In the Dark

Last week I rode in the dark...except it was still mostly light out.  The battery on my computer was dead, and when I took it in to charge it, I forgot and continued to forget it each morning.  Consequently I was riding without feedback from my bike.  No speed.  No grade.  No cadence.  No temperature.  No distance.  No timer.

For the first couple of days I was kicking myself within the first 100 feet away from my driveway.  Then again after the first 100 yards.  Apparently I look at my speed and time often while I ride.  By mid-week I was looking less, and was not kicking myself so hard because I didn't miss the digital feedback so much. 

Yes, I still missed the speed read-out, but I paid greater attention to my internal feedback.  As I listened to my legs (as opposed to the Jens Voigt approach) I found a slightly different position to ride in that gave me more strength and better endurance.  I found gauging myself was a little easier.  I'm not a racer, but I do compete with myself, and I returned a little bit to enjoying the ride and not worrying so much about the time-trial version of commuting.

Now that "actual" darkness is creeping in (with the change of season), I'm looking forward to pulling out The Commuter.  My commuter is  a single-speed.  Which means I get to sit back and enjoy the ride a little more.  This past week "in the dark" reminded me that the non-competitive season is worth as much as the competitive.

By the way, I was only 10 seconds off of my fastest time this morning!  Despite the lack of light.

Ode to Ice Cream

Maggie Moo's, I love you so.
You're flavorful and kind.
And when I lumber out your door,
you stick to my behind.

Leather and Rain

This morning I determined that I would NOT wimp out on my commute because of a little rain...or even for a lot of rain.  I donned my rain coat and headed out the door.  The rain was not nearly as big as it sounded from inside, so it ended up being a pleasent ride. 

BUT I forgot to put the rain cover on my leather saddle!  I was half-way to work when I realized this.  I thought through the possibilities in my mind:

• Stop and put the cover on the saddle.
• Keep going and do not get off the saddle until I'm out of the rain.  (This method was only an option because my saddle bag pretty well protects the underside of the saddle.)

I kept going.  As I expected, when I arrived at work the saddle was mostly dry.  Whew!  The last thing I want to do is ruin my Brooks. 

It's really time to get my foul weather commuter up and running again.

Doctor's Orders

I've had a stiff neck for a while now...nearly 5 weeks.  It began one morning after I presumably slept wrong on it, but I think I seriously over-stressed myself prior to that by playing football one day and then going out wakeboarding the next.  For a couple of weeks the pain seemed to fade, but never completely gone, it erupted again after another football game.  After that the pain did not fade.  Rather, it seemed to become more painful and irritating each day.  This week I scheduled an appointment with my doctor. 
I was a little apprehensive about finding out what was wrong.  I felt terrible the day before the appointment and missed 1/2 a day of work.  I even rode the bus to work; fearing that the pain was exacerbated by my riding position.
I love the efficiency of my medical team.  Checked in, vitals check, flu shot, visit with doc, x-rays, follow-up with doc, all in 45 minutes!  Not to mention that I set up my own appointment online and can email my doc and receive responses. 
Whoa...sidetracked.
My doctor diagnosed a neck sprain.  Textbook example.  The plan of recovery?  Anti-inflammatories and daily cycling.  Really, it was more like this:  "daily low-impact aerobic exercise...so cycling."  Did I mention I like my medical team?  My recovery plan requires that I ride my bike!  Wahoo!

Reactionary Meetings

This morning after flying down Nemesis Hill (affectionately named, for its effect on my return commute), I bottomed out at a hasty speed.  I did my best to maintain speed.  I kept the big gear up front and pedaled hard. 
As I approached the next cross street, a car pulled up to the intersection on my right and executed what I remember (as a teenager) calling a "California Stop" (although I have never experienced anything to justify that generalization).  Fortunately for me, the driver saw me quickly approaching AND he reacted. 
At first, I perceived his reaction as conceited and rude because he hit the accelerator and crossed in front of me while he turned into the parallel lane to mine.  As it turned out, I did not have to react in any physical way to avoid a collision.  In fact, I purposely did not react...you know...so I could show that man what danger he was flirting with.  (Retrospectively, I think I made a stupid choice there, but I won't admit where.)  Had the driver hit his brakes instead of his accelerator, he would have stopped midway into my travel lane and I would have had to react in a big way to avoid collision.  I had to admit to myself that he made a good choice and subsequent reaction.
I ended up coming within 10 feet of that car as it crossed through my lane, and then I kept up with it as we rolled up to the next red light.  While pedaling in the car's right wingman position I realized that we would stop next to eachother, and I would have an opportunity to communicate with the driver.  I acted as I would have if our meeting had not been so reactionary.  Truly, having thought about it, I was pleased that he had reacted with confidence and prevented collision.