Monday, April 5, 2010

"We say we're up, then we say we're down"

8 Miles
40 Degrees

I ate way too much candy for Easter! I feel like a hypocrite telling my kids not to eat so much candy and then I pork out on it. I guess, really, I don't want them to develop my bad habits. Too late for Tara but we may get it through to Sydney and Evie.

Anyway, I was devoid of energy this morning and moved in slow motion. I have to admit that with the stresses of my job in the last three weeks, other than commuting to and from work and participating in the 5k and bike crit last weekend, I haven't done anything strenuous for the last three weeks (besides trying to keep up with the kids). Sarah asked if I was going for a ride today and I hoed and hummed and told her I didn't think so because its cold outside and I didn't have my base-layer at work. Well, 12 noon rolled around and it still hadn't warmed up any. I squirmed a little and decided to go anyway. I brought my wind-breaker, which I bought for cycling but have never used it as such, to keep me warm.

I had my mountain bike today, which still has my slick tires on because I've been to lazy/busy to get outside and change them. I did get a chance to look at my pedals this weekend and cut and grind off the parts of the pedal that where interfering with me clipping in with my bike shoes. I thought I'd go for a test ride today. Climbing up the city streets on my way to 27th Street I saw a dirt trail climbing the embankment of canal which then cuts over to 27th Street (cutting out the scary traffic portion of the street.) I've never been able to get up the trail before but since I was clipped in and could push and pull myself up the hill, I thought I'd give it a try.  I got almost all the way to the top when the trail turned nearly vertical.  I jumped out of the pedals and threw my feet to the ground just before my bike started to roll backwards.  Gripping the brakes, I threw one leg over the bike frame so I could scramble up the embankment along side the bike, which was no easy task.  I finally pulled the bike to the top and pedaled off toward 27th street for my long climb up the rims when off to the left I saw another dirt trail climbing the embankment.  This one was steep but not as steep as the last one.  That's when I realized that this was the one that I'd tried climbing before, not the impossibly steep one I'd just attempted.  This one I could handle.

The rest of my ride was uneventful but pleasant.  I even warmed up enough that I took my jacket off, while riding, rolled it up and stuck it in my back pocket.  I was impressed that I could actually do it and make it look easy.  I ended up climbing 27th Street and taking the Black Otter Trail back down the other side.  It wasn't the longest ride, but it was a good way to jump back into the swing of things.

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