Bread

Sadly, Bumblebee did not magically re-appear on my porch. (However, I task all of you with the same thing that I've tasked a number of individual friends with: if you see someone riding a very obvious yellow and black Diamondback Topanga Comp with disc brakes, knock them off and bring me my bike back. I'm recruiting a vigilante bike recovery posse.)

Happily, though, I am no longer bike-less. My new one isn't a mountain bike like Bumblebee was, he's a hybrid. I really liked the sturdiness of a mountain bike, as well as the option to go crashing through the woods if I wanted, not to mention the fact that Bumblebee was a pretty damn expensive and high quality bike. But I had to get realistic about a) what I could afford, and b) what I'm going to have time to do over the next few years. In the end, a solid hybrid was going to be a lot cheaper, lighter, and commuter friendly than another high-end mountain bike. And the more basic components will also be a lot more student-budget friendly when it comes to maintenance. So, Craigslist came through, and yesterday evening after a quick jaunt to the Irwin exit on the turnpike, I brought home Bread.

As one of my friends kindly pointed out when I posted about Bumblebee, I am a dork because I named my bike. Bread is only going to help prove her point (not that I ever argued it). This morning LT and I saw a Toyota Prius with the license plate "HI BREAD". My love of stupid puns, the fact that my new bike is also a hybrid, plus the timing of seeing that license plate, made it pretty perfect. Yes, I'm a dork. I confess.

Up...Down...Up...Down...

To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Nothing like a few drastic ups and downs to really make your weekend.

Up! - This past week the California state supreme court ruled that laws banning same-sex marriage are unconstitutional, making Cali the second state to allow gay marriage. Such an amazing and stunning turn of events! One YouTube video in particular showed activists waiting for and hearing the ruling outside the courthouse...absolutely amazing and inspiring.

down - This past week was also the last week of my most senior writer at work. I'm left with me and two very junior writers who need a good deal of babysitting. My job is about to get really shitty, really quickly.

UP!- LT graduated this weekend from CMU. Seeing everything she did during just one school year--all the great people I've met through her, seeing the challenges she met, what she's achieved, it was a great thing to see her complete this step in her life. I can't imagine how proud I would be for her if I had known her all four years or longer. It also really got my juices flowing for school next year--recognizing the passion that I saw in the grads, especially the masters and doctoral candidates, and feeling that same passion for the road I'm about to go down. It's a great feeling, exciting and exhilarating. Combined with the recent developments in Cali, I am downright chomping at the bit.

down - Along with LT graduating, however, came the visit by LT's family to see her graduate and pack her stuff back off to DC. LT's family is great in a lot of ways--it's your typical big crazy family, fun-loving, sarcastic, funny and loud. They support LT so much in many ways, they are proud of her and care about her. In other ways, not as much, and for that reason, the two of us being around them is a bit of a strain. Especially with us likely being on opposite coasts next year, I know LT could really use the support and love of her family, the recognition of the importance of our relationship and the difficult times to come for both of us. We hold out hope that someday they'll be able to reach that place, but in the meantime, it's hard to see that they haven't.

UP! - Of course there's also been the Pens' spectacular post-season run. They hit a temporary glitch against the (fucking) Flyers on Thursday, but finished them off in fine fashion with a 6-0 spanking this afternoon, sending my boys to the Stanley Cup finals. I said a number of times earlier this year that there was no way they would make it this far, and have been very glad to be proven wrong. GJ, hope you're ready to make good on the promise of tickets for a Wings/Pens final!!

down - At the end of the game, I was looking out my door and realized something was missing from my porch. Namely, my bike. Locked up on my balcony, Bumblebee has taken one last trip to an unknown destination. I swear, I will never understand people who feel the need to take other people's stuff. Bye, Bumblebee.

I mean, I love roller coasters and all, but really...this is a bit ridiculous.

Down to the Business of Winter

OK, holidays are over, so now it's time to get serious about this winter thing. Most people don't like winter after the holidays--they like the nice pretty snow for their picturesque holiday scene, but after that they just want spring. For my money, January and February are the best time to REALLY enjoy it! No more nagging feelings hanging over your head that you're supposed to be planning something, buying something, wrapping something, wondering if your life is full enough, complete enough, etc. And let's face it--here in Pittsburgh winter usually doesn't really get serious until January anyhow.

It's that time of year to feel free to take some extra time to enjoy this stuff. My weekend morning walk for coffee was absolutely brilliant. Crisp and clear, the world was quiet and snowy, the cold air sharpened my senses, woke me up, and was thoroughly invigorating. Later today I fully intend to pull on my winter hiking boots and take a jaunt through Frick. And boy...am I itching to be on a mountain right now. (Grrr...haven't gone boarding in 2 years.)

Speaking of which, let's not forget about winter sports! Hockey is in full swing (3rd row seats to the Pens game later today!) and NFL playoffs are gearing up (go Stillers!), and across the pond, the real football national leagues are charging right along (yeah, that's right Americans...those "pansy soccer players" do their thing year 'round, especially in the winter when we're at home crying).

It can be hard because this point of winter can be so tough for many people. It seems like it's always dark. It's cold. The snow gets all dirty and black by the side of the road. A lot of people have a really tough time with SAD, plugging through the winter months. So it's even more important to take extra steps to enjoy it. Yeah, it's dark when I go to work and dark when I leave...but it's not dark in the middle of the day when I sneak out for a quick walk. Pile on those extra layers...I'm not ashamed to have nothing but my glasses poking out between the beanie and turtle fur. I feel so pumped up after embracing the elements and biking to work than after shivering in my car on the drive there.

Besides...all the winter hating in the world won't make it go away, so I might as well make the best of it.

The Bumblebee Goes to Washington (So Do I)

I spent the last five or so days visiting LT in our nation's capital. First things first, a shout out to EmJ and Kirbs for taking me in all five nights when it became apparent that the T homestead was not an option, and for hosting a fine New Year's Eve shindig.

Also a hug to LT. Keep your chin up; I still believe that patience and reasonable understanding will win out in the end.

A very cool thing about DC is that it is eminently bike-able. There are bike lanes on many streets and lots of great paths and parks and monuments to explore; you can take bikes on the Metrorail (provided it's not rush hour); most places we went had plenty of bike rack space. And oh yeah...it's FLAT (compared to Pittsburgh, anyhow). Although time constraints forced us to the car more often than we had wanted, we did manage to get in two great bike explorations, which I would recommend to anyone.

The first was a ride from the Capitol Building grounds and the National Botanical Gardens, through the National Mall and past the Washington Monument, along the tidal basin past the Jefferson Memorial, and down to the FDR Memorial. I hadn't been to DC since the FDR Memorial was installed--it is definitely a thought-provoking place if you are the type to let your thoughts be provoked, especially in light of some present day public discourses. We rode back much the same way, although we likely would have continued the rest of the way around the tidal basin were it not for dinner plans and rain.

The other was a ride from Gravelly Point (where you sit in a field and get buzzed by incoming planes at Reagan National Airport) up a path that runs along the Potomac. You can turn around at any point; we went to the Key Bridge and across into Georgetown, along the canal, then back to city streets to Foggy Bottom. Then we took the Metro from Foggy Bottom back to Reagan National. Getting back to the path to Gravelly Point from the airport was interesting, but we managed not to violate any homeland security zones, I think.

One cool thing along this path is Theodore Roosevelt Island, which is only accessible from a pedestrian bridge off the river path, near Rosslyn. Although, I feel obliged to point out that by law you're not supposed to bike through it and it's closed at sundown...um, just in case anyone out there was tempted to illegally ride your bikes through it at night. Yeah.

I was also thrilled to meet Monica, Susanne and Danny. They've given LT a lot of support and I could tell they care a lot about her. And the long list of the other good people I met...Renee, Alicia, Leah, Panah, Jim & Lizzie, Susie, Keith and family (and the other XC guys), Dean, brother Kirby, another Emily, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. (Sorry people I know I'm forgetting or whose names I misspelled...)

And lest I forget, thanks to MT for her always-superb care of my furry children.

I will now leave you with pictures of some of our bikes' great travels.

Babe and the Bumblebee go to the Capitol.

Babe and the Bumblebee go to the Washington Monument.

Babe and the Bumblebee go to the FDR Memorial.

Babe and the Bumblebee go to an undisclosed location.

Observations of a Random Nature

- Don't bother staying up really late working on a project when there are only a few workdays left before Christmas.  Even if they tell you that you have a deadline, nobody will actually be working at work.

- Cats with night crazies are entertaining as hell, especially when they try to act all dignified afterward.

- Scraping your leg on your pedal hurts a lot worse when your pant leg has been rolled up and your skin is frozen from the cold air.

- Someone who is nice to you but is mean to the waiter is probably not a nice person.

- There are far too many people in the world who don't know what a pakora is!

- Coffee rocks.

- The bag on your back that has, among other things, a computer (and accessories), two changes of clothes, paperwork, and gym shoes, is not particularly comfortable and does not make it easier to bike up the hill.

- Everyone cancels everything around the holidays, claiming that there is no time.  This is everything from meetings at work to organized recreational activities to pretty much anything else.  This pretty much leaves a lot of people with about two weeks of next to nothing to do.  Who are these people that really have parties to go to every night?

- I love winter, but winter = decreased daylight = almost never getting out to Frick = BOO.  I disapprove!!

Pet Peeve #83: Sidewalk Hogs

The first thing I have to do is make a confession. I bike on the sidewalk sometimes. Yep, I'm one of those jerks that gives bicycle commuters a bad name. If I'm in an area where drivers are used to seeing bikes, there's plenty of space, or the sidewalks have lots of pedestrians, I stick to the road. But on narrow, busy, non-bike-friendly roads, I hit the sidewalk. For example, Penn Ave. between Braddock and Fifth--I drove that stretch every day for two years, and can personally attest that drivers are too concerned with stirring their coffee and beating the red lights to get to work, they aren't looking out for bikers.

That admission made, my pet peeve is something I don't have a right to. Too bad, it irritates me anyhow. When a pedestrian sees a bike coming down the sidewalk, why do they simultaneously gawk in fear that I'm going to mow them down, yet also refuse to make a decent amount of space?

On my ride to work down that stretch of Penn, there's one bus stop in particular that drives me insane. There's a telephone pole and mailbox side by side. Most times that a pedestrian is waiting there, they stand immediately opposite the mailbox, leaving maybe a third of the sidewalk open. Let me show you: (MD, you know you've been waiting for a diagram.)



They shrink back against the shrubs in clear recognition of the tight squeeze, yet they don't make any move to relieve the congestion. I know that as a biker on the sidewalk I have no claim to anything, so I'm not complaining from that aspect. But the stupidity irritates me. Out of a sheer desire for their own self-preservation, wouldn't it make sense to stand somewhere different? Say, next to the mailbox, or a few feet down from the mailbox rather than immediately across from it. Are they that dumb? Wait, don't answer that.

Rainy Ruminations

It's Sunday and it's raining. There's something about going out for a good bike ride in the pouring rain that is so great and refreshing. I can't quite describe it. The water drives in your face, kicks up from the road, every inch of you is drenched in sweat and rain and dirt.

It seems odd to call dirty road and rainwater cleansing, but it totally is. You're filthy and soaked, and you don't care. We spend so much time worrying about maintaining a proper physical state. Oh, I don't want to get wet in the rain. Oh, I'm sweaty and smelly. Fuck that--I'm out busting my tail, sweating my ass off, water dripping from every inch of me, every piece of clothing soaked through and through. And I don't give a shit.

Liberation. Liberation from all the bullshit of how I appear, trying to keep things clean and neat and in it's place. I'm existing in my natural state, here I am and that's the way it is, and I don't give a shit what the people safe and dry in their cars think as they drive by and stare like I'm a crazy person.

Anyhow, I'm in a very weird mood today. It's Sunday and it's raining, and life is uncertain and I have no idea what's going to happen next, and that kicks ass.

I guess I could go for a hobble

Alas, a horrible fate has befallen me on this day. Since I've moved, every day I've been out and about doing stuff in some form or other. Biking around, taking walks, running errands sans vehicle, going to play in Frick. I've even been doing a touch of running, which comes as a great surprise to everyone including myself due to my long history of stress fractures and bad knees. (I can't explain it--it's like living here has infused me with some magic strength that has reinforced my shins or something. But just wait for the post where my legs have snapped in two.)

Well, over the weekend I was camping down in Cinci, and at some point (I think during a romp through the woods with four other people on a single ATV, but I'm not sure) I bummed my foot out pretty good. I can still get around, but I pulled most of the muscles and tendons on the bottom and outside of my right foot. So pedestrian exercise is out for me for a little bit. But, I still have my bike--I can ignore whatever aggravation of the injury happens when I pedal. No biggie, my outdoor and exercise addictions are still sated.

Sadly, today my bike got sick and had to go to the bike doctor. Which means tomorrow I have to drive to work. And drive home. And there isn't a whole lot I can do as far as getting in my daily fix for out-and-about-ness unless my foot makes a dramatic recovery. The two-wheeled bumblebee is supposed to be fixed by Friday, but you never know sometimes.

I've been in this apartment just long enough to realize that my dream of constant outdoors and exercise truly is everything I ever thought it could be...only to have it mercilessly ripped away! For a day or two anyhow. But what if it's two?? Or worse yet.....THREE??? If worst comes to worst, I still have my old crutches.

Bring on the elements

I'm moving in two weeks to Regent Square, and have set myself the goal of barely using my car unless I really really really really really have to. I'll be about two miles from work, and between the Square, Point Breeze and Squirrel Hill, I'll be near all kinds of stores, restaurants etc., not to mention I'll have Frick and Schenley to go play in. I am excited to maintain as much of a car-free existence as possible--I've wanted this for YEARS. All of this, of course, is a huge reason why I chose to move there.

I'm so excited, in fact, that I started early. It's not feasible for me to go to full time bike transportation from my old apartment, but I've taken to bringing my bike to work and using it to run errands from my office. Of course, my last two times out have been less than smooth...witness my torn up leg last week (many thanks to my Pamela's family for letting me patch myself up) and now today, getting nice and drenched in this evening's thunderstorms.

Oh well. There's something bad ass about walking around with a blood-soaked makeshift bandage (still got that haircut goddamit), or realizing there's no point in hurrying because you're gonna get drenched anyway.