Bad Day, Nice Ride

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The workday was stressful.  The only thing that made it tolerable was the pleasant bicycle commute bracketing it.

The day improved greatly once I arrived home.  Diane was there and had prepared a meal.  It was nothing fancy, but it was tasty and ready when I walked in the door.

The weather forecast has been threatening rain, but I lucked out again, and only had a few sprinkles on the way home.  The skies cleared after dinner, so Diane and I left on a bike ride.

She wanted to see my commute route, so we rode to my workplace.  From there, we turned east and rode to the Big Four Bridge.  She didn’t want to ride on the bridge due to the pedestrians, but we locked up the bikes and walked across.

Resting At the Big Four Bridge

Resting At the Big Four Bridge

After walking back to the Kentucky side of the bridge, we got back on the bikes and rode to Louisville Beer Store and each drank a beer out on the patio.  There were a lot of cyclists there.  I only recognized one of them.

View from the bridge

View from the bridge

We left there as it was getting dark.  We were well-lit and taking city streets.  There was a thunderstorm in the distance, but we never got rained on.  We made another stop at a convenience store for a couple of six-packs of beer before heading home.

On the bridge

On the bridge

Once home, Diane took a soak in the tub.  Her legs needed it.  We rode nine miles together.  That’s her longest ride yet.  I’m still hoping she’ll ride next Wednesday’s Ride of Silence.

She doesn’t like wearing a helmet.  I’ve been wearing mine less now that the weather has warmed up.  I bought a glasses-mounted mirror so I can still see behind me.  Today was another helmet-free day.

Lifestyle Change… Again

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I had a few of huge lifestyle changes over the last few years.  The diet and exercise that began in late 2007, the bicycling in 2008, and the car-free lifestyle that went into full-force in 2011 are all a big part of it.  There were also relationship changes.  It’s the relationship changes that are sparking things now.

Diane

Let me be blunt.  I love Diane.  She’s not living with me, but her dog has been at my house for a few days.  I bought her a phone and put her on my family plan.  We bought a TV together, and I’m no longer TV-free.  We’ll get by with broadcast TV and an antenna.

Yes, There's a TV in my livingroom now

Yes, There’s a TV in my livingroom now

This is at least a long-term relationship and possibly more.  I bought her a plane ticket to join me on my trip to San Francisco in July.  We’re making long-term plans.  I fully expect that we’ll live together this year.

She has a dog, Baxter, and a cat, Fancy.  Fancy hasn’t been over yet, but Baxter has been here all weekend.

Baxter after a bath

Baxter after a bath

Diane doesn’t like dog hair, so we’ve both been cleaning.  I also bathed both of my dogs and brushed them out while she was out running errands.  Once the wet dog smell aired out, the house smelled better than it has in a while.

Sandy does not like getting a bath

Sandy does not like getting a bath

You won’t see her on social media.  She doesn’t use Facebook or Google+.  She rarely touches a computer.  She says I post enough for the both of us.

I mentioned that her first bike ride in years was a 7-mile night ride in traffic.  I think she has the capability to be more of a cyclist than I am.  I don’t know if she has the desire.  I’ll find out more later.

Work

I’ve been trying to focus a little more at work to avoid getting too complacent.  That involved going in a 3:00am on Thursday to get a major project completed without disrupting things during business hours.

I’m still a bike commuter, and the ride into work was easy.  The traffic was very light, although the bars were still open, and I was a bit worried about drunk drivers.

Quiet commute in the bike lane

Quiet commute in the bike lane

Money

Diane is used to being more frugal than I am.  She’s tolerating my $15 per pound coffee, but she’s insisting on cheaper grocery shopping and eating at home.  She has done much of the cooking, so I’m not complaining.

Diane is still willing to go out on occasion.  We’ve gone out for good beer at Apocalypse Brew Works on my birthday (by bicycle!), and Four Pegs last Thursday (on foot).  I did grab a picture of her on the walk home from Four Pegs.

The sign seemed fitting

The sign seemed fitting

Events

It’s nice to go out and do things again.  We walked around during the Balloon Glimmer (as part of the Kentucky Derby Festival).

Balloon Glimmer

Balloon Glimmer

We watched the Great Steamboat Race – and had a few drinks and some food.

Exercise

This is the interesting point.  Diane wants to lose weight.  She’s in relatively good health.  The only thing preventing us from doing more exercise together is time.  She likes to ride a bike, but doesn’t own one yet.  Between both of our jobs, and her youngest child who sometimes spends time with her, time can be tight.

We’ll eventually buy her a hybrid bike of some sort, but she may turn out to want a road bike some day.  I think her power to weight ratio could be much better than mine.  She’s only 5’1″.

The hit on my cycling

At this point, I’m riding a bike less, and I’m not worried.  I still get around (alone) by bike.  Diane rides occasionally and I hope she starts to ride more.  She’ll continue to drive her car for transportation.

I did a lot of thinking about what’s important in life.  Long rides every weekend didn’t rank that high.  I can do it less often.

Overall, I’m happy with life right now.  Some of that is new love.  Some of it is the anti-depressant I’m taking.  I’m not complaining.

I’d Better Get Busy

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My May 1st weight was down a little from April.  I’m sitting at 235.8 lbs.  This means I now need to lose 7.5 lbs per month to make my goal.  When I started this time around, it was only 5.0 lbs per month.

Camping With Diane

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Diane and I had planned to camp on Saturday and Sunday night at Clifty Falls State Park in Indiana.  The weather Saturday wasn’t good, so we decided to limit it to Sunday.

This was a car-camping trip, not a bicycle trip.  I’m hoping Diane will be willing and able to do overnight bike trips next year.

When we arrived Sunday afternoon most of the campsites were quite soggy with flooded fire rings.  We found one that was reasonably dry (but still muddy) and set up the tent.

We then went for a hike on one of the trails.

Diane on the trail

Diane on the trail

Some of the trail was quite muddy and slippery.  I’m glad we both wore old shoes.  Diane slipped once and got a bit muddy, but didn’t hurt herself.

Hanging around at camp

Hanging around at camp

We cooked sausage over the campfire.  I warmed baked beans on my Esbit camp stove.  We had a small amount of beer and wine.

Near the falls

Near the falls

We stayed up late, but weren’t able to see any stars due to the overcast skies.  My new tent is a tad small for both of us, but it worked.  The single narrow air mattress was a problem, and we swapped places, one on the ground, one on the mattress, throughout the night.  We’ll buy another sleeping bag with air mattress in the future.  Then we can both be comfortable.  We’ll probably buy a bigger tent also.

I slept as I normally do while camping, poorly.  Overnight rain made some noise on the rain fly, but we stayed dry.  I was comfortable, but Diane said she was cold.

In the morning we re-started the fire for warmth and started coffee and oatmeal on the Esbit stoves.

Breakfast time

Breakfast time

The campground has showers and nice toilets.  We were able to shower and prepare for a day back in civilization.  We packed up and headed back to town.

Even without the bike this was a lot of fun.  We talked about bringing bikes to ride around the park, but this time we were hiking, and that would have been problematic with the bikes.

 

Shifting Priorities

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If you’ve been paying any attention whatsoever, it’s apparent that I’m in a relationship again.  Things are going well with Diane.  I bought her a new cell phone yesterday, and put her on my plan.

Diane is not living with me, but that will probably change in the near future.  I will remain car-free, but she will keep her car.  It’s paid off, but needs a little work.

My lifestyle will be going through some pretty big changes.  I have a variety of things I need to spend money on.  The plans for swapping handlebars on my bikes (or any other major expense) are on hold.  This seems to be working well as my neck issue has abated a bit, and I can ride any of my bikes again.  I rode the rSogn to work today.

Diane wants to fly to San Francisco with me this summer.  That will mean we need some extra money for spending and her flight.  I hope we can book her flight in the next few weeks.

Diane remains a good influence in my life.  She (nicely) reminds me not to overeat or drink too much.  She still enjoys an occasional drink with me.

Not everything is perfect.  As we’ve spent a lot of time together recently, we’ve discovered some of each other’s insecurities and personality flaws.  I don’t believe any of it’s a real problem, just a challenge to overcome.

I read something years ago about “being the perfect partner” rather than “looking for the perfect partner”.  That’s what I’m working on.  In the short-term, that means keeping my life in order from housework to eating habits.

Life continues to be a strange adventure.

Short, but Wonderful, Birthday Ride

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I originally had plans for a 42-mile birthday bike ride yesterday – one mile for each trip around the sun.  Other things came up in the morning, and that didn’t happen.

Diane did buy me a few gifts and baked a German Chocolate cake for my birthday.  I borrowed my daughter’s bike and Diane and I rode seven miles to Apocalypse Brew Works and back.  The bike was a bit big for her, but she did well for her first time on a bike in a few years.  She handled traffic like a champ.  She had to walk a hill, but will probably manage it next time once she gets better about shifting.  She had a positive attitude the whole time.  She’s a wonderful, happy, woman, and I love her.

Look at that smile!

Look at that smile!

She was a little more tired on the return trip, but still was happy and good-natured.

Smiling on the return trip

Smiling on the return trip

The trip was made euro-style.  We didn’t wear bike-specific clothing or helmets.  He carried some luggage, and I hauled a growler home full of beer.

Tonight’s plans have changed.  We were going to go camping, but the weather’s not looking good.  We’re going to wait until tomorrow night.

A Good Influence

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Diane is a good influence on me.  She’s more about home-cooking and less drinking.  She enjoys helping me cook (or me helping her…)  I’m buying beer at the store, but I’m only having one or two a day.  I’m saving money by not going to the bar.

Her daughter and mother came over for a cookout over the weekend.  It was enjoyable.

Some people have commented that we are “moving too fast”.  Well, we’re not living together, just spending a lot of time together.

If things do get more serious, my life will go through a few adjustments:

  • We’ll have a TV.  She’s not going to live without one, and I can handle it if we’re using internet-based shows and OTA broadcasts instead of paying for cable.
  • She’ll keep her car.  I’ll continue to get around by bike, but have a car available when needed.
  • She’s financially frugal.  I’ve spent the last few years spending too much money on bikes, bars, restaurants, and coffee.  I’ll need to adjust my budget and my habits.  I’ve already started on this.
  • She wants to lose weight and get healthier.  This will involve more walking.  She seems to have some interest in riding a bike too.

I played volleyball Monday, and Diane attended, mostly just to watch.  She was sitting up on the deck, wearing sunglasses and watching us play.  Then I remembered seeing her last year.  I didn’t know her then, and don’t remember talking to her, but we had at least seen each other before.

We’re planning on going camping this weekend.  It could be interesting with cool overnight temperatures and a chance of rain.  I’ll try to take pictures.

Whatta Week!

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Okay, it’s only Thursday, but this has been a busy week already.

On Monday, my daughter, Dawn, married Guthrie.  I present Mr. and Mrs. Smith:

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

It was a simple wedding.  There was a dinner afterward.

Later in the evening I went to play volleyball.  I’ve been using a dating site to try and meet women with mixed results.  While at volleyball, a woman approached me and we talked.  We had a date on Tuesday.  Her name is Diane.

I had a date with Renee that I thought went well last week.  She told me that she didn’t think we should have a second date a couple of days ago.

Yesterday was a housecleaning day.  I’ve been trying to keep my life more in order.  The anti-depressant seems to be working.  My moods have been more level.  I’ve been drinking less.  I’m not “stress eating”.  I have more motivation to do simple things – but not enough to do great things.  Hmmm.

I had a date scheduled with Melissa today, but she never called or showed up.  So I sat and ate pizza and had a beer by myself.  I wasn’t really bothered much by it.

I have a second date with Diane tomorrow.  It’s odd that the only second date I’m getting out of this is from a woman that I didn’t meet online.  We have a few friends and acquaintances in common – mostly through the Louisville Ski Club, of which I’m a member.

I’ve ridden the bike to work every day this week.  I’ve ridden the bike everywhere.  I haven’t missed work.  I’ve done some cooking at home.  I’ve been keeping the house clean.  I have a second date tomorrow.  This is progress.

Homebody Weekend?

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I had hoped to get out and get some mileage in this weekend.  That didn’t happen.

I was up late Friday after my date with Renee.  I slept in on Saturday, and once I was up mowed the lawn for the first time this year.  I also went grocery shopping and picked up dog food.

Big Dummy Loaded

Big Dummy Loaded

Cindy, my first ex-wife, took a bus from Michigan down for my daughters wedding.  The wedding is tomorrow (Monday).  I met up with Cindy for about 10 minutes at my daughter’s apartment.  I hadn’t seen her in a couple of years.  Cindy owns a truck, but she didn’t trust it to make it here, so she’s “enjoying” the car-free lifestyle while she’s here.  :D

I have another date lined up on Thursday.  This one is with Melissa.  I know little about her.  I think I’ll see Renee again on Friday.  There are a few other possibilities coming up too.  This dating thing is kind of bizarre for me, especially when I’m trying to keep track of the “who and when”.  I’m bad with names.  Luckily, I take notes and use Google Calendar.

Something In The Air?

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I’ve experienced a bizarre set of emotions over the last few days.  My depression had lifted quite a bit this week.  Wednesday after work, I signed back up on a dating site.

I had a Thursday doctor appointment that basically meant I would go to work for three hours.  I woke up Thursday morning with quite a headache, and stayed home from work.  I enjoyed listening to the thunderstorm while laying in bed, even if it did bring a cold front along with it.

The storm had ended and the rain had mostly stopped when I headed out for my doctor appointment.  The office allows me to bring the bike inside, so I didn’t have to deal with the lack of bike parking.

This was mostly a follow-up visit for lifelong issue that I have.  I also brought up the depression again, and the fact that I’ve cut my beer consumption way down (he’s chastised me about this before).

Despite years of refusing a chemical solution to my depression, I finally agreed to try it.  He wrote a prescription.  It’ll take a few weeks to determine if it’s going to work out for me.

I was at the office for a couple of hours.  There was a paperwork snafu, and they were busy.  When I did leave, it was pouring rain, and I headed up Eastern Parkway to the pharmacy.  Tim passed me going the other way (in his car).  He was driving home from work.  Heh.  I was proud to be getting wet wearing my jeans and t-shirt.

After drinking one cup of coffee and going back to the pharmacy, I rode home.  I spent the remainder of the day cleaning the house and talking to several women on the phone that had responded to me on the dating site.  This was a much better response than I got last time.  Was it because it’s a different site?  My different approach?  Because Spring is in the air?

I had a few good conversations, but the best was with Renee.  She was also the one who could set aside some time for a Friday evening date.  I met her Friday at 7:00pm (less than 7 hours ago) at Four Pegs.  She doesn’t drink, so she had water and the famous Chicken Waffle sandwich.  I had a burger, water, and a single beer.  We spent the evening together, and I got to know a lot about her.

She eventually went home.  That saying, “parting is such sweet sorrow”, yeah.  I didn’t expect to be affected that way.  I hope to see her again.  At best, it’ll probably be another week.  She’s smart, funny, sarcastic, and cuddly.  She has a young daughter, which means I need to make some big decisions about my life if I continue down this path.

It’s now almost 2:00am.  I plan to get out on the bike tomorrow, but I won’t be getting up early to do that.

Spring Day

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I think this nicer weather is the boost I need to be on the bike every day.  Although I decided not to participate in the #30daysofbiking thing over on G+, where we ride every day of April, I have been on the bike every day this month, except the 1st, when I got around via cab and bus.

Today’s weather might have been the best yet.  It was in the low-60s when I rode to work.  I wore short sleeves and no jacket.  Signs of Spring were everywhere.

Along my morning commute in Old Louisville

Along my morning commute in Old Louisville

I failed to pack a lunch for work, which meant a quick trip across the street to the Mexican restaurant.  That’s not ideal, but I knew I wouldn’t be going out for dinner.

After lunch, I was jaywalking across Main Street,  a one-way street and I was almost hit by a cyclist riding the wrong way.  I normally look both ways, even on one way streets, but I was distracted by a woman who also showed that Spring was in the air.

There was no collision, no yelling, just some rattled nerves.

After work I had a massage appointment.  I took a slow pace in the now 80-degree day.  I didn’t want to get too sweaty.  The ride up Baxter Ave and Bardstown Rd was pleasant and uneventful – which is something during rush hour.

My massage therapist found a particularly nasty knot in my left leg.  I’ll need to do more stretching to keep it from coming back.

I had a leisurely ride home where I cooked beef and pork on the grill for several meals.  I steamed some broccoli, which I overcooked and it turned to mush, and later I made a potato soup. I have enough food prepared to last until the weekend.

Potato Soup!

Potato Soup!

It’s supposed to cool off later in the week.  That’ll be a shame, I’ve been enjoying sleeping with the windows open.  The weekend is looking nice.  I need to plan some bike miles.

I’m still beer-free since Saturday.  I think some of my depression and muscle aches were from too much beer and not enough water.

So, another glass of water, and I’m off to bed.

A Familiar Feeling

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In 2008 and 2009 I felt better mentally and physically than I had since I was a child.  Not surprisingly, this is when I lost most of the weight that I did.  It was neat to discover that I actually had ribs.

Moving into town in 2010 so I could live car-free tempted me with all of these wonderful places to eat and drink within a short distance.  My neck issue flared up.  I didn’t do as many long rides.

I’ve gained weight.  I’ve gotten lazy.  I’ve been using a bus and a cab to get around at times.  This has bled through to other aspects of my life.  I’ve not been keeping my house clean.  I’m been drinking too much.  I put off grocery shopping – which leads to more eating out.  I spend a lot of time moping and not being productive.

Yesterday, I did get out and go grocery shopping.  I rode the Big Dummy to work today.  After work I ran to get my hair cut.  There was a one-hour wait, so I went to a sub shop next door for a cheap sandwich.

After I got home, I felt the normal “bleh – I don’t want to do anything” feeling, but I ignored it and cleaned the house.  My house is now cleaner than it’s been in two years.  Now I just need to keep it that way.

Having clean house makes me happy.  If I’m home more often (because I’m not eating out) I’ll have more time to keep the house clean.  My dogs will get more attention.

So, the “no beer” thing continues for a while.  I like the way I feel today.

A Stumble

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So Friday was my “new beginning”.  Then Saturday happened.

When I woke up Saturday morning, I had no coffee in the house.  I headed out on the bike to Sunergos where I bought three pounds of coffee and sat and drank a couple of cups there.

The plan was to go home, then later go grocery shopping.  Instead, I went to Four Pegs with the intention of a late lunch and a beer.  I had the food and seven beers.  I was sober enough to know I needed to walk the bike home.  So, I walked home.  It was still early afternoon.  I slept for a few hours and woke up in the evening with a hangover.  That’s a new one for me.

I was unable to sleep most of the night.  It was miserable.  I metaphorically pulled a muscle by kicking myself over it.  I felt very stupid.  I was depressed.  Sometime overnight I had a bit of an anxiety attack.

Today was better.  I didn’t get out for a long ride, but a puttered around the house.  I went grocery shopping and didn’t get beer.  I didn’t go out to eat.  I can’t say I ate healthy today, but I ate food from the grocery store that I prepared at home.  That’s an improvement.

Tomorrow was supposed to be my first volleyball game, but it’s been put off another week.  That’s actually a good thing.  I have a lot to do this week.

Spring is for New Beginnings

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So it’s good that I got up and rode the rSogn to work, albeit a bit late due to the damn snooze button.  I brought leftovers for lunch, but a friend invited me to lunch.  I’ll save the leftovers for another time.

I really wanted to go out for a beer after work, but I stuck to plan and came home.  I set up my new tent, so I know how for my next camping trip (possibly tomorrow).

I’d order this tent a while ago.  It arrived a while ago.  It’s been sitting in it’s unopened box until today.

Mesh

Mesh

Without the rainfly, the tent is mostly mesh.  This helps with ventilation.

With Rainfly

With Rainfly

The rainfly sits far enough away from the tent that it should be more waterproof than other tents I’ve owned.  It also creates two vestibules (one on each side) to store things outside the tent, but covered.

All packed up

All packed up

The whole kit, including the footprint I purchased separately packed into the tent tube on my tour panniers.  It was a tight fit, but it worked.  The main body of the pannier is empty.  Only the tent tube has anything in it.  The rest of that pannier can hold sleeping bag, pad, etc.  I still have the other pannier available for cooking stuff.

I’ll write more about this tent once I actually get to use it.

Once I was done playing with the new toys, it was time to cook dinner.  I threw pork chops on the grill, steamed some veggies.  I drank water with it.  I’ll admit to craving a beer.  I don’t have any in the house.

I’ll be up early tomorrow.  I have no coffee in the house.  I consider that an emergency.  I’ll run by Sunergos and grab a few pounds.  After that I plan to go to the farmer’s market.  Yes, I’ll be riding the Big Dummy.

Home Cooking

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Yes, I need to cook more.  Tonight, I cooked a simple spaghetti meal, but I steamed fresh broccoli, and served it on the side.  I have leftovers for lunch tomorrow, and one more meal after that.

I’m not currently counting calories, so I didn’t try to total them up.

Dinner!

Dinner!

I weighed myself on April 1st.  I gained 3.2 lbs.  I’m up to 237.8.  That’s now how to do this.  Hopefully the change going on now will make my May weigh-in go the right direction.

 

Acceptance

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I’ve been frustrated with life recently.  I’m unhappy with my weight.  I’m unhappy with being alone.

It’s time to accept things.  I need to not worry about being single.  I’ve done it before.  I can do it again.

I need to acknowledge my eating issues and work on them.  I need to cook at home, give up the beer for a while, and do some exercises in the evening instead of sit at the bar drinking.

One thing will help me to achieve the “stay at home and cook” goal – I’m going to be broke for a few weeks.  Poor planning and unexpected expenses teamed up to take my beer away.  Maybe this is a good thing.

I have been riding.  I’ve even been back on the rSogn.  I still need to replace the handlebars with Albatross bars, but that’ll have to wait for finances.

Tim got a new bike.  He calls it SeaFoam.  We managed to get out for a ride both Saturday (foggy) and Sunday (Easter).  I have a few pictures from Saturday.

SeaFoam and rSogn

SeaFoam and rSogn

If you can’t tell, SeaFoam is a Rivendell Atlantis.  Tim always has the nicer bike.

Foggy

Foggy

A trip through Joe Creason Park in the fog completely hid the fact we were in an urban area.

I didn’t ride the bike to work on Monday or Tuesday.  I took a cab (waste of money) to work.  I took the bus home.  Both days involved walking, and drinking at a bar (more money wasted).

Tuesday, I had a few beers after work, when Tim contacted me about an evening ride.  I ran home and got ready.  We met and rode 15 or so miles after dark.  Again, I was on the rSogn, and he was on SeaFoam.  Both of us with dyno-powered headlights.

As he headed for home, I stopped again for another beer.

Bike and beer - a match made in heaven

Bike and beer – a match made in heaven

See?  This one was totally the bike’s fault!

It’ll be at least two weeks without beer now.  I’ll then limit my drinking to one day a week.

In addition to spending more time at home with my dogs, I’m starting back with sand-court volleyball next Monday.  This will hopefully give me enough social interaction (and some exercise!)

Life is an interesting journey.  It’ll be fun to see where I end up by the end of the year.

 

More Adjustments

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I rode my bike to work four days last week.  I still don’t feel much like a cyclist, but pushing myself out the door is getting a little easier.

Yesterday was a beautiful day, but I spend the day running errands on the bike and doing housework.  I hauled a large load of groceries on the Big Dummy

Dummy Load

Dummy Load

I’m still drinking too much beer.  I love beer, but every time I try to cut back, my consumption climbs back up in short order.  I may have to give it up entirely.  I’m tired of still being fat.

Beer!

Beer!

I’ve pondered the idea of a paleo-diet multiple times.  I tried it once.  I wasn’t able to stick to it.  I lost my weight before with calorie counting and sensible eating (and little beer).  I’m not going to do the paleo-diet.  I’m going to eat a sensible diet, mostly home-cooked, mostly non-processed, and heavy on the plant matter.  I’m not going vegetarian, but smaller amounts of meat, and larger amounts of vegetables are in order.

The bicycling situation is complicated.  I’m out of shape.  I’m slow.  I can putter around town all day, but longer rides are hard.  I’m mostly limited to riding the recumbent.  I need to take off on some long solo rides, but time and weather have been limiting factors.

I feel like I need to take a break from worrying about the cycling for a while.  I can work on other issues in my life in the meantime.  So, I don’t care about bike miles.  I care about getting around by bike.  I care about making my house a more pleasant place to live.  I care about cooking healthy meals at home.  I care about spending more time with my dogs.

I used to have an exercise mat.  I should replace it.  I need to do some strength-training.  I’m getting too old to ignore my upper body.

Maybe it’s not too late to rescue this calendar year.

Ice Needles

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“Ice Needles” is how I described how this morning’s ride felt at one point.

I hadn’t been on the bike since Tuesday.  I missed one day of work.  I took a cab a few times.  I rode the bus some.  I walked more miles last week than I have in quite some time.

Tim suggested a Sunday morning coffee ride.  The weather was supposed to be cold and wet – in other words perfect.

Looking out at a wet 'bent

Looking out at a wet ‘bent

Tim rode to my end of town and met me at Sunergos.  Timothy also showed up, but wasn’t intending to ride.  At the beginning of the ride it was simply cold and wet.  There was a slight wind, temperatures in the mid-30s, and moderate rain.  As the ride continued, the temperatures dropped a bit and the rain started to become sleet.  At this point it started to feel like ice needles stabbing into my face.

We headed west to Shawnee Park then out to Riverwalk for a bit before cutting back to streets in Portland.  We cut back to the Riverwalk downtown.  We had no illusions of pace.  Both of us have ridden little recently and are out of shape.  It also seemed we had a headwind no matter what direction we were riding.

I was riding my recumbent – the only bike I can ride right now without neck pain.  Tim was riding his Rawland.  Due to the wet weather, I didn’t take my phone out for a picture, but Tim did.

Wet bikes

Wet bikes

We eventually made our way to the Beargrass Creek Trail, then Cherokee Park.  We wrapped it up at Twig and Leaf for more coffee and omelettes.

It was only a few more miles for me to get home.  I was freezing at this point.  The precipitation had changed over to big clumps of wet snow.  I had one 30mph downhill run and the ice needles really hurt.

After getting home and getting out of my cold, wet clothes, I realized that I felt a lot better than I have in a while.  My mental state has really been suffering from not much bike riding.  My beer consumption is too high which isn’t helping matters either.

I’ve not had any alcohol today.  I’m relaxing this evening with herbal tea.  I’ll be riding the bike to work tomorrow.

Today’s ride was 24.4 miles.  The route is below.

Click for full view

Click for full view

 

I Don’t Feel Like a Cyclist Anymore

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Even after closing my dating site account, I’ve been fixated on relationships.  It’s not been healthy for me.  It’s time to move on.  I need to enjoy the good points of being single.

Another issue is bike riding.  I haven’t been doing much.  I’m also mostly limited to the recumbent due to neck pain.

I spent a lot of money building up the rSogn for long rides, but now I can’t ride it on anything other than a short ride.  I’m sticking to the rule that I won’t buy a new bike in 2013.  I also won’t sell any existing bikes.  Unless my neck improves, I’ll mostly be riding the recumbent.  I may end up putting some bikes up for sale in 2014.  Then I could expand the recumbent fleet.

I’ve had one ride this year where I felt strong.  I felt like a cyclist.  Other than that, even my longer rides feel slow and plodding.  Slow and plodding is fine for going to work or the grocery store, but I want to do more than that.  That means I need to train.

I put off training once before because I was having knee pain on the recumbent.  I’ve solved that issue.  I adjusted the seat.  A recumbent has a seat that slides forward and back – similar to the seat in a car.  Unlike a regular bicycle saddle, gaining or losing weight can quickly affect proper saddle position.  My weight gain meant my seat needed to be moved back.  Since moving it, I’ve had less knee pain.

I’ve also mentioned that the recumbent needs some work.  I keep putting it off.  I need to get around to doing it.  It could also use a few upgrades.

Nothing to Say

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I really wanted to write more.  I’m depressed.  I’m angry with myself.  I think there are changes coming.

Meanwhile, here’s a picture of Candy, my loves-everybody-lab, sleeping among dog hair and bike tires.

Candy sleeping

Candy sleeping

Dating Sucks

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I signed up for a dating site.  Date #1 was a no-show.  Date #2 didn’t seem interested.  Date #3 was fascinating, but eventually it was obvious she wasn’t interested.

There was a #4, but we never set up a date.  We had some nice email conversations.  I don’t know if she lost interest or is just too busy.

What I discovered is that:

  • It’s an emotional roller-coaster
  • I need to stay true to myself
  • Looking for someone is the best way to never find them

It was hard for me to be happy while actively seeking someone.  I was willing to give up my car-free, tv-free lifestyle.  I think I was going about it all wrong.

I’ve closed my dating site accounts.  I’m going to remain car-free and tv-free, not because of any “greater calling”, but because that’s what I want.

A friend told me to “be true to yourself”.  I will.  I’m going to live my life.  Maybe I’ll find someone to share it, maybe I won’t  Either way, I can be happy being me.

Not dating means I’m more productive and less stressed.  So be it.

 

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

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For some reason Louisville has the St. Patrick’s Day Parade eight days before the actual holiday.  I’d never attended before, but Timothy told me the Pedal de Ville team needed some help.  He wanted to, but he was busy racing Death March with Asher.

I didn’t want to leave a bike locked at the parade staging area so I walked the two miles there.  It was a nice day.  I took the shortest route which took me through a bad neighborhood, but it was the middle of the day and I had no issues.

I knew nobody there.  I was introduced to Scott, the Schlafly representative.  Schlafly was sponsoring this “float”.  It’s not really a float.  It was a decorated, pedal-powered, bar.  It could hold over a dozen people.

Green everywhere

Green everywhere

They were still in the process of decorating the “float” for quite a while after I arrived.  Some stuff was St Patrick’s-themed, other stuff was Schlafly-themed.

Last-minute preparation

Last-minute preparation

This was Lilly.  Poor dog.

Festive, yet sad

Festive, yet sad

We eventually got underway.  We began with a minor hill, but this thing weighed 2500 lbs. I think a few people didn’t pedal.  There was no shifting, and the first few feet were difficult.  After that we had to be careful to not run over children.

We cruised slowly along Baxter Ave and Bardstown Rd.  The spectators were pretty crazy.  Everybody wanted hand-outs, but I had little to give.  It felt wrong to give green plastic bead necklaces to children.

It's nice seeing these street full of people

It’s nice seeing these street full of people

We were egged on at the end to go faster, so we spun like crazy, taking our speed from 2-3 mph to probably 5 mph.  That thing is heavy!

Is the Schlafly sponsorship obvious enough?

Is the Schlafly sponsorship obvious enough?

We parked at the end, and I walked down with a few of the others to the Schlafly event at River City Drafthouse.  I had three beers and some food.  I paid for the food, Schlafly covered the beer.  That was very kind of them.

I walked three miles home.  This was not in a bad neighborhood, nor was I the only walker out and about.  I stopped again at Four Pegs for a few more beers.

At this point I stumbled home and went to bed.  It wasn’t a bad way to spend a Saturday.  Five miles, too many beers, too many calories, and a whole lotta fun.

Would You Date a Sweaty Bike-Riding Guy With No Car?

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I mentioned I had a date tonight.  ”L” and I were to meet in Okolona – a southern part of Louisville.

The trip there was interesting.  I rode my rSogn to work this morning, because it’ll fit on a bus rack.  I intended to hop the 18 bus down there after work and ride back.  Preston Highway during rush hour doesn’t appeal to me.

When the 18 arrived, it already had two bikes on front, and the bus was pretty crowded.  Oh well. Off I go, wearing my work clothes.

I took the lane all the way down Preston Highway, almost to Outer Loop.  How many rude or dangerous drivers? Zero.  It was actually quite nice.  Traffic was heavy, but people were courteously changing lanes to pass.

I made better time than the 18 bus for most of the trip.  It passed me near Fern Valley Rd, and it still had those two bikes on the front.

On the return trip I came right back up Preston Highway, again, no issues.  There was lighter traffic, but it was moving faster.  I was well lit – three tailights, dyno-headlight, and a reflective vest.  Two LMPD officers passed me without even looking twice.

The date itself didn’t seem to go well. At least the 23-mile bike ride was nice.

Food, Dating, and a Lazy Weekend

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I mentioned a while ago that I joined a dating site.  I haven’t actually had a date yet.  I had one (let’s call her T) that stood me up – probably for valid reasons.  There were two more who weren’t interested once they found out I don’t own a car.  Never mind that I don’t need them to run me around.  I’m quite self-sufficient.

There are still two more, M and L.  M is fascinating.  She’s also found this blog, so of course I’ll say good things about her.   :D  I haven’t met her in person, so who knows what first impressions we’ll have with each other.  L is less interesting, but I’m supposed to meet her tomorrow evening.  She doesn’t know I don’t have a car yet.  We’ll see how that turns out.  I’ll be taking a bus to meet her.

I spent most of the weekend in the house.  Tim, Timothy, and Patrick headed out yesterday for a camping trip and gravel ride..  I didn’t go.  My ongoing neck issue meant no gravel riding.  Although they were quite cold, I’m still jealous.

I wanted to go to Four Pegs for food and beer today.  I still had a lot of housework to do today.  I negotiated with myself.  If I did the dishes, I could go to Four Pegs, so I did the dishes.  I walked to Four Pegs – I haven’t been on a bike since Friday.

I got into an interesting conversation with a woman bicyclist at Four Pegs.  Let’s call her Z.  Z is gay.  So, I’m out of the running.  However, she actively tried to set me up with her friend, D.  It was obvious D wasn’t interested.  Z didn’t give up.  It was really quite embarrassing.  That’s the first time that a stranger tried to “hook me up”.

Oh, and Z knows somebody in common with M… but I won’t get further into that, or somebody will figure something out and get weird… or not.  Louisville isn’t that big.

This dating thing kind of sucks.  Most people (including me) want somebody to have a connection with, to have a partner, to have someone to be affectionate with.  That’s the easy part.  It’s all the other stuff that makes it complicated.  Lifestyle, TV shows, cars, beer, music, physical activity, and just normal stuff like attitude, tone of voice, and body language.

Let’s not forget the weird dance we do.  I am looking for a long-term thing, but you don’t just go out and say, “Hey! You! – you’re attractive and seem nice, will you marry me?  What’s your name by the way?”  Some people already know each other before they get involved.  That’s they way Cindy (my first wife) and I were.  We knew each other since kindergarten.  That makes it a lot easier.

M likes email (as do I), which means we’ve had several long exchanges.  That also means they come once a day at best.  It takes a while to write it all.

L likes texting.  Very little is said in each text, but you can have many in a short period of time.

I really prefer one-on-one conversation, but I haven’t got there with any of them yet, except Z’s friend D, who cut it quite short.

I’m not sure I can handle trying to talk to strangers with the intent of finding “the one”.  I’ll continue for a while, but eventually I’ll give up and go back to not worrying about it.  Too bad I already paid Match.com for three months.