This winter of spinning class obsession actually paid off - I rode my bike to work today, and it didn't hurt. Except for the part where I was going up Watson Road hill, which of course kicks my ass, but I was determined to make it up and I had very little momentum and I shifted down and the chain stuck just the tiniest bit - it does that, if I have any momentum, I can unstick it in seconds - and of course I was clipped in because I *was* going to make it up and thus ensued my usual slow motion wipeout onto the shoulder. This is why I wear padded gloves. But even stopping to untangle myself, cuss a bit, and walk the bike the rest of the stupid Watson Road hill that I will make it up without stopping even if it means I wear my gloves out toppling over first, I *still* got to work in well under an hour.
This was my first bike ride outside this year. The last time I rode my bike to work, it took 65 minutes to get here. Thus, yay spinning class. And I'm going to keep riding to work, because boo gym when it's nice outside. I have not been able to make myself go since coming back from Chile (I went once. It was fine. I kept looking out the window at the sunshine the way a toddler lookes out through the bars of his crib when he doesn't want to go to sleep).
In other firsts, I paddled my kayak this past weekend on Sam's annual Algonquin season opener. This time, the trip involved a portage. I brought Ikea bags to carry my crap across (we won't really dwell on the bushwhack version of the portage I did on my first trip). Then, I put my boat on my shoulder and valiantly muscled it across myself. Or rather, I was valiant and stoic for the first 75 meters. Then I put the boat down, took off all the accessories that add extra weight, and went to find the piece of ridge rest I use as a bum pad to pad my shoulder. On the way home, I wanted to put my boat on my shoulders the way I saw Sam do it. I'm not Sam, and my shoulders didn't fit, so I carried my boat on my head. Both my head and my right shoulder have tender spots. Ah well. The weekend was wonderful, my boat leaked, and there are pictures (promises promises, I know).
My boat leaked because I lost one of the bolts that holds the footrail in place. I don't know where or how I lost it, but I do know that I wondered why my drypants were sloshing in so much water. I'd done a careless wet launch, but it still seemed like a lot. And it kept increasing... I got to the portage and pumped out the three inches of water I had accumulated and flipped the boat over, puzzled, and then I saw my 1/4" hole...
I know it's a 1/4" because last night I went to several hardware stores to try and replicate the screw (I took out the corresponding one on the other footrail). I got one that's a bit longer and one that's a bit shorter, but I couldn't find a 1/4" rubber washer anyway. For now, I put a metal washer on, and the longer screw fit - I futzed with it last night, and the rail slides perfectly within the housing. If it still leaks, I'll put duct tape over it.
I bought a new bicycle pump at hardware store #1 yesterday. My old one had simply stopped functioning over the winter. It was 10 years old, so hey, no big deal. I got the fancypants new one home (my old one fit one type of valve - the kind my bike and car tires have. The new one fit every valve ever invented) and noticed a key part that holds the adapter bits in place was missing and I had a fancypants useless piece of junk. It is now sitting a bag with the store receipt, to be returned. I bought another (much cheaper) pump at hardware store #2, and the kayak screws, and I searched in vain for rubber washers in hardware store #3.
Oh, and I could illustrate everything because I have a new camera. I loved the old camera, a Canon A95, but it died a tragic death during a visit to the devil's cellar at Concha y Toro winery. I replaced it with one that's almost exactly like it, except twice the megapixels, more fancy features I won't use, and SD card instead of CF. At least the digital SLRs we have at work use the CF cards, so my memory card investments are not entirely in vain. The new camera is the Canon A640. The transition has been seamless...
There are things blooming in my garden. That's all I know, because I've spent no time there. I get very tired of this climate when winter lasts forever but it's not *good* winter (I like skiing winter), and then there's endless mud and cold and it just drags on. But then, this time starts, and there is nothing quite as special as the long summer evenings in May, June and July. At this time of year, I can't imagine living anywhere *but* at a northern latitude (or why anyone would want to live anywhere else).
Except I want to *go* somewhere. I am full of ideas, but not so much on the follow-through. I wanted to go to Germany for next week. I procrastinated on making the decision for so long that all the good points flights were gone, and the affordable flights too. That made the decision for me, I stay put... and then this morning, on a random daydreaming check of flight sell offs at 6a.m. (you have no idea how many random daydriming flight sell off checks I do) I saw a flight to Frankfurt for $550, taxes and fees included, on a cheapo charter but exactly the dates I want. Now I'm all in a quandary again. If it weren't for this being busy at work thing... I just don't know. I'll procrastinate til the deal no longer exists, I suppose. I'm not so keen on spending any money, is the other thing... I want a Bike Friday, and I can't even consider ordering one of those until all the debt is paid off, and the less money I spend on going places, the more money I can put on the debt, and the faster it gets disappeared... the end of all degree getting and car buying debt is very close, and I just want to get there already.
Of course, I'll get there faster if I make cycling to work a regular thing. Gas is expensive, driving is frivolous when there are alternatives... and it's fun. Way more fun than portaging a kayak.