Bike Commute 2011 - Day 34 Walter Payton!

This is from Monday, 1 Aug 11.

Couldn't finish the week last week.  I had planned on not riding Wednesday because I pre-stage my clothes and by Wednesday I had run out.  I figured it would be good to ride two days, take a break and ride two more days, but it didn't work out that way.

I thought I was lucky because Wednesday was a bit of a rainy day, but it turned out that Thursday was far rainy-er.   

It was raining when I was about to leave the house so I didn't ride, as is my personal rule.

Then Friday I had to take my youngest into the dentist and needed the car to drive her around and get there and back quickly.

Finally today I got back on the bike.

IN -

Got started at 4:01 which was nice.  It was a new moon(ish).  That and the slight ground fog made it pretty dark.

I smelled a skunk but otherwise had no indication of animals at all.  I guess Mondays are the animals' day off. 

It was already about 77o so I know this afternoon is going to be a scorcher.

HOME –

It was.  It was in the 90s and the humidity was a bear.  It’s funny how your world closes in when you’re struggling or in pain.

 
I couldn’t focus on anything except the trail and getting home, getting to the air conditioning and water.

Walter would have been ashamed of me.

Bike Commute 2011 - Day 33

IN -


Got started even earlier today so I decided to not skimp on any of the stop signs. Normally in the morning I kind of, sorta, blow through some of the stop signs on the way. There are literally dozens of them so in the morning when there are no cars, not even parked ones I had been cautiously riding through the stop signs.

The reason was twofold (with a very slight "bend," not a full fold, but you know). I was worried that so much use of my brakes would, well, brake them. I was not getting enough stopping power and I feared that stopping so often would wear them down so that when I really needed them I wouldn't have them.

The second full fledged reason is that they seem completely irrelevant at four in the morning. When I get to a stop sign and I hadn't seen any cars for several minutes, either along my street or on the crossing street, it seems like the actual reason there is a stop sign, namely to regulate TRAFFIC, is moot. There is no traffic, so why do you need a stop sign?

The third slight reason, and I really do mean it is slight, I'm not just trying to make light of something that is the real reason. This one is really an after thought and more a benefit than a reason anyway. It's because I can go faster and don't have to work so hard.

Anyway, the reason I was stopping anyway, getting back to my second reason, was because I preach safety, always using lights, always signaling turns, wearing proper clothes etc. I try to be as safe as I can, because it is right, it is safe and because I think that it is far more important to do these things than to wear a helmet. These things are far more important and a helmet, if it does add protection, does not replace these things, it only adds a slight additional level.

So I stopped at all the stop signs today (slow down to the point of losing my balance, I try not to put my foot down if I can help it). There was no need to because there was no danger and no traffic, but I did it because that's the law, and the only way to reinforce the habit.

Hey, I found two more reasons, and they are both stronger than my third anyway.

Oh, the ride, it went fine, a lot slower because of the stop signs, but it was fine. I made it to work early enough that the gate wasn't open yet. The guard was there waiting in his car. I pulled up and jokingly, half to myself, said, "May I please come in?" Right then he got out and started to unlock the gate so I'm not sure if he heard me or not. He asked for my ID, which I happen to wear when I'm riding so I was happy to show him and be on my merry way.

HOME -

Much hotter today, and there seemed to be a pretty strong Southerly wind, even though the wind turbine was still. That thing is pretty high up and the ground level wind is sometimes different.

It's a lot deeper than it looks

I grabbed some pics of construction that is going on along the trail.

It only took me 8 minutes longer to go home than to get to work, that's what those stop signs do to ya.

Does everyone stop at stop signs?
Come on, do you really?
Do you come to a complete stop or just a rolling stop?
Why?

Bike Commute 2011 - Day 32

Back on the dusty trail Monday, finally.


IN -

I actually got out and started at almost 4:00. I made it to work at a good pace and 34 minutes. That's not bad considering I'm over a month out of practice. I did notice that it's dark later now, and was concerned that I didn't see or hear any animals at all until I got just before work and heard some crickets (or frogs, sometimes I can't tell which is which). Where have all the critters gone?

HOME -

Last Friday/Saturday was the biggest single day rainfall in the history of Chicago weather-keeping (since 1871) so I expected the Des Plaines River Trail to be flooded but I didn't see any sign of that as I passed over the river. There also weren't any puddles or any mud on the trail. I was a bit surprised.

There was a downed tree branch. There is quite a bit of that around since the week before last we had a huge storm that ComEd said caused the 4th biggest blackout they have ever had. That one blew down trees and buildings.

Today it was very pleasant. It wasn't as hot as I had feared (feared 90s and got 80s) and there was a gentle headwind. It wasn't enough to impede progress, but just enough to add a bit of cooling effect to the ride. I actually felt more comfortable going home than coming to work.

It was a pretty quick ride at about 46 minutes.
In other news -

I started working out again. This is in addition to the bike rides. I'm going to mix Body for Life and Power 90 (no not P90X, just plain old P90). I don't expect to do it for 90 days, but I want to get into pretty good shape for Old Boys.

Bikesick and Power Loss

Since last I posted a very great deal has occurred.
First, I got a cold first thing Tuesday morning. This was extra bad since Mrs. Prop left to go to Puerto Rico for work. She was gone from Tuesday to Friday. Coincidently, I was sick from Tuesday to Friday.

This was extra bad, or double plus ungood because I didn't get my bike back until Wednesday. It was in the shop for nearly two weeks and when I got it back I was too sick to ride it. I suppose I could have ridden and toughed it out (I know there are some of you saying I should turn in my Prop-card for that) but I also didn't want to have any troubles since I was home alone with the little props.

Mrs. Prop made it back Friday night, but that wasn't really time for celibration for two reasons. Her brother was already in town, and now she has to work this week here in Lake County because the FDA is in town.

The AZ part of the family made their once a year trip back to the home state on Friday.  They were only in town until Monday morning, so we had to make the most of the time we had.

We visited them in Oak Lawn all day Saturday.  It was a great visit.

Then on Sunday it was my in-laws 50th anniversary.  We did a river architechture tour and then dinner in the Signature Room on the 95th floor of the John Hanncock Center.  It felt very much like we were in first class in a Zeppelin crossing the Atlantic.

Monday morning the Arizonians left, Mrs. Prop went to work, a 75 mph storm rolled in and we lost all our power.  We were powerless until very late on Tuesday night (after they told us it would be until Friday when we got it back).  I'm glad I didn't run out to buy a generator.

I spent all day Wednesday and part of Thursday cleaning up from the power loss (laundry, dead stuff in the fridge, etc).  I know it doesn't seem like a long time as I report it now, but at the time with the planning and such, it really messed with my head.

I hope the second week of my vacation is better.

Libertyville Village Band 2011 July 4th Concert Review

We had a concert at Butler Lake on July 4th. We were in the bandshell on the island.

This was our intended lineup:

1. Triumphant Fanfare - Star Spangled Banner (with vocalist Donna Chung)
2. A Gershwin Portrait
3. Americans We
4. Amazing Grace
5. Fugue On Yankee Doodle
6. Jesus Christ Superstar
7. Classics, Classics, Classics
8. Blue and the Gray
9. On A Hymnsong of Philip Bliss
10. American Salute
11. Disney At The Movies
12. Washington Grays
13. Armed Forces Salute
14. The Best of Journey
15. On The Mall
16. They Can't Take That Away From Me
17. National Emblem
18. America The Beautiful

I guess it's a good thing that we don't publish our lineups because we don't always play what we intend. This is what we actually played:

1. Triumphant Fanfare - Star Spangled Banner.
2. A Gershwin Portrait
3. Americans We
4. Amazing Grace
5. Fugue On Yankee Doodle
6. Jesus Christ Superstar
7. Classics, Classics, Classics
8. Blue and the Gray
9. On A Hymnsong of Philip Bliss
10. American Salute
11. Disney At The Movies

I think there was some confusion at this point and we skipped Washington Grays

12. Armed Forces Salute

There was a firework that went off and I think that Corey thought all the fireworks were going to start so he cut out a few things.

13. On The Mall
14. Washington Grays
15. America The Beautiful

We were packing up to leave when the singer, Donna Chung arrived, so we sat back down and played one last piece

16. Star Spangled Banner

In all it was very nice. I thought we sounded pretty good, and my family said we did too, no matter how I pried to try to get a more critical review.

I would recommend it to anyone.

After the concert they set off the fireworks right there in the park. It was so close that we were covered in ash and pieces of paper by the end. The display was about 25 minutes, but my oldest daughter said it was the best finale that she had ever seen.

Libertyville Village Band 2011 Concert 2 Review

We had another concert yesterday.

Here's what we played:

1. Triumphant Fanfare and Star Spangled Banner

2. American Salute

3. Jesus Christ Superstar

4. America the Beautiful

5. Classics, Classics, Classics

6. On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss

7. The Best of Journey

8. American's We

9. A Gershwin Portrait

10. On The Mall

Our conductor is Corey Ames, but Jesus Christ Superstar and On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss were conducted by the conductor emeritus Dave (sorry, I don't know his last name).

This concert was better overall.  First of all, we didn't need to stop any songs in the middle because we were all over the place.  I think this song list is mostly easier than what we did last week, which probably has the most influence.

For my own part, I did much better.  I'm not sure if it was because I'm actually improving or because I played the 2nd Alto Sax part.  It's probably a bit of both, or more broadly speaking, a mix of it all.

Libertyville Village Band 2011 Concert 1 Review

I played in my first concert witht the Libertyville Village Band last Thursday, 23 Jun 11.

I really wasn't ready and I was hoping for rain.  It rained on and off all day and I really thought it might be called off, but they went on.  They had a bucket full of clothes pins and we pinned our music to our stands.  They told us that if it started raining our first priority was to save the sheet music and then the instruments.

I told someone that I still need training wheels, and it's true.

We played about eight songs starting with the Star Spangled Banner.

About half way through it started raining a light mist, but not enough to make us stop.  All durning the concert the wind blowing against the microphone made a terrifying sound, so eventually they turned them off.

When we got to Motown Revue the director told the audience we were going to play it and it had Heard It Through the Grapevine, My Girl and ABC.

The trouble with that medley is that probably half the band has never heard those songs and the other half plays mostly from memory and not from the sheet music (I'm guilty of this).

When we got to ABC it was so off and disjointed that the director stopped it.  We immediately went to the next tune, A Tribute to Irving Berlin.

When Irving Berlin finished the director turned and told the crowd that we had stopped Motown Review because of weather related issues.

We made it all the way through and now we have one under our belts.

I'll try to get pictures next time, and maybe convince my family to come watch.

Bike Commute 2011 - Day 31

From 24 Jun 11

IN -


All the lights were red (Midlothian, Butterfield, Milwaukee, and St. Mary) plus there was a train in Mundelein, which didn't stop me much, but it was like another light. I made it in 38min anyway, so that was good.

It was cooler and very misty making it quite comfortable.

There was a pylon in the middle of the road on Atkinson at the railroad. I don't know why it was there because there isn't anything there except a sort of little bump. Maybe they're going to fill in the bump.

HOME -

FLAT! As I was changing clothes and packing the bike I saw that my front wheel was completely flat. I started thinking of what I could do as I examined the tire for the hole.

I couldn't find any hole so I decided to pump it a bit and listen for the leak. I had no intention of fixing it because I've tried doing that before with other bikes and I can never get the tire back on.

I pumped and it seemed to hold the air. I couldn't hear any leaks. I decided that I would pump it as much as possible and ride it and pump as I went.

My pump is a tiny hand held one, by the way.

I made it out and up the hill over the tollway before I lost too much air and I had to stop to refill.

I guessed that it would take me about 8 stops, one for each mile. I ended up making it with only 7 stops, but as I went it needed refilling quicker and quicker.

I made it home in just over an hour, which is great considering.

I took Lil' Blackie into the shop. They found a staple in the tire and it had been just barely scratching the inner tube.

They fixed it lickity split, but I told them the rear had been very wobbly. They checked it and found two broken spokes.

I told that I regularly carried two full briefcases on the back. They said that and my weight would do it. They said they would have to replace them and tighten them all up.

I told them that my brakes might need o be replaced.

They said that my brakes needed adjustments.

I decided to leave it there. I need those things fixed and I had been planning on waiting until I was a camp to take it in, but I didn't like the idea of riding on broken spokes.

I guess the fates decided that since I have now exceeded last year's number of rides, I can't ride anymore (got news for ya Fates, I'm getting right back onto that horse).

I had been thinking of starting a separate blog specifically for this commuting diary, but I'm not sure and now I'd have to wait until I got the bike back.

Do you think I should start a stand alone bike commuting blog?

Bike Commute 2011 - Day 30!!!!! & Favors

This report is for Wednesday, 22 Jun 11. 

Today ties this year with last year for the number of times I have ridden my bike to work. Last year the 30th time was late in October, and I was stopped by an early November snow. I'm right on schedule for my goal of 75 this year.
Favors -

I have a pet peeve, drivers who stop unnecessarily as a "favor" to me.

On the North Shore Bike Path, each time it crosses a street the path has a stop sign. When I started riding I would come to an absolute full stop, with one foot on the ground each time I reached on of these. This was inconvenient. It meant that I had to get up out of my saddle and restarting, which is usually uphill, if very difficult.

Now I've mastered a technique in which I slow so that when I reach the stop sign I've actually lost all forward momentum and "stall" for a moment. I come to a stop, but I'm still balanced enough, and it's brief enough that I don't have to take my feet off the pedals and I don't have to get out of my saddle. It's much smoother and I think I've gained almost 10 minutes from the previous procedure.

At none of these intersections does the street traffic have any restrictions.

I also use this procedure in Mundelein where I use side streets with stop signs. Sometimes the crossing street has a stop and sometimes not.

These "favors" I'm talking about are when a well intentioned motorist stops. They think they are helping me out by letting me go. This almost always occurs while I'm still slowing down and before I actually come to a stop, so that instead of "stalling" for an instant, I have to make a hard stop and put a foot down.

Usually they try to wave me across, ignoring the traffic laws, in that they have no restriction or obligation to stop, while I do and must yield the right of way to them. They wave me by and I shake my head and firmly wave them on.

I know they're trying to be nice, and safe. I'm sure they've seen most cyclists darting out across the street, themselves disregarding the laws and safety.

I don't know if I'm more annoyed at the drivers who are cautious, but unclear on the status of bicycles and the rules of the road; or of the cyclists who have bred contempt, uncertainty and disrespect of cyclists into these motorists. Either way, it's very annoying.

Does anyone else have this problem?


How do we fix it?

IN -

Heard strange noises this morning. There was a big storm last night (tornado warnings) and the ground was still wet. I don't know if that had anything to do with the first noise I heard, but it was certainly responsible for the second.

The first noise was in Mundelein, and it sounded a lot like the death ray of the alien tripods from the 1950s move, War of the Worlds. I never figured out what it was.

The second noise was when I pulled into the subdivision off Atkinson. This subdivision is in Lake Bluff I think and is fairly affluent, from the looks of the houses and the amount of land. It sounded like someone was mowing the lawn, and although it was getting rather light at 4:45, it was still much too dark for what I would have considered a good job.

After a few minutes I did figure out what this noise was, generators, and likely auxillary pumps for "lower levels."

In addition to the noises I had to negotiate plenty of downed branches from the previous night's high winds. It was nothing like I would expect from an actual tornado, but enough to make the ride a bit challenging.

Some of the lights were "out" as well. Milwaukee and St. Mary's lights were both blinking, which can be very scary with those confused motorists out there.

HOME -

I followed my own advice and packed for rain, even though, again, it was sunny when I left work. I did get rained on, twice.

I passed, no one, not a single solitary pedestrian or rider on the trail until near Libertyville High School I had to stop because a parade was going by.

There must have been some sort of organized outing, because on the sidewalk as I was about to cross the street by the high school, over a dozen fun riders went by. I actually had to stop and wait for them to go by.

Bike Commute 2011 - Day 29 - Happy Summer Solstice

This report is for Tuesday, 21 June 11, Happy Summer Solstice everyone, I saw the sunrise, though I wasn't at Stonehenge.

IN -


Started late, but all lights were green, including Midlothian. I managed to make it in in 33 minutes. I don't think that's a record, but it is very good.

The weather is pretty consistent now, at least temperature-wise. I don't really have to plan on cold, just rain, which I can never tell and commercial reports are too broad to really help.

HOME -

Did not pack for rain, but rain it did. Speaking of unpredictable rain.

When I left work it was bright and sunny with only some white clouds. By the time I turned West off St. Mary's I saw a bank of dark storm clouds off in the distance. My first thoughts were that it would rain sooner than predictions and I would probably not be able to take my youngest to the pool this afternoon.

As I headed West, the storm seemed to be heading East. The further I got the more it seemed that I might get rained on before I made it home.

I pedaled faster

Then I remembered, I hadn't packed for rain. Could my computer stay dry in it's sleeve, which itself is inside a canvas briefcase?

Then I also remembered that my phone was in my pocket and I hadn't even put that in a ziplock.

By the time I realized that I was coming off the trail in Mundelein. The rain was immenant. I put it in the top gear and pedaled as hard as I could. I figured I would get to the train overpass and stop to repack into plastic bags.

A huge thunderclap seemed to uncork the skies and the rain came pouring out of the clouds, BEFORE I made it to the overpass.

I juked in under the biggest tree nearby, tucked in close to the trunk where I figured the leaves would provide the best protection.

I whipped out my phone and fumbled with it to get it in the snack bag I had brought for it. The rain was just starting to penetrate the canopy when I pulled out the laptop and shoved that in a bag and zipped it up.

Repacked I moved out from under the tree that was no longer providing any real protection. I pedaled on.

In about two minutes I made the overpass. On the other side the rain started letting up. By the time I got to Santa Maria del Popolo it was down to a steady, light rain.

After waiting a long time to cross Midlothian I made it into my subdivision. The rain was just about a mist.

By the time I pulled up to my garage it had stopped.

If I had not stayed late at work 15 minutes I would have missed the rain altogether. I did manage to get home and the electronics survived.

Eh, rain is starting to get to be old hat, but now I know: ALWAYS pack for rain.

Happy Fathers' Day

Fathers' Day was yesterday and I was treated to breakfast in bed, cards and a super special shopping trip after which I assembled and enjoyed my new fire pit.

I've been wanting one of these for a long while.

My little girly props enjoyed it too.

My firepit of DOOM!  No, just kidding, it's a normal everyday firepit

Bike Commute 2011 - Days 24 - 26

I bracketed the 25th day, which gets me to 1/3d my goal this year; and I'm only 4 shy of all the commutes I did by bike last year.

Day 24 was Friday, 10 Jun 11.  I have no notes for that day at all.  On Monday, 13 Jun 11 I drove my clothes in.

Day 25 - Tuesday, 14 Jun 11
IN -

It was in the 50s again. I saw a deer on Atkinson, I don't know if it cross the road, but I saw it on the side going away from the road. I think it may have crossed right in front of me when I was glancing down at my gears.

It was very quiet and that struck me. I started thinking about silent animals, like gariaffes. I thought it was odd that most land animals make sounds, but most sea animals, except the mammals don't make sounds even though sound travels better underwater.

Then I thought that maybe marine animals make sounds, except that the higher transmission capability of water means that they never had to develop very loud vocalizations because they didn't need them.

Finally I was thinking about how whales sing only underwater and they don't, as far as I know, use air to make the sounds.

It was when I was thinking about whale songs that I heard what sounded like a snorting bull just to my left.

It was a freight train, bigger than any whale sitting there waiting to cross the road. It was probably less than 50 meters from me, far enough not to set off the alarm gates, but certainly close enough to scare the heck out of me.

By the time I got on the work campus and had the presence of mind to take a picture, I was not in a good place to take a shot.

HOME -


It was extremely pleasant so I took the Des Plaines River Trail to get south from Atkinson. I took a bunch of pictures including one that is of the underpass that earlier I had pictured flooded.

I took almost all the pictures on-the-fly, or in-the-saddle, literally. As I rode along I took out my phone and switched it to camera for the pictures.

The first is an apple orchard on Atkinson, at least I think it's an orchard.

Pretty sure this is an apple orchard

Then I took several of the River Trail.

Under the underpass I had to stop, but I stayed on my bike. As I was taking the picture of one of the signs I tried to ride in little circles to take it, but the path there has a very steep incline and I was afraid I'd drop the phone in the river, so I had to stop.

Additionally, one of my daughters was at Carmel Catholic High School for a baseball game, so I stopped by there to embarrass her, er, I mean to say, "Hi."

Day 26 - Wednesday,  15 Jun 11
IN -



Rain. When I opened the garage door I saw lightning, but it was dry. I pulled the bike out and I felt one drop, just one drop on my lip. I stopped and looked around, trying to decide. My rule is that if it is already raining when I'm leaving then I don't ride. I saw one more drop on the driveway.


I decided to man-up and go. I'm getting there in about 37 minutes and I thought maybe I could beat the worst of it.


I started riding and got a dozen more raindrops by the time I got out of the subdivision. Half way and it was raining lightly, probably no more than if I sweat heavily. That was all good.


By the time I got to St. Mary's it was coming down. When I pulled off into the subdivision to get to Atkinson, almost within sight of work it opened up. It was raining so hard I had to take off the safety glasses I wear so that I could see.


It rained like that until I got to my building. I had decided to go in the back door, rather than go around to the front in order to get out of the rain. By the time I got to the door it saw a drizzle again.


It was pretty cool, in the 60os with a good wind (I felt like it was a headwind, but my time and the weather service say differently). By the time I got in I was cold. I took a shower which is unusual, but now I'm clean, smell nice and I'm warm.

It looks like it's a pretty good chance of rain all day. I want a bowl of soup.

HOME -

More rain! Actually, it was sort of misting when I left work and it didn't really rain until I was waiting to cross Midlothian to get into my subdivision.

For some reason the last two days there has been a lot of traffic on Midlothian when I want to cross. This time as I was standing there waiting the rain dialed up two notches from mist to an actual rain with very tiny drops, but a lot of them.

When I pulled into my garage it stopped. I parked my bike and got the mail without getting any more wet.

BONUS!

Day 27 - Thursday, 16 Jun 11

IN -


Last night I really didn't feel like riding in today. I've been getting less and less sleep and although Mrs. Prop and two of my daughters are out of the house I still didn't get much so I told myself that if it were even looking like rain I would drive. My reasoning also included the fact that I had to drive the last daughter out to visit her grandmother today.

When I woke up and looked out the window the moon was lighting up the backyard. Crud.

I had to replace all the batteries in my lights, and I added air to my back tire. I had a lot of work to do today so I don't have time to be late at all. I left at 4:17, which is actually 17 minutes later than I would like, but only about ten minutes later than I expect. I figured if I really pushed I could make it in 33 minutes which would be fine.

I caught the red light at Lake Street, then the one at Butterfield, then the one at Milwaukee. The only big light I caught was St. Mary's. The street was wet and I was sure I had not made my goal.

But I was wrong. I made it in 33 minutes exactly.

HOME - Maybe this isn't such a bonus.  I don't remember the ride home sufficiently enough to report.

Day 28 - Friday, 20 Jun 11
IN - I remembered that I saw the same guy walking to work that I passed walking home from work yesterday.  He was an older guy and I thought it unusual that he walked commuted.  This morning I just happened to look over at the sidewalk and saw him.  He was in shadow under a tree and he was wearing dark clothes so if I hadn't looked over at precisely that moment I would have missed him.

Yesterday I had worn a long sleeve shirt because it was in the low 60os but I was too warm so this day I wore a short sleeve shirt and was much more comfortable, and less sweaty.

I was delayed by a train only very slightly on St. Mary's Road.  In fact it was probably less than if I had had to wait for a redlight, but it still took me four more minutes than Thursday.

HOME -

There was lots of traffic, vehicle and pedistrian.

I took the Des Plaines River Bike Path again.

There was even more traffic there.  I was passed by a man and a young boy as I was taking a picture of a bridge over the river.  After I put the camera away and caught up to them they were hogging the trail a bit.  The boy was slower and the man was riding behind him and weaving to to help him stay vertical and not over-take the boy.
 

I pulled up behind them and was going to just stay there, rather than trying to blow passed them and risk being rude, when the man heard me and told the boy to get to one side.

 

Since they had so graciously pulled to the side I felt obliged to pass them.  I stode up and accelerated as much as I could.  As soon as I did we came around a bend and a woman appeared riding the other way.  I pedaled harder and slide to the right just ahead of the boy.  It was like passing on a single lane highway.

Second Quarter Review of Inner Prop's 2011 New Year's Resolution

Here, I said I would review my resolutions each quarter.  I did that for the first quarter, so now I'll do it for the second one.  I'm going to add 2Q in green.


Health
1. Waist - 36  I think I'm about 38 now, that's good down from 41.  My 38 pants are all a bit loose and I regularly use the last notch on my belt, but I'm not quite ready for 36 pants quite yet.
2. Weight - <220  232 down from 244, not doing so well yet.  I lost ground for a while here because of a back injury, but I've been on Atkins for about a week and a half and I got back down to about 231.  With Akins and bike commuting I think I'm going to do alright.
3. Finish P90  Switched over to BfL which I would have finished if I hadn't hurt my back
4. Bike commute as often as possible (75 times)  Because of weather I had to wait until April, not March, so I've revised this down to 75, and I'm well on my way to that.
5. Walks (10k steps a day)  I'm averaging 8,000, so I need to work on this.  With the bike commuting I'm up to 9,600 average.

Family
1. Pay more attention to family finances  I think I'm doing that.  Started keeping track with Evernote.
2. Quarterly Dates  We've gone out to dinner several times, but no overnights yet.  This is still a very week area.  I will have to work on this the most.
3. Game Night  Tried this once, it was a no go. We're going to have to do something else.  Tried a couple of more things like no-TV night, but that didn't work either.  Sophie is willing to play games, I'll just have to start with her.  I'm going to buy a new Lego game I saw for she and I this summer.
4. New Pet  We're investigating rabbits and cavies, but don't have one yet
5. Walks  Need to do this more, I expect more now that the weather is good.  Another thing I have to put a lot of emphasis on with Mrs. Prop.

Music (these are sort of in order):
1. Learn to play ukulele (the definitions are still subjective, focus in Jan)  Been working on this nearly every day. I need to beef up my minutes a day though.  I've decided I'm going to memorize 5 songs for Owasippe.  I'm working on that, but now it has to share time with my sax work.
2. Play with my family (both in my house and a holiday gatherings)  I have taken my uke to two family gatherings at Boushette's house. The second time I actually had people sing along with me, fun.  This hasn't really improved, but I'm really hoping that it will at camp.
3. Learn to play harmonica (again learning and playing are subjective terms)  Not yet.  This is coming off the list this year to be replaced by:  RE-learn to play sax.

4. Learn to play bass  Not yet, probably Q2.  Sax is taking 45 minutes a day and that's more than I can spare.  This will be pushed back or off to next year.

5. Join a band  No ready yet, looking at Q4 for this one.  DONE!  I joined the Libertyville Village Band, and I sink.  We give 6 concerts during the summer and I'll only miss two.  I will probably be blogging a lot more about this coming soon.

Scouting 
1. Commissioner Key  Haven't talked to the District Commissioner yet.  Talked to the DE and I'm going to work on it in the Autumn.

2. Archaeology Merit Badge Clinic  I have only one contact, need to go to another clinic and get MB counselor training

Writing:
1. Do NaNoEdMo in March  FAIL - Signed up and started, read most of Seekretya, but haven't finished reading it and have not edited at all
2. Submit my NaNoWriMo 2010 novel to a publisher  Not yet

3. Blogging

1. I will blog more posts this year than any previous year  Can't tell yet.  Looks to be on track.  I have about 30 something which is less than half, but I have about half a dozen in draft and as I blog about bike commutes and band it will certainly rise.  This is not to mention the big bunch I do for Cthulhu month.  I think I will make this.  Now I want to try to increase my readership.

2. I will review and update my 2011 goals at least quarterly  Done, here, now.  Yep, and done again.

 Work 

1. Don't get laid off  So far so good

2. Get a Promotion  This is a Q4 thing, and I've told my boss about it

Bike Commute 2011 - Day 23

IN (actually today) -


I got stopped by a train, or actually by the threat of a train, and then a train. The wait was probably over five minutes and I was less than two miles from my house. Next time I'm going to go around. I scouted the route on the computer when I got to work.

I had forgotten my black shoes at home when I drove so I had to bring them back in. I had also brought a pair of gym shoes back home yesterday. This really made my packs full.

It was 82o this morning. This could be very bad going home.

HOME-

It was very bad. I passed a sign that said it was 98o and there was a 10-15mph southwesterly in my face the whole way home. Taking it easy was not an option today.

I tried to talk a picture of the sign with the temperature, but it was alternating between temperature and time. I didn't time it right.

I took a different route today. I stayed on Atkinson all the way to St. Mary's and then took Oak Spring Road past Like Minear into Libertyville.

I think Oak Spring may be as dangerous as St. Mary, but it's a lot more scenic, especially since the beach is open.

For the first time ever I caught the light just south of Santa Maria del Popolo at Lake street. That's a terrible intersection. It's a hill to get to the crosswalk, it gets steeper through the crosswalk, then you have to go over the crest of Lake Street, then you have to climb a hill on the far side. It is a rise of about 20 feet and it's murder from a standing stop, which is always how I have to do it.

I was planning on taking a route that takes me two blocks out of the way to go around it but today I caught the light. Crazy.

I don't suppose I'd have ever mentioned that if I were driving, but it's a bit of a big deal to me as a rider.

Bike Commute 2011 - Day 22 - Weight Loss

I've started Atkins yesterday (6 Jun 11), well, I'm easing into Atkins. I'm still eating oatmeal because I have it and I haven't stocked up on meat at work yet.

I've done, or tried Atkins twice before. The first time I did it and lost weight pretty well, even though I didn't exercise along with it. The second time I tried to exercise with it, but I just couldn't get through the exercises. I think it may have been that I was pushing myself to exceed each previous work out and without the carbs the top end just isn't there. I couldn't get over the hump.

I'm trying it again now and I'm hoping that with the daily riding the pounds will just fall off.

IN  (7 Jun 11)-

Got a late start today because I hadn't put all my gear back on the bike. I always feel like I'm forgetting something and I don't know if I always do or not, but today I forgot my sunglasses. I'm thinking I'm going to dread that.

I also decided not to bring my hat because it's so light these mornings and I got such a late start. It turned out not to be a bad decision since I really didn't need it.

My fingers have been getting numb pretty quickly lately, I think it's mainly because I'm managing my speed so that I really don't have to stop that much. The other problem I first noticed this morning is that I'm starting to sweat so much that I can't turn the gear selector. It was already 80o when I left the house in the morning. Going home is going to be a bear and I'll have to get gloves.

Had a very smooth ride this morning, I'm not sure why, but it felt great.

When I got to work it was like my chest, arms and forehead were a car windshield, covered in bug carcasses. All the heat and rain has really made the bugs come out. I have to make sure to ride with my mouth closed or I will get some unwanted, unchewed calories.

HOME -

It was about 93o on the way home with a heat index of over 100o. I took it very easy so I wouldn't overheat.

I counted the people I passed today. All but two were headed toward me so it wasn't like I was blazing up the trail or anything.

I passed:

• 2 joggers
• 5 casual bike riders (I call them Fun riders)
• 2 bike commuters
• 6 walkers (two were sitting)

The other bike commuters were both older Hispanic men. They don't seem to like me much judging by the look on their faces.

I passed a couple of guys working too, one I hesitated and talked to.  He was working with a crew that was tearing up our street.  He said that they are going to resurface it.  That's great because right now it's like riding on the sidewalk.

Lovely streets of Mundelein

Bike Commute 2011 - Day 21 1/2 Happy D-Day

On Monday (6 Jun 11) I drove in.

IN -
4:16 - 4:39 = 23 minutes
8.7 miles to lobby

I noticed that the birds were very loud this morning.
I washed the bike and glued the chain guard in the evening of Monday so it would be ready for Tuesday.

Ok, the NEXT post will be better.

I owe it to these guys:

Bike Commute 2011 - Day 21

I did what I was hoping I wouldn't do, I missed a couple of days reporting.

I thought about it and I realized that I'm mostly writing about minutiae anyway, the kind of things that if you did them in the car you wouldn't take any notice of.

Last week I had been thinking I could write about what a challenge it is to come up with things to write about, but this week I think I may lay off altogether until I really get interesting things to write about.

I might as well give you what I have so far though.

IN (Friday, 3 Jun 11)-
Even colder 55o no wind though. Dark with overcast.
Bad batteries replaced with worse
Chain guard broke, rode in on big front gear all the way.
New parking spot

HOME -
Pleasant, S wind
Used all gears carefully
Lots of smells, water and flowers
Don't remember much

The next report is better.

Bike Commute 2011 - Day 20

This is from yesterday, 2 June 2011

IN -

Cold this morning or at least it felt that way. It was about 60o with a slight wind. I was wearing a tee shirt and shorts, but I must be acclimated to much warmer weather because I was freezing.

It was bright too, even though I left earlier than I have since the first week. If it keeps getting lighter this way I'm not going to need my hat in the morning.

I wear the hat to be able to hide oncoming headlights behind the bill. This helps protect my nightvision. If I didn't then as soon as the car passed I wouldn't be able to see the street in front of me, even with my own lights.

HOME -
12mph Easterly baby! That's what I'm talking about. I didn't feel any faster or like the wind was pushing my back, but it did feel easier and more pleasant. The sky was dusted with very high wispy clouds so it wasn't exactly blue, but it was still delightful.

As I crossed Butterfield (at the light as instructed, but as very few others do, me I've tried cheating and cutting across at the driveways away from the intersection and light, but I'm the kind of guy who gets caught, either by traffic or by cops, and it ends up taking longer, so that and the legal signs makes me not cheat and to do it alone), anyway, as I crossed Butterfield I saw a guy cheating across with a guitar on the back on his bike.

I hurried to catch up to him. He was moving very well considering that he had a full sized guitar and what looked like an amp on the back rack of his bike. As I very slowly caught up to him I saw that he was a lot smaller than me, he wore boat shoes and pedaled with the arch of his foot on the pedal (rather than the ball). I was most amazed at the speed he was getting because he seemed to have a large generator on the back and it was making a whiny whirring sound. Unless it was a motor, but I'm not sure if you can pedal those when the motor is working.

He seemed to be about my age or younger. I got up behind him and stayed there for several blocks. I didn't think it would be right to pass him since at a cruising speed I was probably only going one or two mph faster than he was. The pass would have been very long, or I would have had to really push to get past quickly and we'd end up with him follow me closely as I inched away from him.

I guess I'm not a born journalist because I could not think of a good conversation I could have with him if I did pass.

In retrospect, I should have pulled up next to him, asked him about the guitar, the generator/motor, and asked to take a picture.

I really, really need to push myself to make contact with the people I encounter while I ride. There is a lot of car culture in me and I think that subconsciously I think it would be too hard to hear, we'd be traveling too fast, and the other rider is in his own little world. That's how I drive, but it's not how I ride and I think if I train myself I will learn a lot through communication that I couldn't have through mere observation.

Speaking of observation, there are a lot of purple flowers along the trail right now so I took a picture of some.

Pretty along the North Shore Bike Path near Milwaukee Avenue

Bike Commute 2011 - Day 19 Practice

Practice makes perfect, but repetition breeds complacency.


I would have thought that by now I'd be very good at this whole bike riding thing. I commuted 30 times last year, 19 times this year. I estimate that I've ridden 288 miles so far this year and at least half again that many last year.

Yet I feel like I'm still at the novice stage. I'm more wobbly than I think I should be on the straight away and when I look behind myself. When I stop I sometimes get off balance. I could have sworn that I was a lot better when I was young and my bike was my vehicle, my mode of transportation. Maybe I just don’t remember the bad things.

I wonder when I'll get really good at this. I wonder if I'll get really good at this. I wonder if I've reached a plateau. I wonder if I want or need to get really good at this.

I mean, I don't want to race, that's not my goal, I'm not in any competition and I don't want to be. Why am I concerned about being good at it?

My biggest concern probably should be, am I safe at it. I think I am. I think I know what I'm doing and I'm at least as safe, if not more so, than when I drive. I certainly pay more attention and I'm more aware of my surroundings.

I'll have to focus on practice without complacency and hone my safety skills.

IN (1 Jun 11)-

Warm and clear this morning. Started very early but the gate was open.

Seemed slow, but it was actually only 34 minutes. Maybe it's because I lubed my chain last night. I also put air in the tires and tightened my back brakes. The back brakes are still too loose though and I may have to replace them.

I have noticed a few things before, but I hadn't mentioned them. One is that I don't cast my own shadows. What I mean is that I know when a car is coming up from behind me because I can see my own shadow on the street signs and the street. It's not possible to cast that shadow with my own lights since the white ones are all facing forward from in front of me. It's a little thing, but sometimes in the mornings it my big front light is so bright it seems like a headlight to me. I can tell when it's not me and a car, which I think is pretty important.

The other thing is that the white lines are quieter. Early in the morning it's so quiet that the only sound (other than birds and frogs) is my tires on the road. When I ride on the white lines it is quieter than on the bare asphalt. I'm guessing that it's less rolling resistance, but it takes a bit of balancing to stay on it which may offset the resistance advantage.

HOME -

The big thing going home was going to be the wind. I didn't check, but it seemed like a hundred mile an hour west wind right in my face. It was one of the hardest and longest rides home I've had in a very long while.

I say that was going to be the big thing, except for one tiny little thing that really caught my interest in a big way. A squirrel hit me.

I was riding along on the trail and I saw a small brown thing in the middle of the path. At first I thought it might be a very old tennis ball that had gotten muddy, but as I approached I saw that it was a very small squirrel hunched over. I thought it was dead because it didn't seem to be moving at all.

As I came up beside it so that my front tire was just to the right of him I said, "Hello Mr. Squirrel." I guess he didn't hear me or smell me coming because he jumped as if he had had no idea I was there. He turned right and ran into my front tire.

I was moving so after staggering back he dashed right again, this time between my tires and under my pedals. I was afraid I might have run him over with my rear tire, but I looked back and he was darting into the underbrush.

I've never seen a squirrel startled before. They are usually so nervous and twitchy that they are sort of pre-startled and so ready to move that they seem to anticipate any danger. I've seen them scared on the road and not know the way to turn, but sneaking up behind one and basically saying, "boo" and having it work is a new one on me.

I guess it was my own fault for not ringing my bell earlier and passing on the right.

It does serve to remind all of us bike riders just how quiet and invisible we really are. I think that squirrel is going to be on my mind every time I wonder if a car driver sees me.

Bike Commute 2011 - Day 18

IN -
Back in the saddle again today. I woke up and looked out the window. It was supposed to be overcast, but I saw the whole Big Dipper and a lovely crescent moon in a midnight blue sky.

It was cold though, about 45o with a wind chill down around 40o. I decided that it was jacket weather. I wore my gloves and a short sleeve tee shirt under and didn’t zip the collar all the way up to my chin, but my ears did get cold.

I had had my Bears cap on the back on the bike on Wednesday, that muddy return ride, so I had to find a new billed cap to wear.

I use the cap to shield my eyes from oncoming headlights to protect my night vision as well as I can. I ended up with a tan cap we got from Abbott Laboratories (where Mrs. Prop and I work).

I passed a brown fox crossing the street in Mundelein.

As soon as I started heading east the sky was lightening up. The midnight blue gave way to a deep royal blue, then an orange glow grew on the horizon. By the time I got to the highway overpass there were streaks of yellow through the wide band of orange that sat beneath the deep blue turning sky from royal.

It brought to mind the descriptions of dawn in the Oddessy, that of dawn spreading her rosy fingers. It didn't seem that way to me at all, it was more like rolling back the lid of night on a bright new day.

I wanted to take a picture, but I didn't think I could capture it.

Back to the mundane. I had forgotten to change into my gym shoes yesterday when I left work, so I only had a pair of my semi-dress shoes to wear for my ride in. That's what I ended up taking a picture of. They don't look so bad, do they?

Don't look, I'm ugly

HOME -
The computer said that it is a 10mph easterly, but it seemed like the wind was more out of the north than east, but it was nice and sunny.

There were several interesting yet strong smells. First was the smell of ponds, or water; then cut grass and the foliage. In Mundelein someone must have been doing construction because I could smell the lumber, finally nearing home I could smell the fresh tar from the neighbors getting new driveways. All the odors were pleasant.

The not so nice thing, aggravating actually, was that there were still puddles of standing water and mud. That was really what the pond, water smell was. I discovered it when I surprisingly rode through the first one.

I wasn't packed for a wet ride this time so I had to ride carefully. I slowly rode through six puddles and around one major puddle that flooded the bike drive through at Dairy Dream.

Not So Bike Commute Day

No ride in today because it was storming up a storm. As soon as the alarm went off my wife told me that I wasn't riding in.


I was disappointed because this was promising to be my first 5 day bike week.

I thought it might be interesting to treat my car commute the same way I treat my bike ones and see how they compare.

My other ride is a bike

IN -
I got out late so I pulled away from the house at 4:25. I got to work and in the door at 4:50, so a 25 minute commute instead of a 32 - 37 minute one. That's not that big an advantage. I did take a different route, so I don't know if that makes a difference. I'll have to try this again with the same route as I bike. I will drive home my bike route though and see how that goes.

I didn't see or hear any critters, as suspected.

I listened to the news a bit and weather. Since it's a strong radio broadcast it wasn't very specific to my situation. I had the wipers on steadily for most of the way, and only switched to intermittent for a short while.

I also listened to "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin and "We Are Sex Bob-omb."

HOME -
Sleepy, so very sleepy. That is a drastic difference between car commuting and bike commuting. I hadn't noticed how much less sleepy I am from riding until today when I nearly nodded off twice on the way home. I guess the ride really does make me less sleepy, even if I get only four hours of sleep I never nod off on my bike.

I did see a pair of ducks in a puddle in a field. I always like seeing them since they remind me of a longstanding, happy marriage. I'm pretty sure ducks mate for life, and it's very easy to see which one is the male and which one the female. There is a Korean tradition of giving a pair of duck figurines to a newly married couple for luck. Our pair is in our china cabinet near our "plate."

It was so windy that it pushed the minivan around a bit. I am glad I didn't ride today, though disappointed that I couldn't.

The drive home was about 24 minutes, so driving alone was twice as fast as riding, but I had parked where I usually do, at the back of the furthest parking lot, so I can stretch my legs and get in the most steps for my 10K-A-Day pedometer. I didn't check my watch to see when I left the building to walk to the car. I think it is between 2 and 7 minutes, so the whole commute home could have been 26 - 31 minutes. I have riding in to work in 32 minutes so that is very close to being a wash, but then you have to add in the time it takes me to change clothes.

In the end it really isn't that much extra time to ride, and well worth it to get in the daily 75 - 90 minutes of free exercise time. Though sometimes I don't see much more on the ride than the drive the alertness of riding makes those trips more memorable and pleasant.

Bike Commute 2011 - Day 17 - Happy Towel Day!

Happy Towel Day everyone! (actually yesterday) 

Speaking of Towel Day, I was thinking about staging, specifically at work.

I keep my bike in an unused cubicle near mine.  Mostly I try to keep just my bike there because I don't want to seem like I'm trying to take ownership of another cube for myself.  However, I have on occasion had to go back and get something I forgot in my own cube because it wasn't there with my bike when I left.

I'm not sure it it's better to keep a few things in that cube with the bike or not.  My hat, gloves and reflective vest are a few specific items I'm thinking of.

I'll have to think about it some more.

IN -


It was foggy, misty, wet and cool this morning. It was about 50o, but there was a NE wind that made it feel more like 47o. I was chilly, but oddly enough I didn't feel like I was being pushed back. The streets were still wet from a rain last night and it looks like it will rain on me going home.

I debated with myself on what to wear today. I ended up with a gray long sleeve tee shirt (military) and a white short sleeve one over it. I wore my usual shorts, socks, gymshoes and gloves (wool military). I wore my reflective vest over it all, with a Bears trucker cap and safety glasses.

I think I made a mistake not wearing my jacket. It isn't exactly waterproof, but now I don't have any long sleeve thing to wear home unless I want to add my sweaty one from this morning. I guess I'll have to wear my work clothes home and hope it doesn't rain on me too bad.

HOME -

It rained all day at work and I was very nervous that it would be a wet and cold ride home. It was ironic since it is Towel Day.

It wasn't all that wet actually. It had stopped raining about an hour before I left and it didn't rain on me at all.

It was slightly warmer than the ride in to work, though I expected it to be cooler than it was so I wore my work clothes home.

It was foggy and damp. The trail was muddy and wet. It was like riding on a beach. I counted six times I had to go off trail to avoid standing water and/or mud puddles, and nine times (nine times, but I wasn't sick or ditching school) I had no choice but to ride through the puddles.

I was packed for a messy commute though. When I got home everything was covered in mud splatters and it was all the way up to the top of my reflective vest. I assume it got up to my hair as well, but I couldn't really see that.

It was all just little drops, not a huge wet strip up my back though. I suppose that was because I actually do have a rear fender. That and the two bags I carry kept me mostly comfortable, if not completely clean.

Bike Commute 2011 - Day 16

IN -


The computer says the wind is 4mph from the north, but I think it must be some sort of government conspiracy instigated by the auto makers in cahoots with the oil producers. It felt like a 10mph easterly, right in my face. I don't know why I would be dragging so it's the only explanation I can come up with.

Lots of frogs and birds making themselves heard, but nothing of note to see. I did have a bug fly into my mouth.

It is getting brighter and brighter every morning. At this rate it seems like it will be daylight for my morning ride, but I'm pretty sure it won't. I didn’t start last year until July, but I don't remember it being all that bright in the morning and I was coming in a half hour later then.

Speaking of last year, I commuted 30 times last year so I'm over half that this year already. This is my 16th day this year.

HOME -

I was a nice, sunny day, bit cold though. It wasn't any warmer than coming in this morning. I think it was a north wind, so that was the most pleasant.

It was all dust on the trail today, some of it showing signs of washing out from the rain. Since the trail looked a bit like a beach I thought it was appropriate to take a pic of what I call the Beach House.

The Beach House

This place looks like it could be sitting on a lake somewhere, but in reality it is just overlooking the North Shore Bike Path.

In Mundelein I was traveling down Prospect and there is an over pass there for the train. This is the second time this year that I have avoid being caught by a freight train in Mundelein by taking this route. I really like the idea that I can ride my bike with a train overhead.

I've always said that I'm under-trained

Bike Commute 2011 - Day 15 & My Ethos

Yes, my ethos.  I'm sure those that know me are saying to yourselves, "well of course he has an ethos."  And those that know me know that I am going to explain it with a little story.

My wife told me that he car was in a bad way, so Saturday we took it into the shop.  While we were there I noticed a Daily Herald laying there and this article was on top.  Hey, another guy in Mundelein who bikes to work. Wow, he has done it since '91, and wow he bikes 15 miles each way.  He works at a bike shop.

Well, duh.  He bikes to work and he works at a bike shop.  It's great for him and all.  It's a great example, but it's a bit of a no-brainer.

It got me to thinking.  I am not a cyclist who rides to work.  I am a person who goes to work on a bike.  I have friends who do triathalons.  They don't ride to work, but if they did they would be cyclists who ride to work.  I'm sure they would wear cyclist clothes, they would push themselves; but they would probably not ride their best bike and not count it as a proper cycling workout.  I am assuming here, but I think that would be their ethos.  I could be wrong, but it's the impression I get from cyclists.

I also get the impression that I am not one of them.  They don't give me that impression and I don't feel I belong.  I'm not serious enough, but ironically, it's because I don't treat it as a sport.

I don't like the sport of cycling.  I don't like racing in general, but I really have no interest in long distance racing.  I find close course cycle racing a bit more interesting, but it's certainly not a sport in which I want to participate.  Mountain biking sounds challenging, but I wouldn't want to race.

I like getting around on a bike.  I like the "being there" that I talked about in earlier posts.  I like being Earth-friendly in a way that is enjoyable.  I like dabling in the "gear" but only as deep as I want to go, which is probably akin to sitting on the dock and dangling my feet.  I like providing my own propulsion.  I like the extra exercise that I can get almost free (very little extra time or effort).  I like being able to do all this and still provide the same level of work, with no special compensation.  I like the idea that if I didn't want anyone to know I could bike commute almost invisibly.

I think of a bike as a vehicle or a tool, not as a toy or a sport.  In English we don't have a word for someone who using a bike like this.  I don't know if they do in other languages.  In English when you say someone is a cyclist it means they participate in a cycling sport.  If you say someone is a driver it doesn't mean they are a race car driver.

I'm not complaining, really I'm not.  I'm observing.  It's interesting and I think different and subtle.  I'm trying to define it.

When I see photos of people in other countries riding bikes to work, like Japan, China, the Netherlands or Denmark, I think, that's like me.  Those people have pretty much the same attitude towards biking that I do.  In this article of the Top 11 Bicycle Friendly Cities in the World, four of them are in the US.  There are lots of bike commuters there, but I really don't feel like I belong in that group.  I feel like an outsider.

Have I forced myself outside, or have I been forced outside?  I don't know, but I do that I feel apart, and it's probably mostly because of my attitude and my ethos.

My super-special, eco-amorous commuting bag

IN -


Monday, yes Monday. Had to take the Mrs. car into the shop on Saturday. When the mechanic asked if we could leave it she really didn't blink, she just asked, "Is that alright?" She didn't ask if I could ride to work or treat it like an extra special favor, but just if it were alright.

Previously we really didn't talk about it much. She treated it as a sort of folly of mine that she tolerated, but now it seems to be a given.

It was warm this morning and the air was dry, but the street was wet.

Last night I had to make a special trip to bring my clothes for the week (since I didn't take the car today to bring my stuff). It was raining so hard that I had to wait for it to let up and stop hailing before I could DRIVE to work. I'm so glad that was all over before I left this morning.

HOME -

Three words, WIND, mud and gas. Traveling at 12mph into a 20mph headwind means I go 8mph backwards? I felt like it. Seriously, it was a terrible headwind and I was fighting it the whole way.

On top of that, it had rained so hard last night that there was still standing water on some of the trail. Ironically, other parts have such good drainage that they were dusty, but that wasn't as bad as the water and mud. I had to go off the trail onto the grass about a dozen times to keep out of standing water and another half dozen I rode through mud that I didn't realize was there or couldn't avoid. Remember the pictures of Blackie mud spattered? That was today again.

And gas, I had a stomach ache stabbing me and threatening to explode. Maybe I'm sharing too much, but it was uppermost on my mind, when I wasn't thinking about the wind, or the mud/water.

It all added up to a long and exhausting ride home, so I topped it off with mowing the back yard and working on planting a new tree in the front yard. Did I mention that I'm on a team competing to have the most hours of work outs this month?