This morning’s ride was the BEST!

This morning’s ride was the BEST! Universal components collaborated to offer me a flavour of why individuals ride bikes.

Since I drove yesterday, I went home & jumped rope on my trampoline (forgot to time it, but it was very short!). I was anxious that this morning’s pedal was going to be a struggle. Selecting the 8-5 clothes was a challenge. I was having one of those rare ‘I don’t like any outfit I put together’ moments. Finally, an hour later, lunch & work clothes were ready. I sprayed the squeaking pedals & chain with WD40 & slipped between chilly sheets, snuggling into my featherbed.

5:10 a.m. I staggered bleary-eyed towards the shower. A leisurely breakfast of tea & oatmeal & blueberries, was followed by heating broth to go w/ kitty kibble. 6:42 I was on the bike. Due to the temp, I was in my bag lady attire (see First Ride: minus the woolen cap)

What an ideal morning for me to pedal to work! Air temp was 41, low humidity (for E TX), & winds NNE 7mph. No Squeaking!! Even my heels weren’t banging the front sides of the rear baskets! I pedaled in 2 +6 (I have no idea yet, what to name the gear levels) most of the flat way & even those sneaky slow inclines.

I pedaled (wobbled, gasped!) all the way to the top of my first incline! And never got off, or stopped to rest. I rested; waiting on the light sequence then started off again. Halfway. I passed an older jogger, dressed all in black, his head tipped uncomfortably to the side. The darn light right before the second incline got me too. BUT I pedaled all the way up it! AND Never Stopped! Believe me, any one of you could probably have been walking faster then I was pedaling! But the point is I did not get off & walk. 1 small triumph for me! Let’s see if I can keep the trend.

I hit the back door of work @ 7:24. I like cold, low humidity, no wind days for pedaling! (Does this imply I should consider moving N or NW??) Even my flat on top, wildly untamed mess of hair doesn’t impact the quiet excited buzz I feel.

The New Year Podcast from the Kboo Bike Show provided my entertainment( though I almost fell off my bike when a guy was discussing that he 'liked to be finished riding 60-80 miles by 2 pm when taking a bike trip so he could enjoy the area stopped at'). Texafornia over at Zen & the Art of Triathlon reccomended the site to me, as a resource for a beggining bike commuter.

I did see one thing that appeared surreal. Pedaling past the local Planned Parenthood, I was busy contemplating the first incline & was spooked by a tall almost gaunt silhouette of a man. Standing there in the dark, pressed up against the fence, glaring in self-righteous indignity and mournful wrath at a structure empty of inhabitants, not yet open for the business of perpetuating the sins he perceives. Creepy.

Muscles around my knees are a little tight, but not bad. My toes were trying to cramp when I zipped my boots. Weather for this afternoons pedal, should be pretty decent. 65 & maybe the winds are going to flip over to S 5-10 mph! I am anticipating the pedal home to be nice.

Breakfast:
Earl Grey, cream 2 sugars
Oatmeal, pecans, blueberries, cinnamon

Snack:
Apple slices, 2 cubes of Colby
Mint tea
1 Ghirardelli dark choc raspberry square

Lunch:
½ order of shrimp Pad Thai
some trils mix of nuts & rasins

Snack:?

Dinner?

Hmm I am seeing that I don’t heat enough veggies, too much cheese, & have reduced the chocoholic tendencies, but still have a major creamy sweettooth.