Bicycle 200 miles in February

So, I was Just Riding Along, when I found a perfectly good travel mug in the bike lane. It was in such fine condition that I felt it worth stopping and going back to fetch.

I dumped out the still-hot coffee from the mug and jerry-rigged it on my rack, and took off.

The swamp wetlands section of the I-90 trail is a series of concrete blocks sort of set loosely togther, with large expansion joints. If the swamp floods or freezes, the blocks move accordingly. When you ride through this section, your bike rattles tremendously.

So, as I was riding through this section _{thumpity thumpity thumpity} the mug jerked loose and fell partly into the spokes. I came to a halt as fast as I could. I think the spokes are OK, but the travel mug was no longer this pristine vessel of beauty.

Woo-hoo! I made the goal. I’ll continue posting here for the final monthly total, but I’ll also need to reopen Bicycle 300 miles in March. Or should I make it 301, just so I have a new goal?

I took my Japanese intern for a tandem ride. She’s very much a jock, so she had no problem whipping off 20+ kms or so. We rode around the Microsoft campus, visited the Chinese temple, and then went along the lake, and then back.

It’s clear I have developed “winter legs”. It’s going to take some doing to get them in shape for summer.

Maybe I’ll do some stair climbing at work today; why else work in a 40 story building?

Last night I was feeling tired and headachy, and I thought about just taking the bus home. It was a long ride, but it was just so fine to be riding home while the sun came down, it was well worth it.

First day of spring here, signified by the first day of the season riding in short sleeves and short-finger gloves. It was sunny, dry, in the 50s, and absolutely gorgeous.

I repeated the loop I did with John Calnan back in October, reinforcing the route in my mind, and with some extensions in the lovely sunshine. I also stopped and visited my friend Nola, who lives just off of Tiger Mountain road, and had a cup of tea.

So, despite the fact that my husband didn’t feel up to riding with me, it still had an element of conviviality, and was a great ride.

Gorgeous sunrise over the Cascades this morning.

I came in late to work today, and it was 61 F as I rolled up 3rd Ave in my short sleeves.

_spring?

The month is more than a third over, and I’ve barely got started on this goal.

Feeling sorta scratchy-throaty – I need to catch up on rest if I have any hope of making this goal.