Best things about a bike, round 1

Taking a break from riding makes one realize the best things about riding. For instance, I haven't had to scrape my windshield for a few days, though I hear the schwick, schwick of others doing it. I haven't used a gallon of gas warming up my car so I could stand to sit in it for the ten minute trip to work. I've been able to avoid the stack up at the stop light and have not been pulled over for an expired license plate tag.

Warming up the car, that's what we do when we drive this time of year. It gets the oil moving through the engine, lubricating the parts that make the engine work. Turns out that warming up on the bike is doing the same thing. The first mile or so it feels Godawful cold and you wonder "what the hell am I doing..." then next thing you know you're starting to warm up. Noticeable first in the core area. You got your heart pumping when you first avoided that big truck and now you're pumping up the hill. Next your head gets hot, especially if you've got a helmet cover on and a balaclava. You consider taking it off, but then the rain starts and you stay the course.

I love to ride in inclement weather. The hardest part is getting out the door and on that damn bike. It's really not that bad if you have the right gear and the right attitude. The more I ride in the cold, the more I rely on my helmet cover and balaclava. Also key are the wool under-layers and again, my little sandwich bags on my toes. Those little things are the best barrier so far. I will certainly write more about my experiences in February when it is brutally cold again.

There is nothing like the freedom of riding your bike. The feeling of the wind on your cheeks, the fresh air, the sound of tires on wet asphalt. I love this life.

Until we ride again, Ciao!

Rain, rain, rain

It's raining. It has been raining all day. I've been in the hot tub twice today letting the rain fall on my head and contemplating the big ride. I've just spent a good bit of time checking out a wonderfully inspiring website pathlesspedaled.com and I feel such an incredible desire to get on my bike right now and just ride.

How easy and how hard it is to ride a bike this time of year. Sometimes I just want to throw in the towel and give it all up. Give up work, give up the house, give up all my things, the studio, everything and just ride. If only, I think, if only. Alas, the rain is drumming on the porch, it's sounding like the hiss of a steam iron on full blast. Or maybe it's some crazy tribal rhythm telling me it's time to go to bed. Whatever it is, I think it has affected the way I'm thinking tonight and leaves me melancholy, wishing for a chance to start over, to try again, to take the other path.

I'll leave you with just the wish to have an open heart and an open mind.

Until we ride again, and it stops raining, Ciao!

Lights out=FAIL

Agh. It's Monday through and through. At 7:20 this morning I loaded up the bike, turned on all of my lights and started pedaling. Layers of wool to keep me warm, goggles to keep me from crying. I look both ways, pedal forward and realize my front end is dark...no headlight. Nevermind that it had been beaming strongly mere seconds before, now it is unresponsive...flatline. Not good when it is so dark out. So I rode back to the house, jumped in the snow car and burned up the road to work. That's a fail folks. I'll see what the issue is when I get back home. Hopefully only batteries.

Stay warm out there!

Until we ride again, Ciao!

Winter Blues

Ahh, the chill of winter. The deeeep chill of winter. I must admit, I have been off the bike since Thanksgiving when we got a bunch of snow. The guilt for the past few weeks comes in waves, then I remember that I exist on the planet to do many things...one of them being to save my own skin. When the 9" of snow fell, cars and trucks were sliding all over the place. I questioned my own ability to handle the bike in the snow, then realized that no matter how well prepared I am, I can't avoid the sliding truck or car coming at me. So I hung up the bike, put away the panniers and drove the snow car.

Driving for the last several weeks made me feel wealthy. Wealthy because I had the option to drive, that I had warm clothes, that I have friends to help me. Just wealthy with choices. Those first couple of weeks after the snow fell, then melted, then iced over, I didn't see a lot of riders.Last week I started seeing them again. Not necessarily the folks with the full bike outfits, but more so the folks who have to ride out of necessity. Another reason I feel thankful for choice.

In the meantime, I've had plenty of time to reflect on what I've learned so far as a nearly full time commuter. One poignant thing: We cyclists may be doing the wrong thing riding on the road when we don't realize it. Approaching a turning vehicle is one of the most dangerous situations a cyclist has to deal with (especially when no turn signal is used.) One day I found myself shaking my fist at a motorist making a left turn across my path of travel (we were both going the same direction and the bike lane was on the left side.) I had an aha! moment when I thought about whether the car had passed me or if I had come upon the car. Really, I cannot remember if it was me or them, but subsequently I realize that as a cyclist approaching the left signaling vehicle, I must yield, just as I would if I was driving. I know that in the past I've had cyclists get po'd at me for not seeing them to the left...I know now that unless I have passed them and cut them off, that they need to yield to me as a driver. That is if we cyclists want to have the rights to the road...

Tomorrow, January 3rd, 2011, I'll be riding to work, no matter what the weather is and will continue as best I can for the rest of the time as I know it. Our trip to Alaska is scheduled, tickets booked and time off nearly secured. Training season has commenced.

Good tidings and ridings to you and yours for this new year. Let us all ride more and always be polite!

Until we ride again, Ciao!