my bike, she is pretty
butler valley (partial) loop
I'm not quite sure what I was thinking in picking that particular bike route for my first ride after 3 weeks off the bike. Yeah, I'm pretty fit and fierce, but surely a sensible rider would heed such warnings as an elevation profile showing two extensive climbs and the (very) subtle warnings about gravel sections of road. In hindsight, I should have turned around at the intersection of Bald Mountain Road and Maple Creek Road. That would have made for a lovely 30-miler, complete with a 2.6 mile uphill that zapped my legs. From that point on, the steep descent coupled with the stressful logging road sections had me committed to the full loop. Down that hill, and I was deep in the heart of B.F.E.
Long story short, somewhere in the early part of the 7.8 mile Butler Valley climb, my legs lost their power. All of their power. I wasn't bonked, as in the low blood sugar kind of bonking that leaves you jittery and light-headed and wanting to cry, but try as I might, my legs would not reach an acceptable cadence, even going downhill. I hovered between 4 and 7 miles per hour, up, flat, or slight downhill alike. I was constantly calculating the glacial pace of my progress against the route junctions. A turkey vulture circled overhead and I found this both amusing and disturbing, a cartoon-like reminder that I was in over my head. I stopped to eat some calories and was immediately attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes, sensing weakness and salt-encrusted flesh.
Finally, at 33.2 miles, I reached a road sign and did the math - at my 5 mph pace, I was going to be on the road for 4 more hours. I wouldn't get home until 7PM. And I was out of water. And food. And there was more uphill. I was one tenth of a mile away from throwing myself a major pity party. So I did what any sensible girl would do, I texted and called my boyfriend and asked him to come get me. And he's awesome, and so he did, and he didn't even make me feel bad for doing so. He brought me a PB&J, a banana, and my kombucha. He's rad.
This morning, my legs are hardly sore but my shoulders are a little beat from the rough pavement and gravel. Back on the bike tomorrow. But first, I better read the route sheet.
the hug monster
yesterday the boys were starting to get a little wound up. they were piling up on top of eachother, tug o' warring with the iPad, using their whining voices. Ken sat down for hugs, and Riley climbed into his arms, while Carter started to pout away into the corner. I told Carter I was the Hug Monster and plodded up to him on my hands and knees in an exaggerated bear-like display. he lit up in giggles as I hugged him and kissed him and said, "tag, you're the hug monster."
he chased me and hugged me and said "you're it." then, every time, instead of running away, he just stood there, giggling and waiting for another hug. <3
art
some day I'll make a chair like this...
50 things to my 17-year old self (part 1)
The Flutists Four at CMEA Golden Empire Solo & Ensemble Festival - COMMAND PERFORMANCE! 1993
This meme is making the 'rounds...
50 things to my 17-year old self
(part 1)
- You will never have big boobs. And you really won’t care.
- Those boys who you have crushes on will grow up into not dreamy looking guys (hell, one will even become a CHP officer complete with copstache). Don’t waste your time on the boy crazy business. You’re really better than all that.
- Angst is the teenage condition. When you look back on the photos of you with your friends, you’ll see that you were really having a pretty good time, despite all that angst up in your head. Relax, chica.
- Dye your hair in streaks of some ridiculous color like hot pink or purple, because when you have a grown-up job, the time for such things will have passed in the wind.
- When you tell your dad you want a guitar and he rambles off all the options – 6-string, 9-string, bass - just tell him you want a normal guitar and that he’s making it more difficult than it really is. Take lessons and never stop playing.
- Be nicer to that rad little sister. She will forgive you for pushing her away, but you will always feel like an ass for hurting her feelings.
- Go to that European history class and read all the books, because that professor is a hard-ass grader and that part of history is fascinating. Also, GPA.
- Travel to far away places every chance you get. Do a semester or a year abroad.
- There will never be a time when you aren’t the smart girl. Just deal with it.
- Don’t start eating meat again. A 10 year gap in an otherwise meat free life is lame. You will feel sick every time you eat pig because you shouldn’t be eating pig.
- Vodka is the devil. So is whiskey. (Though you do a pretty good job of handling your (top shelf) tequila.)
- Painfully skinny + freshman 15 = perfect.
- Those friends who you don’t want to let go of when you go away to college, you will really all keep in touch. Really.
- When you get to that part of the night in your drinking where it becomes very easy to throw back a shot, go home immediately, drink lots of water, and sleep it off. Do not do another shot. Spinning is bad.
- Get a fake i.d. You’ll hear more live music that way.
- Take pictures of every car you ever own; they’re like milestones along the journey. The internet will not have a picture of a burgundy 1978 Plymouth Valiant with tan tapestry interior and your words do it no justice.
- Learn to budget ASAP.
- That time in LA will be kind of lonely, but it will build some good character.
- Learn to SCUBA when Erin is an instructor. She’ll stop doing that after she gets back from Thailand and life will take over.
- Ask Grandpa to tell you more stories. You’ll miss him lots when he’s gone.
- Living in a house with four other girls and only one bathroom is probably a really bad idea, but it will be worth it because that’s where you will become best friends with Erin.
- Take more pictures.
- You don’t have to always be happy. You’re not responsible for the happiness of others.
- Trust your intuition.
- Things aren’t going to turn out according to some template white picket fence life that has been provided you. You’re making it up as you go and that’s more than ok.
@summersumz on twitter
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