "Hokey Spokes".

Yes, hokey is exactly what they are, and I want them, don't need them. The official website has even more details.