Tag Archives: Bikerides

Mastering Consecutive Days of Cycling-Entering 600!

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It’s been over a hundred miles since my last post. I turned 500 shortly back from some winter adventures in cycling in Detroit and Chicago. Then I came home and got swept into the waves of days and miles and life. It’s all good and I am exploring more with my YouTube channel which explores both the bookish and bike-ish sides of my personality.

My blog is getting lost in the mix and sadly I’m not sure what to do about that. But I paid for another year of blogging so I will take some time to consider what’s next. If you are new to my blog, I write mostly about biking and although I don’t love how this blog is organized, I just roll with it. I like having multiple bikes and I think having a blog and all the other socials allow for engagement across the spectrum and I’m in it to share insights and adventures, not for some other reason and that’s what matters.

I caught an interesting spring cold which made me think I might have allergies, but looks to be just a head cold. Still riding but not doing much with video today as I sound pretty bad.

The thing about blogging is that you can write and reflect but sometimes it’s a bit incoherent and stream or consciousness which is okay but disorganized. Like a pinball machine not a pool table. At least a pool table has some focus.

Last week, on April Fool’s Day, I turned the calendar to 600 consecutive days of cycling. Why is this a thing with me? Let me get comfortable on the couch while we consider that around 600 days ago I retired. I went from commuting regularly to and from work. It was 20-25 miles round trip and I did it whatever the weather. I usually rode Monday-Thursday and drove on Friday, but after I stopped taking piano lessons (the reason I drove was to get to my piano lessons) I was flexible about the days. I might swap a day for another day. Possibly I did the whole work week but I commuted.

That means I wasn’t necessarily going out for pleasure rides on the weekend. Biking was strictly transportation. Good way to cheat the oil companies, but still, you get my drift. I never wanted to be so far away from my workplace, but sometimes stuff happened. Maybe if the weather was spectacular I’d ride on the off days, but usually I rested. This is interesting to me because as a self-proclaimed avid cyclist I wasn’t riding for the pleasure of riding, I was commuting.

Retirement opens up the discussion about what one does. What DO I do all day? Whatever I want! That’s the snarky answer, but in truth, I ride now in a way that gives me joy and some exercise. Also, I ride every. Single. Day!

Back when I was a youngster looking for a “touring” sort of road bike I recall a conversation about professional cyclists with the bike dude at the shop. “It’ll be interesting to see what bike [fill in the blank with renowned cyclist name] rides when they don’t have to ride the team bike.” I don’t know why that stuck with me. I recall it happening while I was looking over a Colnago but frankly, I was never that into the team bike. I never really cared about speed simply because I don’t ride to race. Never have. Okay, wait… that’s not entirely true. I would have loved to be a racer but I’ll blame my DNA and let’s just say even at my lightest weight it didn’t matter. My speed was still consistently in the 12mph range. The only bike that made me faster was an e-bike, but not by much. Maybe I got up to 15 mph.

When I turned 50 I bought a skinny tired mixte frame bike which fit me like a dream. I did change the saddle, but who doesn’t? This bike is perfect for me. I don’t know what exactly it is about the geometry but it works. The sloping double top tube/stays just work for me. The retro vibe works for me. The nimble handling makes me feel like I can handle anything.

The only thing I couldn’t do well on my Kona Mixte was climb. Enter 2023 and a bike mechanic named Ryan who said I could change that. I had a smaller chain ring added for climbing. I added a double ring and that’s made a massive difference when I need to get up a few of my local hills with 8% to 13% grades. Now I can’t even express how much I love this bike.

Can we talk about that color? I know some just call it brown but to me it has a sort of copper tone which always makes me think of my Crayola box and the metallic colors. I absolutely love how this looks. I named her Gigi and we’ve been together for quite sometime. I came back to her in retirement because she’s the lightest bike and the most agile. I love riding her. She always turns heads and when I added the proper Pelago Rasket to the front she was more mine than anything. Another brilliant suggestion from Ryan! This addition made the bike for me! Put me on a plane to Amsterdam and let me live my life! She’s such a beauty!

Now, if I remember correctly, the bike, a Kona 2012 Roundabout Commuter, (later versions called Coco) cost about $1200. Plus, I’ve had more than a few other bikes in-between then and now, but this is my retirement bike. She has 14,298 miles and the next bike with that sort of mileage is my the e-bike I used for commuting from 2019, which is at 15,204 miles.

Popping back to my commuter days for a moment, I started commuting both to and from work in 2017. I was looking for a post about that history but I can’t locate it, but I’ll say this one about Racing A Roadie does a good job of presenting some background.

One thing that happened when I retired was the expectation that since I was not longer riding to work, I’d no longer be riding. What? Really? I never thought that but others mentioned it to me and I recoiled in horror, but I can see where that might have been true. It does take a slightly different mindset to ride when you’re not commuting to and from work, and I can say that I’m not doing the same sort of mileage, but that’s okay too. It has to be.

Ride #590

My freshman year of retirement wasn’t easy. Lots of wild things happened with people around me which in turn meant I stepped in to help or caretake and it wasn’t an easy year but I was busy and I got out every day for a ride. It was my escape. Then I hit 365 days and I felt like I really accomplished something interesting, so I kept going.

As I entered my sophomore year of retirement, my schedule opened up. Then round the corner to 400 which could have been a good stopping point, but I kept going with the idea that 500 consecutive days was just around the bend, so why not push it for more? Now the 490s were tricky because of Detroit and Chicago but I got it done.

The 500s were really good. They really were matter of fact, as though it’s the routine. I was fully immersed in the ride. I don’t remember too much drama beyond the weather. I had my routine down and my rain gear figured out. I was definitely enjoying Gigi more than the e-bike. Most of that had to do with weight of the bike which is a whole other topic. Note to self: talk about that in another blog post, possibly a video.

What have I learned? I can do it! Also, it’s true, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes. Also, I’m every bit as much a cyclist as the dudes (and they are almost always dudes) who ride all kitted out on their expensive bikes acting like they are just all that and more. They ignite a sort of fury in me that is hard to fully articulate, but suffice it to say that cyclists should be supportive of all cyclists and if you’re some sort of elite cyclist, you don’t have to be a 🤬!

I think that most of my riding life I’ve felt like less than a cyclist in part because of the messages we get about how a cyclist should look or how fast a cyclist should ride. That’s complete road kill. There were two men who passed me all kitted out and on their ‘spensive bikes and they didn’t even give me a moment’s notice. I wanted to ask them if they’ve ridden their bike 600 consecutive days? Rude roadies are the worst. They didn’t even acknowledge me. Doesn’t matter except that if I was a new cyclist I might be discouraged by that lack of interaction. Cyclists can be every bit as rude and drivers and let’s not pretend otherwise.

Always wave or acknowledge other cyclists and if you see a kid out there, try to be encouraging and supportive, even if it’s just complimenting their helmet or the color of their bike.

Summer is closing in on us and that’s by far the best time to get out there and ride. It’s the one season you can go and not worry about much in the way of gear. My advice if you’re starting out, is start small and build. Also, pay attention to your surroundings and if possible scope out a route near where you live, so you know what potential challenges await. If you have not ridden your bike in a season or more, check all the things. That means, check the tires and the chain and you might even want to take it to a mechanic and have them give it a look over to see that it’s in good shape. You do not need any special gear. Most of my rides are in regular clothes, however in the spring and summer I often live by layers and I also, depending on how far I’m going, I often wear more specific riding gear because it breathes more. Better for my skin and general comfort. See an be seen as the saying goes.

If I’ve mastered anything in the last 600 days of riding it’s been just getting out there and doing it. Short rides and longer rides, wet or dry rides, snow or not, proper shoes or not. I’ve just gotten my bike and my arse out there and done it.

What a long, meandering read and I’m happy if you made it this far. I’m not really sure about this blogging stuff because I see many a folks moving to Substack and doing other things. I’m here for now and I appreciate your attention.

I’d love to hear about your riding challenges.

What keeps you going or what keeps you from going? Let me know.

Have a great day and I’ll see you in the next blog post.

-Bike Goddess

Every. Single. Day. Consecutively 365 Days of Riding

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My 365th consecutive day of cycling is today. I’m not stopping or taking a day off. I’m planning to continue the streak until I can’t for some reason. Here are some of the questions I’ve been asked the most while cycling my streak.

Has it been hard? Not terribly, no. At first I was recovering from surgery on my heel and my streak was broken in July 2024 because doctor’s orders. Then it was hard to remember that I was setting a schedule to ride in the summer when usually I wouldn’t be commuting to work anyway, so setting new routines was challenging for a month or so.

The most challenging aspect of riding consecutive days is traveling and there’s bicycle uncertainty. Can I get a bike in a 24 hour period? While it only happened twice in 365 days, first in April when we were taking the Amtrak to and from Vancouver, B.C., and we had to clear customs at the Canadian border near Seattle. I was counting on a ride when we got home but also knew it would be late, so I was full of anxiety over how this would play out. Seize the cycle is the best way to handle it. You make the most of an opportunity. We ended up having a layover in Seattle at King Station so I rented a Lime ride and it all worked out as if I’d planned it.

The second time was a few weeks ago. We took a trip on the Columbia and Willamette rivers on our sailboat. I brought my Brompton onboard. My husband tied down the bike at the stern and when we docked we’d unload it and I could pedal around the city. It requires the tiniest bit of planning, but completely worth it.

Did it get boring? Absolutely not. I love riding and even though I was mostly riding in my area, it’s a treat to see how many different ways you can get from point A to B. Plus I didn’t have to commute to work so I could break the route to and from and just go, go, go. There are a few decent climbs by my house and now I can say without hesitation that I don’t mind them now, much. Since going to and from some of my trusty routes I must go down the hill, then I’ll have to come up said hill again later. a portion of the hill is has a 10% grade and you know it’s just before a stoplight and traffic to the north and south and you feel vulnerable and hidden and it’s hard. I don’t love the main hill on days when the sun is a broiler and the pavement is so hot you can hear your tires sizzle. But I got over it or planned it so I wasn’t doing the climb in the heat of the day.

Do you have a favorite route? Not really. I’m not bound to a commuting route like when I was working, so I just go. I go wherever I want and try different routes and explore. I am reminded that this is exactly how I rode my bike as a youngster. I’d wander and see what was around the bend. Just riding. It’s less about the miles and pushing myself than it is the consistency of riding every single day. I did make a point of documenting it with photos along the route. It was part of the journey to find a good backdrop for my bike to pose.

Did you set a minimum number of miles every day? I get this question the most. I wanted to ride every day for the pure joy of it. Going from commuting 22 miles a day, 4-5 days a week to potentially nothing because I don’t have to commute any longer could have been the end of my riding. I could have turned my bike life into a hobby and less of a daily obsession. I didn’t want that to be the case. I wanted to ride just for the satisfaction of riding. The challenge of doing the thing every single day and not so much for miles. I didn’t wanted to overthink anything related to my bike life. Sure, maybe by the time I was 6 months into it I’d shoot for at least 30 minutes or 5-10 miles, but I also embraced the Grant Peterson cycle philosophy and showed up for my ride. Anything else is frosting. Old habits die hard is a cliché for a reason and it challenging to silence your inner critic and not let the commuting habit boss you around. Whoever coined the phrase “Follow your bliss” had to be a cyclist. The feel of my legs moving and my eyes taking in all that is around me is exactly what draws me to cycling. It feels amazing!

Did you participate in any group rides? Nope. There was a time for that in my life, but I prefer solo riding. I wouldn’t rule it out but no, I did not participate in any organized rides in the 360+ days of riding.

Did you use an eBike? Me-power versus e-power is interesting to ponder. I have nothing to prove and I have bikes because I’m a cyclist! I did occasionally use my eBike. My 2012 Kona mixte was my primary ride. It’s not one OR the other, it’s both. There are some days I didn’t have the legs to deal with hills or heat or rain and it was safer to eBike, so I went electric. It kept me in the saddle where I might not have had the me-power to ride. I also used my Brompton (foldy bike) because it’s easy to take on and off train or bus. This always makes me think of the iconic line about having more insurance coverage in the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes”. The character Evelyn Couch, played by Kathy Bates utters the line, “Face it, girls, I’m older and I have more bikes!” She actually says insurance. She has more insurance. I have bikes and for the first time in my life I can ride whatever I want. Evelyn agrees!

Why? Or as my husband says, “You keep telling me why, but I don’t understand it!” It is a good basic question and while I could quote the phrase “because it is there” which is a famous quote attributed to George Mallory, a British climber who perished on Mount Everest in 1924. That quote certainly encapsulates the inherent human drive to explore and conquer challenges, particularly in the face of formidable natural obstacles like mountains, or biking up 10% grade hills.

I don’t have a therapist, but I guess if I was on the couch and talking about the why of my riding, I’d say it’s one of those things I can do. It all started in gym class when I was a wee lass and I couldn’t climb the rope or was told I’m not good at sports. I’m sure I’m not alone. I’m not a runner and I’m not a lot of things that physically fit people look like they are. I am not slight of build and I have been told, “You don’t look like a cyclist,” whatever that’s supposed to mean. Simply put, I wanted to see if I could. I was inspired to do so by a cyclist in Toronto. An added benefit is that my legs are toned. My gastrocnemius muscle, both the medial and lateral are defined in a way I envied on “serious cyclists.” Just the other day I sort of noticed this definition on my own legs and I really wanted to set up a photo shoot because for the first time it’s defined enough for me to say Hello!! Legs by cycling. If you follow this blog, you know I’m not one to have a gym membership and I don’t run and while I do enjoy swimming, that’s not my thing either. I ride my bike.

One comment from a Strava follower was “You must be so strong after this experience.” I do feel good and I want to hold on to that zeal of just doing the do and riding as much as I can for as long as I can.

What’s next? I’ll keep on doing what I do. Getting out there and riding my bike! I wish the same for you.

Thanks for reading and get out there and ride your bike. Tomorrow will be day 366!

All the best,

Bike Goddess

Riding the Streak: What I’ve Learned From Consecutive Days of Cycling

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Today will mark 164 consecutive days of riding my bike. On Thursday, August 8th of 2024 I started the streak. I would have more but I missed a week recovering from surgery on my left foot to remove a cyst on my heel. I was bummed, but that’s how it goes. Streaks are interesting in that you don’t always consciously know you’re in a streak until you think about it or someone points out that you’re consistently doing something.

While it did start in August, I was inspired by a cyclist I saw on Threads. Now I don’t see said cyclist post on Threads as much (or at all as of today), but in late November he was at 1552 days of cycling. He always says, “riding bikes every day until I can’t for some reason, day 1552.” He would post an amazing photo of his bike with some amazing angle and I thought, “I love this. I wanna see if I could do this.”

I love it and while I am far, far away from his total…all I can do is get out there and ride. The streak days stack up and here I am thinking of the day ahead, not the thousand days ahead.There is something pretty basic about staying grounded in there here and now.

With temps below freezing lately, it’s definitely a challenge but I’ve been doing the DO and getting it done. Frankly, it’s been a refreshing change of pace from my old commuting days and I think I’m riding better, harder and with more confidence.

What were my old commuting days, you wonder? I rode my bike to and from work most days of the week during the school year. That means I’d often take the weekend or holidays off since I didn’t have to go to work. Also a great scenario but since I retired/graduated from work to my own thing I wondered how my cycling habits would change since I didn’t HAVE to get up and ride to and from during the week.

Liberating is what it is! I can wait out the rain or the wind gusts and pick the time of day to get out there and ride. It’s like the hearing the angels sweetly sing because I have choice and I still choose to ride. Now back to the streak. while it is about the numbers, it is also about the rhythm, the routine, and the joy of showing up for myself, day after day. Showing up for me, myself and I, alone.

I’ve learned I love cycling from a place in my soul that goes beyond anything I ever thought about. I feel I have GOT to ride every day. It sounds corny, but it is my thing. The feel of the bike and the rolling wheels and dance of time through space while I move with the machine to get to places far and near is magical. I mean even with and against traffic and distracted drivers and all the hullabaloo, it’s still so wonderful and feels like an accomplishment. I love it even more when it’s cycling to cycle and not to commute. With a cycling streak, it’s a magnificent reminder when you’re in the moment and you love the moment so much that you decide to be intentional and conscious of the moments and crochet them together to make yourself stronger of both body and mind.

Like the Threads cyclist, I take a photo (most of the time) of my bike in some unusual spot with a cool backdrop to mark the moment and then I continue my ride and post about it later. Many times I post on Strava and Instagram but lately since all the Socials seems to be in such flux and decisions about whether to stay or go are paralyzing, I am making note of them in my phone on the caption for the photo. I don’t post about it every day but I’ve been hoping to revive my Blog and also take some time to share more about my bikey ways here and on YouTube in the coming months. If you’re interested, please follow along.

1550 days from today is Wednesday, April 18, 2029 and what I hope is that I’m still cycling and streaking, but let’s be honest, who know what tomorrow brings. All we have is the here and now and I plan to get out there and ride. I gotta keep the streak going.

What I’ve learned is that this streak is mine and I’m working to stay in the saddle and doing the do. It feels like fist-pumping-crossing-my-own-finish-line every single day. That’s what I’ve learned.

Thanks for reading and riding and I hope you too get out there and ride your bike.

Enjoy!

Bike Goddess

I’m Still Standing

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It has been too long dear readers. I’ve been remiss in my blogging. But, but, but… I can’t control where my mind wanders, but today with the dawn of summer on the horizon and the promise that I will be on summer break is imminent, Elton John’s song popped to mind as if was the 1983 all over again. 

"Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
I'm still standing after all this time
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind." 

Elton John, "I'm Still Standing" lyrics.

Since my last post, I’ve been in survival mode. Typically, it’s manageable, but this school year, it feels like everyone I talk to is experiencing the same overwhelming situation. If you’re an educator, this year has been beyond comprehension. It’s been filled with countless meetings, constant planning, unexpected changes, and more meetings to discuss those plans and changes. The pressure of managing school, students, and constantly wondering what comes next has kept me awake countless nights. Thankfully, I’m still standing. I might be wobbly, but, I’m determined to make it to the very last day. And once that day arrives, I look forward to finally being able to put aside all these thoughts and concerns and start picking up the pieces of my life.

Easier said than done. It always is. There is always a period of decompression and rest. I’ll have anxiety dreams about all the ways I’ve failed but I’m hoping that period will be shortened by fact that we are getting out later than normal, thanks to Jack Frost who made a late appearance and canceled school for like four days. I digress.

Think mazes. I’ve been in one of those mazes made of high hedges. Each turn leads to another hedge and another and it’s possible that I’ll need to be air lifted out. It feels like I’ve been trapped in it. Each turn leads to a new challenge, and I’m constantly searching for a way out.

If it wasn’t for my commutes in the morning and evening, the quality of my life would be much worse. My rides are my solace. They are the daily vacation from the chaos. The rides let me reset and if I’m lucky I can work out the issues, at least in my mind, before I get home so I’m fretting a bit less.

Readers of my blog, I thank you for engaging. I appreciate seeing you click the LIKE star and I know that someone out there gets me. I get a little notification and I think, whoa, cool! My absence from my own blog has been rough on me. I set a goal to ride my bike a minimum of 75 miles a week, but writing 75 words a week has been the real hill in my life of late. I’m excited about my own personal routines outside of work, and I have got some stories to tell.

Like I found a bike using Bike Index and reunited it with its owner! Yeah, you are not going to want to miss that story. I also found a bike for a friend who had his totaled in an accident (he’s fine, but his bike didn’t survive). Oh, and I found someone’s phone and its handlebar holster and actually got it back to them. So many stories amidst the busy days. I can’t wait to tell you more.

I’m grateful for your support and patience and the plan is to write more, ride more and I’m still standing!

Stay safe out there.

Bike Goddess

The Rain in Spain Stays Mainly in the Plain!

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On the Columbia River looking East.

In my city we average 42 inches of rain per year, which is four inches above the U.S. average. Spain gets like 25 inches of rain annually, so clearly spring has been a soggy mess on the plains and dales and mountains and everywhere in my area. There’s a fatique that comes with that much rain. A hopelessness that it will never be sunny again or that you may never, ever see the blue sky unless you leave and go to another city perhaps in Spain.

Today marks the last day of my Spring Break. My expectations for this vacation are always extremely low. Some people can rally and book a trip someplace like Las Vegas or Los Angeles or Paris, but I don’t like week long trips to places overseas. I’ve been to L.A. and Vegas doesn’t interest me and I mean a week is not long enough. I like to set up camp and get to know a place. But more than that, but most importantly I don’t have the energy. Summer is around the corner and experience has taught me that it’s better to rest and. find my life again.

Monday we took our sailboat to the boat yard for some work. I wasn’t going to join my husband onboard because there was rain in the forecast and my friends, the only thing worse that being on a bike in the pouring rain is being on a sailboat under the same conditions. But the skies, while menacing didn’t rain. They glowered and grayed and clouded and scowled but then there was a break and I saw some blue and I found myself forgiving the great Northwest rain gods for their moods.  

Same day. Bluish skies start to give way.

We even saw seals. I do not know much about smelt but the numbers are high this year (or so said everyone upon learning that we saw seals) and for the first time the seals are abundant on the Columbia River. It was amazing to behold.

Seal chat.

What I assumed would be a terrible weather day turned out spectacular. The seals and the break in the rain and seeing the sky was like finding a hundred dollar bill. It reminded me that even with all the prognostications and apps that in-between the storms and gloom there is such beauty. Now it might not happen again for another 40 days but I took photos and video to record the moment.

That’s at the heart of any vacation too. You leave or vacate your life and routine and go do something, somewhere else and come back refreshed and ready to take on the next thing in the routine. Back in January I was contemplating a trip to Nice, France. Ticket prices were good and I was starting to consider an itinerary, and yet, I knew that it wouldn’t work. Realistically I knew I’d feel like I do during most spring breaks, exhausted, enervated and weary.

But I know that on the other side of those clouds there’s a blue sky trying to break through. I know that as I move into the downhill portion of the school year I’ll think of those seals out there on the river doing their thing and barking at the boats and I’ll know I saw them and for a moment I forgot about everything else and that was wild abandon.

Happy Easter to you if you celebrate and happy, dry trails ahead. Although I think for me that will be in July.

Stay safe (and dry) out there,

Bike Goddess

Air Apparent

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Flat back tire.

We had Monday off for Presidents Day and so Tuesday felt like Monday and it was the beginning of the work week so I take off on my morning commute and I’m about 2 miles from my house near the church with the substantial parking lot. As I crossed the busy intersection it sounds like a small train is behind me and of course I have a flat. I stop at the church which is weirdly THE PLACE where my last two flats have been and I call my husband who thankfully comes to my rescue to deliver me to school to still be early. He also trasports my bike to the shop to have the flat fixed and get the liners to help with this in the future.

It was a construction staple that took us down. I hate those things. How can something so small be so hideous and flatten an otherwise perfect morning? This is why people don’t ride or want to ride. They hate flats and they are terrified they will be helpless by the side of the road in a church parking lot waiting for help. Plus it’s a staple and those are supposed to bind, to keep things together and yet the irony is that it punctured my beautiful nubby tires and pierced the tube so much that it will need to be replaced. I have had so many flats over the years and it’s always the same story. Some little thing topples the plan. I’ve fixed some but mostly I prefer a mechanic to do it becuase they are fast and far more adept at it.

Constrution staple.

I should have taken the side road I chide myself. I wanted to but I thought since the roads were a tad icy that maybe I should stay on the main drag and this is the thanks I get. By the time my husband gets to me I am as deflated as my tire but I’m also feeling like the day is doomed.

By the time you are 2 miles into a ride, you’re IN! The cold air is bracing and yet you are out there doing it and feeling all the feels and I’m listening to a new book and all is well with my soul as the spiritual hymn says.

I see our little red electric mini turn into the parking lot and we load my bike on the rack. We are quiet on the drive just thinking about what needs to get done and still sort of waking up and considering more coffee but don’t want to take the time to stop. How do I not have protective tire liners and how can such a small staple kill my tire? I’ll get to school still early enough that no one would know my drama. I’m pondering the list of things I need to do to pump up my morning, but all in all, the tire is what’s on my mind. The tire and the concept behind a spare because this is my second tire incident in the new year.

About two weeks ago a colleague of mine and I were heading north to Olympia, Washington, the State capitol to testify and meet with legislators about some House and Senate bills. It’s called Legislative Day and it’s such a great experience. This is the second time I’ve participated. It’s invogorating to meet with representitives and senators about what concerns you and how you want them to vote on bills.

Olympia, Washington-Capitol Building

But on the car ride we both had a first time experience with car tires. CARS! She was driving and it sounded like a train was behind us. The freeway does run parallel to the tracks but the sound was deafening. It was as if the train was tailgating us. Do you have a flat? What does a flat on a car even sound like I remember thinking. The thumping, rock tumbler, gravel grating was a roar I’ve never heard before. I am old and I have never experienced a car flat. I don’t know anything about car tires except that they use the Schrader valve (same as some bikes).

I checked the passenger side mirror and no, it was not a flat on that side of the vehicle. It was the driver side.

Car flat.

Now, we’re both librarians and we know things but this is not an area of expertise for either of us. We’re bookish women, who are teachers and feminists and we do it ourselves but we don’t know how. We could get a YouTube video, but there’s the whol jack thing, right? Where does that even go? We’ve never been here before so maybe we do need some assistance. She checks on the spare and I head into the quickie mart to see if someone could talk us through it. Just before I open the doors there’s a woman putting oil in her engine and we catch eachother’s eye.

Candace teaching us about the jack.

Hey, would you be willing to help a couple of library women learn how to change a car tire. Sure she says as if it’s really is all an adventure. I’d love to! Wow, I think, we’ve hit the lottery! Her name is Candace and she drives a truck and she helps us with the jack which frankly looks like it couldn’t lift a 4th grader let alone a 5000 pound SUV.

Screwed.

Typically cyclists don’t have a spare tire in the same way you do on a car. Just sitting back there in the boot waiting for it’s occasion of glory. The moment the understudy in the theater of transportation comes onstage to take its turn. Having a patch kit, or a spare tube or CO2 or a packable, yet highly rated pump to save the day isn’t even close, really.

NASCAR called and they want us for a pit crew. Candace did most of the work but we helped by giving her some great new book titles to read. I marveled at how fast and efficient the process was versus changing a bike tire. Put side by side I wonder which would take longer and I still think changing, patching or in any way dealing with a bike tire takes more time.

You can triple check your tires (either bike or car) and you can always have patch kits and all the accoutrement for dealing with flats but they still happen and they require time to change and adjust. Like the spare on the car felt weird and wobbly to the driver. But the spare is temporary until a new proper tire can be installed.

Then of course that all leads me to thinking about Prince Harry and being a spare king (recent royal memoir) riding along never knowing when your moment to come out of the boot and into the spotlight will come. You can’t overthink stuff like that though because otherwise you’ll never get on the road of life and ride. I guess the lesson is to keep learning and growing and recognize that staples and screws are part of the path we’re all on and it’s good to have people in the pit ready to help us out and get us back on the road.

Thank YOU dear readers for being out there and sharing in my somewhat off the beaten track adventures. I love your Likes and it’s nice to know that out there someone gets me.

Have a brilliant day!

Bike Goddess

Glad Ridings

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It’s one of my favorite pics of all time.. Kermit on a bike. Note the basket!

The best part of my day usually involves a bike ride. It’s the gift I give myself. It’s the chunk of time combined with moment after moment where I feel my heart beating and my legs pumping and I take in the beauty of nature and I think wow, I love doing this. I feel like my universe expands exponentially, and I know in my bones that whatever the problem du jour or the angstyness of fill-in-the-blank, it is all going to be okay because the cadence of life is just that, the revolutions of pedals, the ups and the downs and the movement of riding.

There should be no rain in a virtual bike ride. Seriously!

That’s even the case on Boxing Day when after two days of Zwifting indoors because the freezing temps forced me inside. It has been in the low 20s and today we are experiencing a heatwave in the 40s. My weather app (y’know Dark Sky was purchased by Apple) says that rain is coming and the radar is showing light to moderate waves of precipation for the next hour (or more). Right after coffee and some breakfast, I suited up in my rain gear (Thanks, Showers Pass) and layers of merino to see if I can get in a ride. It was not raining when I took off, but I put on my rain pants because things can change.

Glorious! I saw people out walking and running. Some were out with their kids or pets. I didn’t see any other cyclists but still people were out. We waved and said our hellos and kept going, enjoying the warmer air and feeling good.

There are still some patches of ice, but nothing treacherous or dangerous. The rain will likely wash it all away. The pools of water did make me wish I’d selected my rainboots over my waterproof(ish) shoes. The plan when I was getting ready, was a quick spin. I was thinking 30-40 minutes. However, I couldn’t stop. My brakes are fine and everything was working on my machine. I just couldn’t stop. It felt wonderful to just pedal on and on. I didn’t have a book or podcast playing in my ears. It was amazing to be a part of nature unfolding. I turned left here and right there and then let myself be lured by some mysterious decorations ahead and I got some pics of my bike with some holiday yard decorations and I kept going paying no mind to where.

HollyBerryBike is far better than a camel.

This bike, I call her Holly Berry, (she has an Instagram account called @hollyberrybike) is new. I’m still figuring out how cadence and radar works but I did dial in some details with the level of assist I want and how to reset trip distance and riding time, so that’s progress. I also experimented with her grippy tires. I am able to fully stop in slushy road spots and thanks to that belt drive she looks pristine even after a splashing about in puddles. We logged 16 miles today and looked good doing it. Holly more than me.

Glad ridings indeed! 16 miles just riding about. No destination in mind. Nothing planned. Not even a grocery stop. Just riding.

Singing praises for the wonder of a simple ride!

When I pulled into the driveway after about an hour and a half, I was pleased. My shoes were soaked and my socks were sponges but still I was giddy. What a great ride! According to the weather app, we should have about two inches of rain today. I’m glad I seized the moment and got in a great ride.

Often my rides are purpose oriented. Getting to work or doing errands are a part of the ride. Getting in a ride just to ride is magic. I strongly recommend it.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for riding!