wanderlust | Bike Goddess

Calm, Relaxed, Submissive State

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Posted on December 23, 2023 by bikegoddess

The calm and bright from the sailboat on the Columbia River.

The lines from Silent Night echo in my mind often and without provocation at this time of the year. I think it’s a coping mechanism in my brain and much like breathing, it’s simply in my head on autoplay. I especially love the “all is calm, all is bright” line. There are many more.

“Glories stream” and “radiant beams” and the “dawn of redeeming grace.” Wow, right. I mean, the words alone are sunrises and you feel your heart fill with the potential of the universe. Plus, there’s sleeping in peace and heavenly hosts singing and the shepherds are quaking but who can blame them with all the beams and streams and glories.

I love it because it’s simple and majestic and there’s a meditation in the lyrics that helps me breathe and relax. There are such equisite simplicity in that carol.

Being alive is science and it’s also a miracle. It’s wonderous and any day you feel like you’re healthy means you are indeed wealthy. Any day your head is on and you feel like you’re in a good place is special and if you happen to be moving and grooving, well, that’s success!

At this time of winter darkness anytime a star wants to lend its light is indeed magnificent.

This was the first night which was delivering Santa to the public dock. Photo credit Christmas Ships.

Dear readers, at this time of the year I usually report a great year of biking. The miles ticked by and topped over and I feel like a Goddess to the tenth power! This fall has not been successful in miles. The weather has put quite a damper on my riding goals. I’ve also had a few mechanical issues and I’ve felt defeated by the number of things put on my work plate and much like a child who shoves superfluous items into the grocery cart, my work life has been full of excessive distractions and most of which are not even my job. But whatever.

What better time to admit that it’s been a daunting December. However, also delightful and successful in a different way. The days that I have been able to ride have been splendid and beautiful with sunrises that are breathtaking and remind you that the madness of the moment will pass.

Also I had some new experiences on water not land when my guy and I joined the Christmas Ship parade on the Columbia and Willamette rivers. Even though we thought we’d only do a couple nights, we ended up participating in seven of the 13. This is the 69th year of the Christmas Ships parade and I’m happy to report that both our boat and our marriage survived.

She’s also a biking pal who enjoyed our river run.

As it is the eve of THE EVE, I wanted to take time to be calm and mild and think about streaming glories and radiant beams of light since it’s been weeks of watching the boats on the rivers and seeing the community of people who pull this off. There are moments when the lights from the boats ahead or behind fill your soul and you know that it could all end right then and there but you’d be complete.

I ride and I ride a whole lot. I do have suggestions for gifts to buy the cyclist in your life, but that will have to wait. Maybe Valentine’s Day I do a post about that. I don’t even remember my Strava goals for this year and while I could look it up, I don’t really care. A year ago this experience with the Christmas ships was merely an ember. I never expected to be among the fleet of boats that participate in the parade. But now, I can’t imagine not doing it. That’s the thing about new experiences, they seem to crack open something in us that fills a void. The faces of people at the dock were indeed radiant and they were filled with a childlike innocence that was resplendent and angelic. I remember thinking, “It this what it’s like to be Taylor Swift? Is this what it’s like to be so beautiful that people line up to take your picture and applaud at your existence?”

Simply, yes, that’s what it’s like.

Our onboard noise makers and more importantly, friends.

However, to do this, we had to submit. We had to defer to those who have done it and we had to be passive and learn how to be meek and mild. That’s not easy! It’s a miracle we could set aside our egos and our will and fall into our place in the parade.

My life is much richer for having experienced the rigorous pace of doing Christmas ships and for hearing people from the docks and piers yell their appreciation and Merry Christmas greetings and telling us and all the ships that we were beautiful. We should all do that. We should all yell to one another how beautiful it all is and in those moments find the calm and mildness and simplicity of the moment.

Readers, thank you for being here with me in the moment. I’m grateful for your Likes and Follows and I wish you all the calm and mild you need this season and into each and every day of 2024.

Until next time, get out there and ride.

The Tour de France of Libraries

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Posted on September 15, 2023 by bikegoddess

September 14, 2016, Dr. Carla Hayden was sworn in by Chief Justice John G. Roberts as the 14th Librarian of Congress. The third professional librarian, the first woman and the first person of African American descent to hold the position. This is important because today is the 14th and I went to the Library of Congress National Book Festival in mid-August in Washington D.C. and I was out and about on the convention floor browsing books and I spied with my little eye, Dr. Hayden.

A selfie moment with the Librarian of Congress!

It was one of the moments when I hesitated and thought I looked too beleagered to greet her but then I thought, I MUST MEET her so I caught her eye largely because I was staring at her until she looked over and then I shoved out my right arm and actually introduced myself like a boss and told her I was a volunteer (I also had on my volunteer t-shirt) and my super cute bookish skirt and then she asked where I was from and of course I said I was visiting from the other Washington, the one that was a state. She smiled like I said the wittiest thing ever and said it was such a beautiful state and I agreed and quickly added that we had some great indy bookstores and then I think I blacked out because I was talking with Dr. Carla Hayden which is about a high as you can go in the library business and I felt like I was at the summit of Le Col de la Bibliotek and then she shook my hand or had I even let go of her hand from the first handshake, I can’t recall.

Library of Congress National Book Festival

Sometimes you have to seize the moment and I’m glad I did because there are just as many times one might say, “Oh, I shouldn’t bother them” or “Why don’t I mind my own,” and then you might be fraught with regret about not seizing the moment and so I’m glad I didn’t let good judgement interfere with intution and I thrust out my arm and gave it a go.

Since today is the day she was appointed, it felt like a good day to share my moment. There has been so much business in the days following the return from that trip. I’ve had no time to process what a great trip I had to D.C. and that moment of meeting the Librarian of Congress was such great fortune.

I also got to sit in the reading room because I got an LoC card. I spent about 2 hours looking through books in the stacks and sitting at the beautiful tables and reading. The serendipity of it all was overwhelming. I couldn’t have written it into a plot line of a book better than I lived it.

After that I was floating around a few inches off the marble floors reliving the moment hoping it really did happen. I checked my phone to be sure the photo was there, and it was, so it did in fact happen. I bought more books and went to a few more author sessions and marveled at what an amazing adventure the event had been.

Then I hopped on my Captiol Bike share bike and rode the National Mall. That’s a story for another day. D.C., to be continued. Today, I’ll savor the memory of meeting Dr. Hayden.

I hope you have magical memories. Thanks for reading my blog post, I appreciate it.

Summer Musings

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Posted on July 12, 2023 by bikegoddess

A muse is any goddess presiding over a particular art. Yes, that’s my photos of the Acropolis in July, 2019.

Summer musing is the best. It’s squandering time like you’re a kid and just rolling down life’s hills and letting whatever happen. Today for example I have been thinking about donuts. I often think of donuts. It’s because there was a time in my area that there were zero donut shops and now there are so many I could honestly have a donut every day from a multitude of places. I “donut” indulge often because donuts are my Achilles heel. I’ll overindulge and that won’t be good either. I’ll be in the corner with a box eating them like Homer Simpson.

After the donut musing I thought about Threads and I fingured out how to get on it last night and it’s nice. Most seem to agree that it’s like you realize you were in a very toxic relationship with the other one. I like it and since my blog posts no longer go out on the Twittersphere through WordPress, I thought I’d give it a looksee. I don’t know what to post yet, so I figured I start with a new blog entry. I’ll just ease into it. I’m still on Twitter, but I’m not really ON it at all. I guess like most people I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I don’t really like to share vast amounts of information on the socials, so even though I wanted to be closer to family, I’m mostly posting my Wordle scores and of course watching pet videos.

Next musing was whether to bike or go for a kayak today. I could try for both however, if it gets hot-hot, then it’s better to bike earlier in the day. I could take the Bromptie to the kayak and paddle around the marina and out onto the river. That is a very attractive option since we are hopefully getting the newly fabbed fuel tank and that will mean we can finally start our Summer of Sailing. Last summer I kayaked just before returning to school so this year I’ve been trying to get out once a week. Last week I went out of the marina and onto the Columbia River and it was spectacular. It’s my upper body workout plus you can’t beat the sounds of water lapped on the sides of the kayak and the ducks and the intimacy of being right there at each ebb and flow of the river.

Getting close to the pilings and the current is definitly got a mind of its own.

Then there’s book musing. When I’m not being Bike Goddess, I’m actually a middle school librarian and I love my job but I also love summer and reading the hours away and preparing video booktalks for my YouTube channel. I’m trying to become a YouTuber and the channel I have with my school district is doing pretty well, but once I moved everything to my home study I needed to step it up with lighting and audio so my hobby is becoming work and I’m struggling with that a bit. At school I can crank it out and post in the fallow moments between chaos, classes and Chromebook repair. Musing about that becomes overwhelming and I feel myself getting into a the bilge of details, so I push off and go back to the donuts, because, well, those beautiful pillows of sugar and all that’s sweet and glazey calms me down even if I’m just thinking about it versus shoving it in my face.

That’s the very essence of summer though, it’s pondering all the possibilities and considering what, if anything, you want to do on a lazy summer day when you can do anything.

Here’s hoping summer is being nice to you and you are getting some time to chill. Thanks for reading. I appreciate it.

Get out there and ride. Or kayak.

Tell me in the comments how you’re spending your time.

Air Apparent

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Posted on February 24, 2023 by bikegoddess

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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Posted on December 26, 2022 by bikegoddess

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!

Paddle Over Peddle

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Posted on August 13, 2022 by bikegoddess

We cyclists work out the lower half of the body with every revolution. Whether we go fast or mosey our way to and from work or wherever, we are working out our legs, calves, thighs and gluts. We ride the waves of the pavement like a surfer amidst the swells. Our arms, biceps, shoulders and back hold us in place but they don’t get half the workout that our southern regions do.

Even professional cyclists have massively muscular legs with well defined calves and quads while their arms look like linguine. I’m not a professional but I do love it when I notice my leg muscles. I mean I can’t see ‘em but sometimes you flex and suddenly you’re like, “Whoa, those are my legs and dang, there’s some new definition there.”

In the waning days of summer as the start of a new school year looms I’ve been longing for the water. My guy sails and he’s very good at it. I love the feel of sailing but I admit that within a short time of being on board, I’m ready for a nap. The lulling action is like being rocked into the lands of Wynken, Blynken and Nod. Also, I’m here to admit to you dear readers that sailing is an all day event and unlike biking you’re at the mercy of the currents and wind and factors that on a bike you can usually change by going left or right and trying a different route. I’m not the sailor my guy is nor is he the biker I am.

Not my dog in the water, but that’s our sailboat.

We’ve been trying for over a week to go out for a sail, but there hasn’t been enough wind to scoot a napkin across a table let alone fill sails. We have a kayak and the ducks and geese in the marina have been terrible tenants. There was evidence of their derelict behaivor and partying so we decided to remind them that it belongs to us. Within an hour we had it all cleaned up and ready for action.

Geese what? They quite literally did #2 on our kayak cover.

After a deep cleaning and super scrub we successfully exfoiliated all the moss and algae and unidentified green goo from the underside and I went out for a paddle. Not a typo, I paddled a kayak. A paddle over peddle means that a muscle group heretofore unused got a bit a of a workout. It was a gorgeous dead calm day in the marina which means I had a great time paddling about like I was on an Olympic Paddle Team. It was glorious and I stayed out there for over an hour.

I’m not a seasoned kayaker, but I’m not a novice either. Here’s how it usually goes. I go out and then the next day my arms scream for relief and I don’t go out again for 4 years. I was thinking about that as I paddled around. Don’t overdo it in such a way that you never want to do it again.

Despite the fact that the opening to the Columbia beckoned to me like a siren I opted for the safety of the marina. I have no idea what the currents are like and IF my triceps could handle it.

I could stop and start and turn around pretty easily and I was feeling good. I was musing about taking a kayak trip of the whole Columbia, but of course, that’s the lustiness of adventure speaking. I paddled around and felt like a teenager who got their driver’s license. I didn’t know I could record kayaking as a Strava activity or else I’d have proper evidence. Next time.

What about that other muscle group known as the upper body? I’m happy to report that the next day my triceps were fine. Okay, a little stiff but if anything I feel ready to go again. I’m not as sore as I thought I would be. That must mean that I yell and wave my arms at offending car traffic enough to keep those muscles toned.

What’s the attraction? Why kayak instead of a bike ride? Some cyclists run. I’m not a runner. However with all these activities you are communing with nature and enjoying the world around you in a different way and seeing life from another perspective. I’m always up for that kind of adventure.

I rarely choose anything over a bike ride, but sometimes you gotta get out there are try something else. Paddle over peddle? Sure, it’s every bit as fun. What about you? Ever been kayaking? What did you think?

Thanks for reading my blog. I appreciate it and I hope you enjoy the rest of the month. Stay safe and take care.

Kayak Goddess. Nah, just kidding. It doesn’t have the same ring. Until next time, get out there and ride. Or paddle.

Bike Goddess

Are We There Yet?

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Posted on August 12, 2021 by bikegoddess

The classic line uttered by so many of us. We were kids and wanted to get there so we didn’t have to share the backseat or snacks or play stupid car games. As an only child I had none of those issues. I loved having reign over the backseat and sprawling out with my books, workbooks and assorted distractions. But I do recall watching the signs along the way to signal we were getting close to being there.

Truth told, last summer was a different story completely. We were really alone. A few weeks ago I was out there riding my bike and a group of riders heading to one of the local Pedalpalooza rides asked me to join in. Now these are amazing rides with themes like Goth Bike Ride and Dead Baby Prom and Disco Ride plus so many more. I want to ride them all. But there’s something that tugs at me and says, “Nope, not for you. Not yet.” I waved them on and thought, I can’t. Thanks, but I’m not there yet. You might be there, but I am not there. Yet.

Where? You know. There. There is the place where you can be on a bike ride with others and not be consumed with doubt about their health or Covid-19 variants. There is trusting them to tell the truth about being vaccinated. There is not feeling compelled to ask for their vaccination card. There is when you can laugh freely at a joke without wondering about the germs scattered and if you just back up a bit to be safe.

I’m not there. I’m a small group person and the small group is part of a bubble that I do know and trust without question.

Lighthouses are socially distanced. Photo from a recent trip to the Puget Sound.

I know others who aren’t either so I take solace in the fact that I’m not alone in being cautious about being with others. Plus at this point I’m totally enjoying getting lost in my own thoughts or getting lost on a new route. My alone-time will continue.

There is the place and time before it all caved in. Before we all went into our respective caves and stayed apart. Many people have endured more than I can comprehend. If the mask and a vaccine is the least I can do to help others, then sign me up. I was talking with a man who lost his job because of the pandemic. My glass in half full. I’m grateful I have my job. I’m thankful my family and friend are well. I’m grateful for the couple of trips I was able to take this summer. It’s all good in my book.

In Chicago people were masked on the street and inside businesses. However, in the Puget Sound area when I went into a little beach shack on Boston Harbor I saw only two others who were masked and the majority were not. That Includes the cashiers. I couldn’t take it. I was extremely uncomfortable at the sight. I had to get out of there. It’s an anxiety that I’m not familiar with until now. I wanted to exclaim, “You might be there, but I am not there yet, so stop staring. I am a card carrying recipient of the vaccine and I am going to continue to wear a $%&! mask. Deal with it.”

The reality is that I may not be there for quite awhile. I miss the community of riders chatting it up and swapping stories, but not enough to risk my health and the health of others.

Are we there yet? The classic question is part of being a kid and learning how to annoy your parents with such skill that you ask the question often enough that you ultimately get the response, “NO! And stop asking!”

Whether you are there or not is not the point of this blog post. It’s merely to suggest that we respect each other enough to say, “I’m there for you when you feel like riding together again.”

That’s sweet.

Random sunset on the Puget Sound at Boston Harbor.

Thanks for reading my blog. You have no idea how motivating it is when someone clicks that STAR and LIKES a post. It makes me what to vault through the air like Simone Biles. Thanks for being here and there and supporting this little blog. You have yourself a great day and get out there and ride your bike.

Ride on!
Bike Goddess

Bike Goddess

Get out there and ride!

Tag Archives: wanderlust

Calm, Relaxed, Submissive State

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The Tour de France of Libraries

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Air Apparent

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Glad Ridings

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Paddle Over Peddle

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