Me and My Shadow

Tomorrow will push me back into the century commuter weeks! My body is happy... and maybe also a little sore/tired.

The unpredictable weather made prepping clothes for the week difficult. Biked home yesterday in shorts and a tank top only to return this morning in full leggings and ski base layer.

Challenge Anew

Sometimes we judge people. Sometimes the person I'm judging is me. I had a day that... if I were not me... I might judge.

I hit up a learning session at a dev conference, followed it up with the farmer's market and my son's soccer game. If I had quit there, it wouldn't be enough. I went home via the biodiesel shop that is also a remarkable vintner and organic produce stand. By the time my sister arrived from across the state after her apple-picking adventure, any connection to my tree hugging self was lost to my elitist counterpart.

Guilt has set in. There's an oil spill in Alabama. I have means and ability to do better. These aren't first or third world issues. Alabama has real world / in your face / here because of our wastefulness Issues.

I'm looking at my week, and I hope you will too. Where can you streamline your trips? Can you do more with less? How? Find it. Do it.

Bike packing attempt 1: chicken church to shakori. Total success.

Admittedly, I set out later than you should in summer. I wasn't worried. I don't mind heat and I had plenty of water.

Let's roll back a few months. I saw a picture of a road that simply ended with the caption "sink hole". I paid little attention because it was across a lake far from any of my regular routes.

EXCEPT THIS DAY, of course. On this day, I totally found the closed road due to sink hole.

I detoured around the steepest golf course around. On our first really hot day. It was the smallest lateral mileage, but clearly the most climb. I would have known this had apple kept up with the sink holes in america.

I got a little grouchy. A little tired. I called for a pick up.

The ride didn't come through, and I was still suffering. I took a minute. I sat down on the roadside and drank in steady breath and shade. I realized I was shivering and began connecting the dots. I sent a text to my heart spoken ninja who would figure it out from a distance if necessary - "Have heat stroke. GPS pin here."

When my symptoms abated enough, and I got back on the bike. Here began the suffering. It was a mile up the road and around the bend to the grocery story. I zombie'd myself into the store and bumped into the perfect person - a product guy holding a monstrous wedge of watermelon on a stick. The grocery stores here are so cool because they sell odd lawn furniture. In this case, there was a hammock. I laid down in the air conditioned hammock with a couple watermelon popsicles and waited for recovery to find me.

When I set back out, I had a record-breaking 5mph pace including rest. The spot in this picture was a swimming hole. I stopped for ice a few miles later before I saw the shot gun adorned sign "Enter at your own risk."

I slept in a hammock under stars this night after an amazing set of live music. Maybe bad things also happened on this adventure, but I choose to remember showering in a farm shower in the forest and waking up to cold-brewed coffee. Long live Shakori.

Pollen season

I took a cup of coffee with me as I left the house. Sip, pedal, sigh. So happy.

A mile later, I pour out a little dribble from the top to clear a small amount of pollen that collected on the lid. Whatever. Sip, pedal, sigh. So happy.

The second time I went for a sip, I had to actually lose some coffee. Hm. Ok. Sip, pedal, sigh. Happy.

I'm not the squirmish type. I don't really mind pollen, except that it irritates my eyes in the wind. Sunglasses help. When I had to quit drinking my coffee because there was a coffee-pollen paste in the lid, I used some foul language. Unacceptable!

Cause I'm #reflective like that

Picked up a great new reflective Sugoi jacket in the REI sale. Very happy about this.

Can we take a minute to enjoy that I took my morning conference call from the sunny side of this tree?

The timing wasn't quite going to work for me, so I made sure to charge my phone. To my mind, this moment was a marvel. I was on the phone with Atlanta, New York, and India from the sunny side of this tree.

Mental Images

I joke about it... But then it happens. I set out on the commute thinking how light the pedals felt -- how good it felt to take up space and be with me. I'm about a mile down the road of happiness when it dawns on me that I left my bag at home. And my hands are really cold.

Round tripped back to the car. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on my mood, my bizoys don't clean up after themselves. There was one of each of their gloves for the ride to work. They were even  left and right matched.

Golden Modes

This afternoon I'm receiving an Honorable Mention for a Golden Spoke award. While that is a super-great esteem from my peers, I'm motivated to do more in the next year.  Here are my next set of goals.

1 - Start more conversations with people about why and how they can get around in a smarter way.

2 - Attend the Bike Summit in DC in March.

3 - Go to more BPAC meetings.

4 - Organize a bike safety event for at least one school.

5 - Don't fall over in carpool... or maybe just don't blog about it.

Fall Colors

This morning I got up and realized that I could wear whatever I wanted on the bike. It was going to be that perfect temperature where you didn't have to wear any kind of special gear to manage the sweat or freeze.

It was so beautiful. The conversation with myself went, "You know, I really prefer these flips flops when I ride these pedals. I'll change to them."

This is either a terrible idea or an amazing one

I'm happy to report there were no moments of watermelon splatter ala Galager on my trip to work. Watermelon was enjoyed and shared. A belt was given a good purpose in life.

Off the Chain

On my way to work I pass this house with a very large Doberman Pinscher chained to the roof. This dog scares me. I guess by chaining him to the roof, the owners are doing him the favor of keeping him from getting tangled around a tree. Each day I pass this dog I put up a little prayer for that rope. I also wince as the rope grabs him back at the perimeter.

My typical defense from a dog is a stern "GET OFF THE COUCH" command. Typically, this works well. Most dogs know this one. I don't know if this dog has been allowed inside his house. He didn't know the command. Still, there's a couch on the porch. I thought he might get it.

Anyways, I'm riding the SevenStarsSecondSundaySpin and we go down my route. This is so fun, guys! I'm looking around at these great people on bikes, and I think they should always be with me on this road. Super fun to have buddies on a ride. We get to the part with the dog, and I tell them about my fear, my prayer, and my wince. We all chuckle. We travel on safely.

Of course, they didn't all come meet me and ride home with me from work the next day. I'm cruising down on this beautiful day when I get close. I start tensing up and prepping my routine of prayer and wince. Except this day, when I get to the wince part... the dog breaks the chain.

No, for serious. He breaks the *&^%* chain. The dog is now chasing me down the street. I'm instantly sprinting, thankful for the downhill slope. Holy Moly. Only Magnum knows this fear.

I've learned since telling this story a couple of times about something called Unchain Your Dog. http://www.unchaindogs.net/ Please protect your dog. Help other people care for their dogs. Nobody's trying to be mad. We're all just trying to get to work or home from work.

I also put together a little treat bag that I can rip off my handlebars and throw at him for next time. I'm relieved but also sad to report that I haven't seen him since that day.

Morning commute win.

My ride to work rocked yesterday. Get it? Rocks, rocked...

I'm a Safety Girl

The current working theory is that people will be more concerned with my safety if I appear concerned with my safety. At the very least, this thing is bright and reflective and reminds me of all the pie on GRABAAWR.

I can't find the source, so maybe I'm creating a memory. I would love to find the study around Amish triangles and slow moving vehicle safety.

"I'm a safety girl" ~Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman

Overdressed for 50 degrees

Something to know about commuting by bike: you're going to deal with weather.

On this morning, I put on my tights because it was the first sign of cool weather. It was also drizzling. Wet + cool meant I needed tights. And full finger gloves. And boots. Except, it wasn't as cold as I remember 50 degrees feeling. I was peeling off layers and opening vents on my jacket.

#whyiride #swoon #tourdefat #commuter #nofilter