This is "Bike Walk and Wheel Week" where I live. BWWW is "a weeklong program of events designed to encourage all Columbians to use active modes of transportation to get to work, school or wherever they need to go around town."
I usually try to bike to work every day this week. It is a 5-mile commute, which is an easy ride - if it weren't for the hills. Columbia is very hilly but I have figured out a route that includes only 1 big climb and adds little distance. But it's really the hills that keep me from biking to work more often. It's not the work of the hills, it's the sweating. But BWWW is always in May and usually the perfect temperature for riding so I try not to let excuses stop me this week.
Monday morning I got up a little earlier than usual and was ready to go. Of course, I had not prepared; what's to prepare? I'm riding a bike. I couldn't find my helmet. I asked Aaron (yes, the 5-year old) and without hesitation he said, "It's in the box with our helmets and pads." How does he know these things?
My bike was hanging on the ceiling hook I use for storing the bike. I lifted it off the hook and let it swing to toward the ground. Unfortunately, my car was parked closer than I thought and the tire bounced off the bumper sending the bike back up at my head. It hit me in the mouth hard enough to start bleeding.
Being the first ride of the year, the tires were flat. No biggie, I have a pump. Sadly, the pump hose sprung a leak. So I had to pump furiously and quickly pop the nozzle off to gain a net increase in tire pressure. The tires managed adequate firmness.
I need a bike chain to park my bike at work, and I have two. I could not remember the combination to one, no matter how many times I tried. I should have told Aaron the combo last year, he would know it. My other chain was a key lock and I could not find the key.
I never did find the key or remember the combination, and at some point I realized I was supposed to be at work 5 minutes ago. I did not ride my bike to work on Monday of BWWW.
But I did today! And I will all week, unless we have thunderstorms Wednesday or Thursday as they predict. Fortunately, the weather for Friday morning looks clear because on Friday of BWWW there are several locations that offer free breakfast for active commuters. Last year I managed to stop at 3 (although 1 of those turned out to be a stop for school kids, but I didn't find out till I was sitting there eating my muffin and sipping my juice box and looked around and it was all school kids, and there were the busses, and the teachers were looking at me strangely, and it WAS a juice box after all...).
Maybe I'll let you know how breakfast goes this year, I'll try not to take some kid's muffin this time.
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2 comments:
I need an Aaron around here! When he's here and I can't find one of Sophia's toys, he typically knows where it is. It's a gift. He'll be rich one day.
Please don't steal any muffins this year.
Maybe you'll have better luck trying to take the bus.
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