Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Small Successes

While most of my life up to now is pretty routine, sometimes there are things that happen that just make you feel like a million bucks.

Recently I have been accepting car rides to work for various reasons. One morning there were truly slick conditions and Jamie drove me, much to the relief of my coworker who is normally the one offering to take me home. One morning I was simply lazy. Maybe Jamie wanted to go grocery shopping after I got off the afternoon route, or go to lunch beforehand. He finishes class at 12:50pm and I don't need to get to the bus until 2:15pm, so most often we would go out and simply not be back at 1:30pm when I'd like to get ready to leave with my bike. So I haven't been riding as much as I possibly could.

Once you stop, it's easier to be lazy and accept more rides.

Well, yesterday I absolutely felt like I had to ride. I'd driven myself to work due to a dusting of snow (Zoomie's studs were removed and I had left poor Chainless on the college campus after pedaling there with rescue lunch for Jamie when the card machines broke). I drove myself home, and instead of riding with Jamie to class and pedaling Chainless home, we had the bike rack on the car. I can't remember why. Yesterday's snow dusting melted very quickly, leaving dry inviting roads and warm sunshine. I regretted not riding in, because I could not ride home.

That afternoon called for 25 mile-per-hour winds, with gusts at 35mph. Certainly it was bitterly cold in the breeze, and there were clouds nearby dropping more snow dust so that it appeared to be snowing with clear skies above us. A trip to the grocery store needed to be made for a forgotten ingredient, so the car was being used anyway. Instead of allowing myself to be driven to work, and then a special trip being taken to come pick me up, I made myself not be lazy. I put the bike rack on the car (after debating with myself for several minutes, walking outside and then inside, wondering if it was worth fighting the wind and if I'd have to admit defeat due to real snowfall.)

Finally I told myself I was being a wussypants, I was already coping out a little bit due to not riding TO work, I wanted to ride, and this morning had been gorgeous. Just because I missed the great weather this morning didn't mean that this afternoon might not turn out just as awesome. I hefted Zoomie up onto the car myself. She's a bit heavy and in the driveway, the rack is higher off the ground than usual too.


Well, I'm glad I took Zoomie! Not only was it funny wheeling Zoomie through the door to the sounds of the cassette clicking merrily along and my coworker shouting "what is that bicycle doing here?!", but the ride home was challenging and I did it. The wind was blowing steadily from various directions, and was a direct headwind going down the hill from work, and up the small bridge hill. But boy was I flying down the curving road after that! I hit 5th gear to cruise in most of the way, and 6th on the tiny downhill dips. Zoomie's streamers were flying nearly straight out in whatever direction they were pointed in. It was a major fight part of the way, and then an exhilarating race the rest of it, with legs suddenly freed of the working against the wind.

I'm glad I rode. I didn't have to, and it wasn't the most comfortable or pleasant experience ever, but I feel like I conquered something major, and that is a great way to feel at the end of a workday. I earned that lasagna for dinner! It's the small things sometimes that have a major impact.


Other small successes- My mom-in-law survived a flight delay causing an overnight layover (instead of 50 minutes) in an unfamiliar and strange airport all alone, and made it here to Oregon for a visit! Up ahead are yummy meals*, fun winter revisits to some of the local attractions, and of course quality time spent with part of the family. Yay!

*If I can not scarf them down before remembering a camera, I'll even post pictures!

2 comments:

  1. Great Job Aimee! Perhaps we should all do a Bike ride this weekend?

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    1. That depends on whether or not we make plans for Sunday, or how long you work Saturday. We have plenty of bikes, now! You know I'm always up for a ride somewhere :)

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