it's amazing what you can do when you dont do nothing all day. (Dont do nothing? Yeah, thats what I meant).
So I get home close to 5pm.
530-640: ride around Scaryetta/Kennesaw Mountain. About 8 miles. See an asian who claims to have seen me ride on Cobb Parkway (which I dont do ever). Its a long story. Also saw some neighborhood kids. Emphasis on the 'hood. Did you ever take those quizzes asking how many 8 year olds could you take? I definitely lower my number to no more than 6. Have you ever seen six 8 year olds together? I felt like I was in middle school all over again with my helmet, perfect posture, and bike rack riding through their judgmental seedy little eyes.
[500-530: I was shaving my legs and bike prepping. I didnt think you needed to know all that. Thats why Im mentioning that you didnt need to know all that. But by mentioning that you didnt need to know all that, you end up knowing all that. Okay okay I'll do it: Now, a clever man would put the poison into his own goblet, because he would know that only a great fool would reach for what he was given. I am not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But you must have known I was not a great fool, you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.]
640-700: Walk Zoey. And when I say "walk Zoey" I mean Zoey walked and I rode my bike with her leash in my hand.
700-705: Met crazy neighbor (think the crazy cat lady from the simpsons but with a dog). Her dog was all sniffing Zoey and not on a leash. And she asks me to grab her dog because her dog was much more interested in Zoey and not in the meat she was trying to get her with. I think her dog's name is something weird. Like Tika or Tutu.
705-720: Made some fake chicken with A1 sauce on it. And then I ate it.
720-920: Put some laundry in the washer. Watched MST3K: Mitchell. A mass wave of sleepiness washed over me.
920-930: Turned off the movie. Read some of Lucky Jim. Fell asleep on top of the covers with my lamp that-I-think-will-start-fires-if-I-ever-left-it-on on.
I also took a shower sometime after the bike ride and before the movie. Im pretty sure my times are accurate though. So I think my shower happened during a break in the space-time continuum.
PS. This blog could also be titled: why i woke up at 430 am in the morning. (who falls asleep before 10 pm these days? Oh. I do.)
Showing posts with label bicycles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bicycles. Show all posts
June 19, 2008
May 21, 2008
Bike commute
Hey so I cut 6 minutes off my bike commute. Instead of taking 53 minutes, it only ("only" being quite a relative term) took me 47 minutes. Thursday and Friday has a chance of rain, so Im probably not going to risk riding in thunder and lightning. I dont need any NDE thankyouverymuch. But if I watch The Weather Channel (local on the eights!) sometimes they give you a rundown of what things are going to look like (weather wise) (man Im using a lot of parenthesis) around 8 am noon 5 pm and 8 pm. Something like those times. And if things look clear up until 5 pm, IM GOLD (that means I am good to ride that day). Oh and I also rode listening to my iPod. FIRST TIME. So coach! I can listen to music and still hear cars whizz by! I mean, this is fanfreakintastic! I just have crap headphones that fall out of my ear sometimes. But I use them since they're longer than my iPod headphones.
Anyways. I think to commute to work, I need to be in better shape. So if I dont go commute Thursday or Friday, I must go to the gym. I can take Friday off and do yoga Saturday and Sunday. The reason why I wouldnt bike commute on Thursday and Friday is because it's supposed to rain. Falling and hurting myself is hard enough when you're dry.
Blood, sweat, tears? You think thats bad, try blood, sweat, tears, and rain.
Are you asleep yet?
Brenda was talking about how she looked dorky bike commuting. I dont think she gets that everyone looks dorky bike commuting. Especially if you do it properly. Helmet. Lycra. Bookbag. Blinky reflectors. I need a big orange triangle with reflector strips on the back and Im set.
Ugh, one vent for this morning. A driver didnt turn on her blinker. She was coming up behind me and I was about to cross over a driveway. And I saw the car slowing down BUT SHE DIDNT HAVE HER BLINKER ON!! What am I a mind reader? Use your blinker thats what its for! At least give me the opportunity to prevent you from running me over. I shouldnt have been on the sidewalk, but that street is just way to busy and I have yet to grow balls so I ride on the sidewalk during this particular part of the commute.
Oh and when I WAS on the road, it seems there was a lot more people driving past me all aggressively. I could literally see this one black lady's eyes roll as she passed me. I HAVE RIGHTS TOO!
OH YEAH! Amy is coming to church with me on Sunday! Yay! She used to always teach primary and then she got all pregnant so its not like I've had the opportunity to go to church with her for a long time. And when I was living with her, I think I was working a lot at Six Flags Over Georgia (ie, on Sundays).
So yay! Amy said something about all the "hot men" there. No comment!
Anyways. I think to commute to work, I need to be in better shape. So if I dont go commute Thursday or Friday, I must go to the gym. I can take Friday off and do yoga Saturday and Sunday. The reason why I wouldnt bike commute on Thursday and Friday is because it's supposed to rain. Falling and hurting myself is hard enough when you're dry.
Blood, sweat, tears? You think thats bad, try blood, sweat, tears, and rain.
Are you asleep yet?
Brenda was talking about how she looked dorky bike commuting. I dont think she gets that everyone looks dorky bike commuting. Especially if you do it properly. Helmet. Lycra. Bookbag. Blinky reflectors. I need a big orange triangle with reflector strips on the back and Im set.
Ugh, one vent for this morning. A driver didnt turn on her blinker. She was coming up behind me and I was about to cross over a driveway. And I saw the car slowing down BUT SHE DIDNT HAVE HER BLINKER ON!! What am I a mind reader? Use your blinker thats what its for! At least give me the opportunity to prevent you from running me over. I shouldnt have been on the sidewalk, but that street is just way to busy and I have yet to grow balls so I ride on the sidewalk during this particular part of the commute.
Oh and when I WAS on the road, it seems there was a lot more people driving past me all aggressively. I could literally see this one black lady's eyes roll as she passed me. I HAVE RIGHTS TOO!
OH YEAH! Amy is coming to church with me on Sunday! Yay! She used to always teach primary and then she got all pregnant so its not like I've had the opportunity to go to church with her for a long time. And when I was living with her, I think I was working a lot at Six Flags Over Georgia (ie, on Sundays).
So yay! Amy said something about all the "hot men" there. No comment!
May 19, 2008
my bike commute this morning.
Bike commuting isnt as suck as I thought it would be.
But I'm pretty slow though.
6.8 miles in 53:39 minutes average heart rate of 150 bpm.
Here are the possible reasons it took me so long.
A. Im in bad shape right now.
B. There was a train. I got stuck at a train!
C. I had to play chicken and cross Cobb Parkway without dying.
D. I had to stop to pull out my googlemaps printout because I dont know how to get to work with my new bike route.
E. Two words: Kennesaw Avenue. Going to work, that thing is a mile long gentle uphill.
But I'm pretty slow though.
6.8 miles in 53:39 minutes average heart rate of 150 bpm.
Here are the possible reasons it took me so long.
A. Im in bad shape right now.
B. There was a train. I got stuck at a train!
C. I had to play chicken and cross Cobb Parkway without dying.
D. I had to stop to pull out my googlemaps printout because I dont know how to get to work with my new bike route.
E. Two words: Kennesaw Avenue. Going to work, that thing is a mile long gentle uphill.
May 15, 2008
reasons to ride a bike (to work)
1. High Gas Prices. This one is a gimme. And don't forget, gas prices are expected to double. Gas at $3.70 is getting people closer into the city to stop using their cars for their commute. When it reaches $7 or $8, people farther out will see a bike as an attractive way to cut costs.
2. Exercise. It is unfortunate, but as our lives become more automated -- more time shuffling paper and toggling bits -- we become lazier and more sedentary. Humans aren't designed to sit on their butts all day. They should be out hunting something or working in a field. For those of us who are stuck behind a desk, riding a bike to the desk gives you some exercise every day. The further you live from work, the more exercise you get!
3. Endorphins and a Sense of Accomplishment. Exercise produces endorphins and endorphins make you feel good. I've been riding like a madman the past few days and I've rarely felt better. It doesn't hurt that I'm averaging 35 or so miles a day. Looking back, despite whatever else is going on in my life (and, really, my life ain't that bad), I feel like I've really accomplished something most people don't even try.
4. Discovering Your Neighborhood. It is amazing the things you notice when you slow down. And lets admit it, for most people cycling is going to be slower than driving to work. But it comes with the benefit of finding new and interesting things along the way. Things that you miss completely when you're going 45+mph. Even if it is only the silly sayings on the bumper of a parked car.
5. Sleep. When you start exercising more, you sleep better. More and better sleep is always helpful. If you have insomnia and you aren't biking to work, now is the time to start!
Oh and a random one I found: Without cycling, I’d die consuming the quantities of beer that I do. I also ride for the scenery. And what other opportunity do I have for stuffing 250 pounds into too-small Lycra bib shorts?
2. Exercise. It is unfortunate, but as our lives become more automated -- more time shuffling paper and toggling bits -- we become lazier and more sedentary. Humans aren't designed to sit on their butts all day. They should be out hunting something or working in a field. For those of us who are stuck behind a desk, riding a bike to the desk gives you some exercise every day. The further you live from work, the more exercise you get!
3. Endorphins and a Sense of Accomplishment. Exercise produces endorphins and endorphins make you feel good. I've been riding like a madman the past few days and I've rarely felt better. It doesn't hurt that I'm averaging 35 or so miles a day. Looking back, despite whatever else is going on in my life (and, really, my life ain't that bad), I feel like I've really accomplished something most people don't even try.
4. Discovering Your Neighborhood. It is amazing the things you notice when you slow down. And lets admit it, for most people cycling is going to be slower than driving to work. But it comes with the benefit of finding new and interesting things along the way. Things that you miss completely when you're going 45+mph. Even if it is only the silly sayings on the bumper of a parked car.
5. Sleep. When you start exercising more, you sleep better. More and better sleep is always helpful. If you have insomnia and you aren't biking to work, now is the time to start!
Oh and a random one I found: Without cycling, I’d die consuming the quantities of beer that I do. I also ride for the scenery. And what other opportunity do I have for stuffing 250 pounds into too-small Lycra bib shorts?
May 14, 2008
From a bike blog.
I play this little game while riding to and from work where I memorize the license plate of a passing car. When the next car drives by I memorize that one, and so on and so on. If there is an altercation, I've trained myself to look at the license plates first. So rather than use my middle finger to tell somebody how I feel, I can find out where they live based on that license plate and send them a letter of gratitude.
Flashback 10 weeks to Valentines Day in February. I'm riding within the law and hugging the curb as much as I safely can, doing about 20mph down the street, when a car lays on their horn for a good 10 seconds. They pass me, I memorize the license plate, approach them at the red light one block down, and stare into her window. No words said, no middle finger needed, I had her plates.
I "obtain" her name and home address (don't ask how) and write her the following letter:
"Dear Nancy,
Thanks for the extended horn honk this morning. It reminded me that today is Valentines Day and my wife just loves red tulips, the same red as your Cadillac. So thanks for the horn honk. Happy Valentines Day.
- Cyclist on 66th St."
I also enclose a fake traffic ticket and a copy of the Minnesota Department of Transportation rules of the road. No threats, other than she knows I know where she lives.
Fast forward to last Wednesday. I'm riding to work as usual, signaling my turns, flowing with traffic and abiding by the law when a car honks. I see the familiar license plate and verify the same red Cadillac with an older blonde woman driving. I wish you all could've seen her face when she pulled along side me at the red light and I said "Hi Nancy". All she could do was grip her steering wheel, look straight ahead, and figure out how she was going to get the poop off her panty hose once she got to work.
Score one for the cyclist.
Flashback 10 weeks to Valentines Day in February. I'm riding within the law and hugging the curb as much as I safely can, doing about 20mph down the street, when a car lays on their horn for a good 10 seconds. They pass me, I memorize the license plate, approach them at the red light one block down, and stare into her window. No words said, no middle finger needed, I had her plates.
I "obtain" her name and home address (don't ask how) and write her the following letter:
"Dear Nancy,
Thanks for the extended horn honk this morning. It reminded me that today is Valentines Day and my wife just loves red tulips, the same red as your Cadillac. So thanks for the horn honk. Happy Valentines Day.
- Cyclist on 66th St."
I also enclose a fake traffic ticket and a copy of the Minnesota Department of Transportation rules of the road. No threats, other than she knows I know where she lives.
Fast forward to last Wednesday. I'm riding to work as usual, signaling my turns, flowing with traffic and abiding by the law when a car honks. I see the familiar license plate and verify the same red Cadillac with an older blonde woman driving. I wish you all could've seen her face when she pulled along side me at the red light and I said "Hi Nancy". All she could do was grip her steering wheel, look straight ahead, and figure out how she was going to get the poop off her panty hose once she got to work.
Score one for the cyclist.
May 9, 2008
American manufactured bicycle companies
I found really conflicting stuff from blogs and really sketchy sites.
The ones with the strongest Made in USA ties seemed to be:
Cannondale
Trek
Scott USA
Specialized.
And even with them, it seemed like most of the frames were made in Asia but assembled in the USA. Scott USA is now headquartered in freakin Switzerland! They used to have strong USA ties ... but I think its no more.
Will have to do more investigating.
The ones with the strongest Made in USA ties seemed to be:
Cannondale
Trek
Scott USA
Specialized.
And even with them, it seemed like most of the frames were made in Asia but assembled in the USA. Scott USA is now headquartered in freakin Switzerland! They used to have strong USA ties ... but I think its no more.
Will have to do more investigating.
May 7, 2008
Ixnay on the Novara Fusion
So I went to REI and I totally am not going to buy the Novara Fusion. It WAS awesome with all the accessories it came with. But it is just too mechanical for me. Say I got a flat tire ... I'd have to unscrew a lot of things and know what to not touch and try to replace the tube inside the tire without breaking cables and with the tire not detaching from the bike. It seems like a total hassle. The REI person was like ... these are actually one of the bikes we dont want to put together because they are such a pain.
The Corsa sits better AND you dont even need any tools to take off the back wheel.
One thing I DONT like about Novara as a whole ... the frames are made in China. They are American designed though. The REI person said that only 5 bicycle brands were actually made in the USA. Cannondale (REI carries this brand) was one of them. I didnt ask for the other 4. I'll furiously google these other four companies tomorrow.
HOLD YOUR BREATH!
The Corsa sits better AND you dont even need any tools to take off the back wheel.
One thing I DONT like about Novara as a whole ... the frames are made in China. They are American designed though. The REI person said that only 5 bicycle brands were actually made in the USA. Cannondale (REI carries this brand) was one of them. I didnt ask for the other 4. I'll furiously google these other four companies tomorrow.
HOLD YOUR BREATH!
Commuting to work via bike might be harder than I originally thought
Okay apparently you arent supposed to commute on major highway thoroughfares. So I'm guessing Cobb Parkway is out of the question. But the route they suggest me taking is crossing huge intersections and taking a lot of turns. Do they know how easily I get lost??! I have to take 25 turns and the way I was planning on going only had me turning like 5 times! Thats a kabillion more turns! 5 times more!! 500 % more turns!
The following website was extremely helpful though.
http://commutebybike.com/
This was the site I went to to plan my trip.
http://www.atltransit.com/
ANd Im totally not giving up on commuting to work! I am planning on spending that rebate check on a 600 dollar bike. I think Im going to get the Fusion Novara REI brand.
http://www.rei.com/product/744803
Sweet? Sweet.
It has fenders and headlights and taillights. I think it has a nexus hub. And I have no clue what that means.
Oh, then I'll need a helmet, patch kits, tire levers?, tubes, wrench?, multitool? I mean, I wouldnt even know what to do with all that stuff?
How about just one tool?
A CELLPHONE.
The following website was extremely helpful though.
http://commutebybike.com/
This was the site I went to to plan my trip.
http://www.atltransit.com/
ANd Im totally not giving up on commuting to work! I am planning on spending that rebate check on a 600 dollar bike. I think Im going to get the Fusion Novara REI brand.
http://www.rei.com/product/744803
Sweet? Sweet.
It has fenders and headlights and taillights. I think it has a nexus hub. And I have no clue what that means.
Oh, then I'll need a helmet, patch kits, tire levers?, tubes, wrench?, multitool? I mean, I wouldnt even know what to do with all that stuff?
How about just one tool?
A CELLPHONE.
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