Monday Commute - 33 miles

Chris's parents came to visit over the weekend and we had a really lovely visit. Unfortunately I didn't get any cycling in. However, we did do quite a bit of walking and the weather was perfect to be outside.

On Monday I rode my bike to work. It was so warm I didn't wear a jacket. That was a nice change because I really, really hate the cold. (To put it in perspective, cold is in the low 40's and on Monday it was in the high 50's...I love Arizona's winter!) The ride was pretty normal except that I'm feeling stronger. There's a big hill within the first few miles of my trip and I noticed that I wasn't winded until I got 3/4 of the way up the hill. This is a big improvement for me!

I was also pleased to run into another young commuter (a 20-something male on a single speed no helmet or bike specific clothing) about halfway to work. I stopped behind him at a light and to be honest, I don't think he knew I was there. That's the funny thing about bikes. They're so quiet, you can easily sneak up on someone. Especially with plenty of loud cars around. I should have said good morning to this commuter, but I felt shy and didn't say anything. He did brighten up my day though!

After work, I rode to Tempe to attend a class at the bike co-op. I learned how to remove, repair, clean, and replace the bottom bracket. It was a good class though I was a little more tired than normal. I think I need to pay more attention to my diet when I'm riding this much. I either didn't eat enough or didn't eat the right stuff on Monday evening. On my way to Tempe, I saw another bike commuter as I was on a bridge going over the expressway. He (late 30's with helmet and lots of spandex) was going the opposite way and we only had a moment to greet each other.

I also had my second encounter with direct harassment while riding. A teenager leaned out of the passenger side of the car and barked at me like a dog. There was laughter from the other teenagers in the car. I suppose he was just trying to be funny. The first encounter was a few weeks ago when I was locking my bike up at a grocery store. Some teenage boys walking by made sarcastic comments about how "hot" I looked. (My bike helmet isn't a fashion statement.) Ahh, random teenage boys harassing me in the street means I'm definitely old.

After class at Bike Saviours, I went out to the polo court and caught up with Chris. Polo was played until the park closed then we went home. We went to bed pretty late so I drove to work today (in order to sleep a little more). Chris opted to ride to his work so I'll be picking him up and driving him home. I think we're getting a nice little system going though I wish we could do more riding together.

Commute to Work

I rode my bike 17 miles to work this morning. After work, I went to a wine bar with a group of ladies for our book club. Since it was 8:15pm when book club wrapped up, I got a car ride home. I feel a little bad that I didn't ride, but I'm not a huge fan of riding in the dark by myself. Plus, I get more time with Chris before we go to sleep. So it all works out.

The one strange thing I found in the road:

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Chris & Erica's 2009 Charity Event

As you may remember, last year Chris and I raised money for AASK through an event called Fund-a-stache. Chris grew a mustache and you all donated money to a non-profit that is near and dear to my heart (since I volunteer through AASK). Thank you, thank you, thank you!

This year, we're raising money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. On March 28-29, we will be riding the Bike MS: Round Up Ride 2009. It's a two day ride of 150 miles; however, my personal goal will be to ride 101 miles total.

Chris and I are a part of a team - AZFixed. This team is made up of the people who exposed us to fixed gear bikes and have gotten us riding more and more. I'm excited to raise money with our friends and am looking forward to spending a weekend riding with them.

Since the ride is only a few weeks away, I'll be training more and more. I'll be sharing that stuff here (as usual). I hope you can be excited for me and for the cause. If you're able to donate, thank you very, very much.

Click here to visit my personal page.

Click here to view the team page for AZfixed

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Sick

Sunday morning I woke up feeling achy and cold. I'm now seeing all of Monday from bed. I've got a cough, a fever (99 degrees), chills, and aches. I'm grumpy and whiny. I wish Chris was home from school to take care of me.

I'm really, really glad this only happens once a year.