Taking the Long Way Home

I work in two different towns, one where I live and then one up the road a ways. There's a nice big highway connecting where I am now to where my schools are located. Its generally fast, direct and timely.

And I usually take the highway on the way into work when I have a place to be by a certain time.

But, on the way home, I meander, I explore and I take the roads I've not traveled yet. I see what's over the next ridge, I see if I can get there from here and I find previously undiscovered (to me) treasures.

I've found where I'd like to move if and when we are ever afforded the opportunity to upgrade. Plus its just nice to be reminded every so often that the fastest way to get somewhere isn't necessarily the best way to get there. Sometimes the scenic route has quite a lot to offer too.

Turning a New (Old) Leaf

The partial cold I've been battling all week has subsided enough for me to resume my mostly normal activities. One of those things I've been blowing off for far too long are my workouts. For months I could blame it on my Bowflex residing out in the garage where it was just too far and too darned cold to workout. But a couple of weeks ago we reorganized the office to make space in there again so I could eliminate two of my biggest and lamest excuses.

And, without much fanfare, I got a pretty solid workout in last night, even surprising myself in how little overall strength I've lost over the last few months of non-workouts. I guess hefting two little boys is actually pretty decent exercise afterall. And I know I'm getting a workout when I hold one by the ankles and do standing tri-presses with them which they love and really fires up my arms.

Continuing the resurgent exercise kick and taking advantage of the fantastic late February weather we are having and combined with the fact that I'm only working at one local school today, I rolled out to work this morning on my bike. Not my mountain bike with lots of gears to break down hills, oh no, that would be too easy. No, I headed to work on my beloved cruiser, my beloved single speed cruiser which is great fun to ride but a bit of a slog uphills.

And, first thing in the morning, it was more than a slog. I felt my tired old legs complaining bitterly for a good portion of the ride. But that's fine by me, it isn't a long ride to work but it felt it on the long gradual uphills. And it took me as long to cool down as it did to get to work.

Nobody will make time for you to exercise and keep yourself healthy. You have to make the time for yourself. I'm hoping renewing my commitment to exercising and keeping myself healthy will help improve my sleeping abilities and my overall energy level while helping to whittle down on the middle-aged spread I've been fearful of. Also, it should help work off some of my frustrations and that'll make everyone happier.

At lunch I'm planning on attaching my camera to my handlebars and cruising around campus to make a short movie. But I still want a helmet cam.

A question though. Do I totally blow my carbon neutralization by riding my bike if I had some pretty horrific gas along the way?

A Beautiful Day for a Dead Battery

After what feels like months of rain and cold gray gloomy days, today was a stunningly awesome and beautiful day. Warm sun and clear skies all the way around.

So nice that I thought I'd trade in the car for the moto to go my afternoon school.

Only the motorcycle has been standing unridden for so long that the battery drained to just about nothing and I had to drive anyway. With the sunroof open but it wasn't the same.

I did get the trickle charger hooked up and the bike fired up instantly this evening so tomorrow is going to be a fun commute. I'm jazzed up about it already!

You Have Not Truly Lived Until....

.....you have lane split at night in the rain during a fun-filled Monday evening commute.

It has been said that riding a motorcycle in the rain is the very definition of crazy. They may be a little right.

Such was my joy this evening. I left in the quickening dusk and spattery rain, stopping once for a WTF start and stop gas pump. The pump started, gave me $1.30 in gas and then stopped and told me to go see Mr. Man inside. He said the network was down, eventually, until I found that out, I thought he was saying my card had been denied. Oh yeah, there was a guy on his Harley, not prepared for rain at all, he said he left all his gear at home. Woops. I wonder how he feels about tight black leather? Hehehe.

Anyway, I need some motorcycle boots. No question about it. That was the one thing that kind of sucked about it. Well, that and jumping around in the skinny middle lane dodging pickup trucks (white, again, natch), debris and the occasional oblivious housefrau in her Explorer, Yukon or Escalade. But then, that part is the norm on a dry day. But add water, lots of it and in drop form and people are cranky and do not like you or anyone else. I had a couple of bozos in a Civic jump in line in front of me on the turn on to the highway. What do I care? Once we got on the highway, I jumped over, gunned it, spun out some and then launched down the center. I bet they hadn't gone two miles by the time I got home.

So yeah, boots are a requirement. Waterproof shoes are only waterproof if the water isn't wind-forced into it from above, side and back all at once.

And, now that it's over and my feet are warm and dry again, it was kind of fun to do. It wasn't fun while I was doing it but it was fun after the fact, you know how that works?

Still, I think I'll drive tomorrow anyway, that way I sit and watch it rain through the sunroof. And feel bad for the biker who gets caught out.

Tags: commute, motorcycle in the rain, rain, you have not lived