Bring on the ice biking!

Today I tried something new: ice biking! Sounds terribly dangerous, and perhaps it was, but it was kinda fun. I rode around the neighborhood for about 20 min. It was like riding on sand, so really slick and slide-y. Tried to get a pic of me riding, but didn't quite make it. I'm trying to get on the bike here:

My bike taking a nap in the snow. Luckily I didn't go down with it at any point of the ride.


Just hand over the cash and nobody will get hurt:
So after the ride I come inside to warm up. The bike is covered in snow and I don't want the floor getting all wet, so I put it under the porch to melt and get indoor-ready. Hmmm... didn't realize the snow/ice was melting from the roof, through the porch and dripping on the bike. It re-froze on the bike and make my bicycle into a bicicle (get it: icicle). ;)


So I've done it once- don't know that I need to do it again. I would like to learn how, but I'm just too afraid of falling. Don't know why- falling doesn't feel like a gunshot wound. I'm just a falling weenie. I need to let some air out of the tires, kick it into gear and just get moving on the snow. Practice makes perfect and I'll never get better if I don't just go ride...
but maybe I don't need to get better. I've spent enough time in the hospital in the last few months...

Winter? Again? Enough already!

This is the most snow I remember in many years. After the ice storm of yesterday, we are getting pelted with snow today. It's really piling up out there. My prospects for commuting this week are not looking good. Boo! :(
The blowing snow is piling up on the rooftop. And poor St. Francis is getting all covered in snow. His animals are disappearing under a blanket of white.
So last night we got in the hot tub. I argue that there is NO other way to spend a cold night than to get nekkid, jump in the hot tub and enjoy a good soaking.
My favorite time to tub is when there is snow on the ground. The traffic is quiet, the power lines sizzle, and last night the ice covered trees were creaking in the wind. It was magical.

A little mist

and the ONLY picture you'll ever see of me nekkid. My outlined silhouette against the cold night sky. So it's a little bigger than I'd like my silhouette to be, but it is what it is...Stick that boo-tay out, girl!!

More snow pictures will follow tomorrow, I'm sure. I do like the snow, just not the after-effects that come with it. ;)

Icemageddon 2010

So the ice storm cometh. It cometh with a fury. The end of modern civilization as we know it is coming to an end. Kiss your babies, pet your puppies, change your undies and be prepared!!!

If you watch the news- that's what you'd THINK was happening. Truthfully, it's just a little ice storm in January. Like we've never seen THAT before (rolling eyes). Oh look- a sleet ball. Oh no, there's precipitation that's falling and freezing. Oh my, it's a winter watch. Silly weather *forecasters* and their ratings race. Sheesh!!!

Here's some ice storm pics.
Enjoy.


My landscaping lights outside. Covered in an icy haze:

Icicles blowing sideways. Awesome!


Ice-covered rocking chair. I think I'll pass.


Cool hubcap!

My favorite dog, Jimbo

Who's that cute doggy cuddling with me? It's Jimbo! It's Jimbo!


OK- here's why I can't have children. It's because I play favorites. We have 3 dogs. 2 are old (15 and 12). One is young (7). The young one, Jimbo, is my favorite! He gets to sleep on our bed while the other two sleep in their crates (granted, the other two pee on the carpet when left to roam at night, but still). Jimbo gets extra petting. He gets extra love. I know it's wrong, but I just can't help myself He's the softest, has the funniest personality, the cuddliest and the one who *doesn't* pee in my house. How can I NOT love him so extra much? It's so wrong, but...

Days 4 & 5 car-free

Great and great!!!!

I did it- one whole week of not driving the car. Even rode my bike to meet a friend for lunch on Friday. How lucky am I that I can ride my bike to work, to do errands, to meet friends for lunch... to do most everything?
I truly believe that most people can do it. It might take some big changes to do it, but it can be done by most of us. I had a job 26 miles away, but I quit it and got one 3 miles away. I would've even settled for a job 10 miles away (perfectly doable distance to bike to work). It might mean selling the house and moving closer to work (not very feasible in the current market, probably), or just switching to a more trimmed down lifestyle.
Trust me- I'd sell this big ol' house of ours tomorrow and downsize if it's what hubby wanted. He's not quite on board for the whole living smaller, but maybe one day. We have an acre of land that requires a lot of maintenance (the he takes care of) and maybe one day he'll be down with the downsizing. It'll come- even if it's in 10 years when the house is all paid off.

Anywho...the week of riding went well. Yesterday I drove because I needed to go to my favorite LBS (local bike shop) who knows me very well to get some advice on how to change my commuter into a single speed. Plus, we had to run a couple errands that were far enough away and had to get heavy things.

I'll try it again this week, although it will be a VERY long week. I have the Book Fair and something to do at school 3 evenings this week. Yikes! It can be done, tho, it WILL be done.

To my bike... and AWAY!

Day 3 Car-free

Day 3: success!!!!

Another day, another beautiful ride around town!

Made it to work with beautifully clear skies (albeit dark) and dry streets. What a great way to start the day!!!!

On the way home I stopped by the grocery store to get some odds and ends.
Got a little of this:
and if you're gonna get that you might as well get some of these:
mmmmmmmm... cookies!!!!
I won't feel so guilty about the cookies since I pedaled to get them.

3 days down- and I'm still lovin' every minute of it!! We'll see how much I love it when it's in the 30's again. Maybe by then I'll have formed a habit and it won't be so bad.

I LOVE MY BIKE!!!!

Car-Free Day 2

Day 2: success!!

Today was a great day for riding! The morning was VERY creepy foggy outside (visibility less than .25 mile) and that was a little strange- but kinda cool. Rode to work in the dark and had a very uneventful ride. Loved the cool morning air. The bike rides like a dream machine! Toes stayed warm with my wool socks and new winter riding shoes. Woot!
I had 8 lights on my bike to keep me visible in the fog. 3 headlights, 2 side lights and 3 tail lights, plus reflectors all over. My tire's sidewalls are even reflective so you can see me from the side. See:
So I get ready to leave work at the end of the day and I take a look outside. Uh-oh. I didn't pack my rain gear since they didn't say anything about rain...
No worries, my trusty steed has fenders and can take on any bad weather. Headed out the front door of the school and it's not raining anymore. The ground is wet, but the sky is dry. Score!!! We stopped for a little break on the way home to enjoy the evening sky.
Stopped by the party supply store to get some supplies for the Book Fair at school next week. Picked up some hot pink and black tablecloths. The theme is Book Fair Diner: All You Can Read. We're going with the 50's diner theme.


Here's her butt waving goodbye. Until tomorrow, it's another day in the books.

One week car-free: Day 1

Look- here's my new bike! Isn't she grand???
So I'm finally giving the car-free lifestyle a go. This week I have vowed to be car-free. I will ride to work, ride to do my errands, and even ride to meet a friend for lunch on my break on Friday.

Day 1: SUCCESS (sort of)

This morning I rode to the grocery store to get some food for the week. Filled up both panniers full and came home. Weighed the groceries and they topped the scale at 33 lbs. Not so bad!! Got everything I needed (and then some). Distance: 2.5 miles round trip.

Then I needed to go to the bike store to get a new stem for my bike. The stem on the bike was too big and just not what I wanted. I rode to Celestial Cycles on Hefner Rd to get a new one. Distance: 2 miles round trip.

Then I had to go to Homeland to rent an industrial strength carpet shampooer. OK- Rian drove to the store in the truck for this one. No way I could drag that a mile home and back and I couldn't put it on my bike. Had to use a car, but it wasn't me who drove...

Day 1 was successful!! I can't wait for tomorrow!

BTW- I LOVE my new bike!! The wide tires, the fenders, the handling, the generator, the smoothness... I could go on and on. What a great find!!!

ANOTHER BIKE????

OK, so I bought ANOTHER bike today. I know, I know. I only have 3 bikes and that just isn't enough. I actually had planned on converting my mountain bike into a dedicated commuter, but it was going to be too much trouble between buying a disc brake specific rack and the fenders I bought didn't work. I gave up. I hit the pawn shops and was on the lookout for a bike I could use as a commuter.

JACKPOT!!!

I found an old Giant Tourer at a pawn shop. It had everything I was looking for:
-fenders
-generator lights
-rear rack
-chainguard
-new tires (Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires at that- a $110 value alone) w/reflective stripe
-drivetrain in good condition
-700c tires

The only thing I was NOT happy about is that it's a ladies step-through frame. I really don't like those frames. The paint isn't in perfect condition and has many scratches. BUT that totally went away when I looked at all the pluses. It is a really great bike!! It was marked $99, but because the plastic chainguard was broken, they took $10 off. Woo hoo! It has a cute little teapot bell, the generator front light works (back doesn't, but that can maybe be fixed). The tires are new (had to buy tubes), the drivetrain is rideable for the time being until I can upgrade and it's a great little bike.
I spent the afternoon taking apart the rear wheel (with Rian's help, of course) and cleaning and repacking the bearings. I learned a lot. I also changed out the handlebars for my butterfly bars.
I'm so excited!!! I'll post a picture when I can get a good one in the daylight.