If you gotta go…

 

In Tour de France coverage it’s called a “natural break.”  Very genteel.

 

This pic  and many others available at the Graham Watson site.

 

And don’t forget the jerseys!

 

You know who you are.

You are the person who reads my blog a little suspiciously, maybe a little longingly, because you’re thinking –

Okay, I really do kinda think I want a bike, maybe, but if I bought one, would I really ride it, or would it gather dust or am I too old or too fat or too lazy or too busy?

And I can’t answer that for you.

But this is what I would tell me if I could go back twenty years and didn’t even know I wanted a bike. Or if I weighed 200 pounds more. Or was older.

I’d say,

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, DUMMY?

Now that’s what I’d say to me. I’m not talking to you (and you know who you are) because I don’t think you’re a dummy. I just think I’m a dummy for waiting, for not even knowing. And I’d want to bitch-slap myself to get my attention. And if I weighed 200 pounds more, maybe I’d be gentler with my psyche but the question would remain the same.

I know, some of you aren’t even tempted. I’m not talking to you. Go read something else.

But the person (or people) I am talking to know who they are.

If you never learned how to ride a bike, you can learn. Adults do it all the time.

If you think you weigh too much, there are blogs out there written by people who ride bikes who weigh more than you do, I can almost guarantee it.

Age doesn’t matter if you’re still in good health.

Being out of shape really doesn’t matter, because nobody is more out of shape than I was.

But today’s entry on 3speedblog is as inspiring as any for me. I look at those pictures and think, that’s why it’s worth it. That’s why it’s worth it to get stronger, to ride farther — to be able to get out in the world on a bike and smell it and hear it and see it and taste it.

And we all aren’t so blessed when it comes to a ride to work, but damn, that’s pretty.

Now, this isn’t really the post I was going to write today, either.

I started out just replying to comments in this entry (hi, Ann!!!!!) but I couldn’t respond to Mrs. Harris (to whom I was going to say, yes, I agree, I love Greek little lamb!, and also, that’s a perfect image to me, the his and her bikes outside a great place to eat) because I wanted to link to an image of bikes outside a place and needed to do that from an entry so I want to 3speedblog to find that image and thought I’d found it but –

This is not it.

Although it does have its own charm.

This is it.

And seeing that argyle post reminds me of slipstream though their argyle is a really strange color combo if you ask me.

Anyway, I’m off to taunt the past me and bless the future me by riding my bike.

(And…you know who you are.)

A scene from 3speed’s commute.

Beautiful Gray Days

We had a warm snap, and now we’re having a cool snap. I much prefer the cool snaps.

It was 52 degrees (I have no idea how to make a degree symbol) this morning when I took off in my long-sleeved wool jersey, wool tights over my long biking knickers, and a fleece vest. (And if you haven’t discovered soft scrumptious merino wool, Smartwool Socks are a perfect place to start.)

I could ride this way every day and love it; come summer I’ll be dying.

I’m kind of thinking this means I’m not really a Texan, doesn’t it?

“Whaddaya think they’re playing in Poland this morning?”

Since we were separated by two rooms, I had the Resident Storm Chaser repeat the question.

“Um, ice hockey?”

Suddenly, this blared from the room he was in:

Get Back.

Okay, a t-shirt can’t blare. Well, maybe if the colors are loud enough.

(Yes, I slay me.)

But the song, by the Beatles.

I’m not sure why that amused us, but it did.

Anyway, I’m adding a link to my “misc.” in the right sidebar —

Radios stations with streaming audio.

Yes, from all over the world. Tres fun.

And other than that, I’m cooking a big steaming crock of chili today (with organic beef and buffalo) and will be watching the Saints play. This may be the last football game I watch this season, unless they win.

And if the sun comes out, I may brave the cold and ride my bike a couple of miles, just to remind my muscles what they’re for. I’m not sure I’ve got warm enough clothes — mainly my hands and face. I may check out the Army/Navy store for a balaklava or something. I’ll bet they don’t have silk, though.

And writing. I will probably write a couple of scenes today.

Yikes. It’s 8:00 a.m. and I’m planning this great day. I wonder if it will actually turn out as planned.

I hope YOU have a great day!

P.S. From Ilene, for people eager to see the current administration end who have Macs: Tick-tock, tick-tock!

How to Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike

Disclaimer: I have never done this. I read it somewhere, and it made so damn much sense I decided to share it. So, consider skipping the training wheels (which only train them to rock back and forth, not balance).
————
I assume there are a lot of Christmas bikes out there that might not be getting used yet. I hope this info helps.

ONE: Buy a cheap used bike (garage sale, thrift store, whatever) that is small enough that when the child sits on the seat, their feet can rest flat on the ground quite easily.

TWO: Take the pedals off the bike.

THREE: Take kid to empty parking lot or other place with lots of empty, paved space.

FOUR: With kid sitting on seat, have them hold their feet out and then push them just a little ways, slowly, so they can feel how it feels. Don’t try and go fast or far, just roll them a little.

FIVE: Tell them to get their feet ready to stop, and when they put their feet down on the ground — stop.

SIX: From a stopped position — give them a little (LITTLE) push and tell them to put their feet down when they want to stop. For many, that will be .0097 inches. That’s okay. Just do that a few times, and let them get comfortable with rolling with their feet held up or out, and ready to put down as soon as they feel uncertain.

SEVEN: The goal is that they will roll farther and farther, but it will all be in their control. Eventually they will be rolling as far across the parking lot as they can roll on one push without falling down. They will be balancing themselves and will be wanting to go farther.

EIGHT: Put the pedals back on and turn them loose, OR, put them on the nice Christmas bike and turn them loose. (Obviously you could also take the pedals off the Christmas bike instead of buying a cheap one.)

I think this sounds so logical, it can’t be wrong.

I could be wrong.

NOTICE: Don’t forget the bike helmet!