Tree Tumbles Cycling Santa Survives

Twas 2 weeks before Christmas

when no creature was stirring inside of our house

not even my spouse.

The Santa's and snowmen were hung on the trees

in hopes Em and James soon would be there.

And me in my jammies and Todd in his chair,

had just settled down hoping sound of snoring would be in the air.

When out in the family room there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

The lights from the ceiling gave a luster

to broken objects below,

the tree on the ground,

shattered ornaments around.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear

Cycling Santa had survived to to be on the tree another year.

My apologies to the Clement Clarke Moore who wrote the original version in 1822.

Much to my dismay, our tree tumbled off it's perch last night.

Several smashed ornaments, including my beloved hand blown Santa.

We cleaned the wet carpet, wiped water off the floor and went back to bed.

This morning we'll get out the fishing line, tie the tree to the ceiling, vacuum up the

broke ornaments bits

and begin the day with Christmas cookie sugar high.

Ah, the joy of the holidays.

CIM 2011 Stats and Facts

 ERIN, WE OWN THIS RACE!

Accepting our medals at finish line

6:49 official time, last finisher in my age group, technically I deducted an addl 10 min for slight detour around L street, photo ops with friends and long red light at Watt Ave, placed 5738th out of approx 5800 who finished, 48,374 steps on the pedometer, although it should have been more like 52,000 for the 26.2 miles since the pedometer kept falling off, 2 dead skunks, multiple unidentified road kill, 3 potty stops, came in ahead of the 81 year old  man born in 1930 who was completing his 64th marathon and the 83 year old competing with his daughter, 2 hrs behind the oldest 75 year old female finisher.

Could have driven from Sac to Disneyland in the time it took us to finish.

Food intake, 2 pbj sandwiches 2 bananas, 2 tubes of Bloks or Blobs, Pringles (thank you Sac Fit), vanilla wafers, frosted animal cookies, Oreos I nabbed from the left over food pile at 3rd Sac Fit aid station, almonds, salted potatoes, corn chips, 2 Cutie oranges, Gatorade from aid stations, 1 of which used hose water to mix the drink, water, water with chia seeds, 1 bottle of regular Coca Cola, no goo gels.
Blisters 2 major, 1 minor, and puffy feet, potential toenail loss 2 suspect, 1 for sure. In dire need of pedi. Stiff muscles, massage to come.

Beer consumed after the race, 1 Corona Light, 1 Sierra Nevada winter brew.

My best marathon time, no. Best marathon experience ever. Absolutely. Nothing like having a great walking friendship to keep our morale up when the aches and pains start. Nothing like having great friends at the finish line when your finish time is 3 times as long as the winner. Nothing like a stroll on a beautiful late fall day because I can.

When I embark on an event like this, I own it.

No matter the results, no matter the pain, I own it.

No matter the sacrifice and long hours it takes, I own it.

When I shorten a workout just because, I own it

When we crossed the finished line together

WE OWNED THE 2011 CALIFORNIA INTERNATION MARATHON

YIP YIP YIP YAHOO





Humble Oil of Houston Texas

Getting lost on a trip makes the best adventures. We had followed directions to a downtown  locale that was near Univ of Texas SA. San Antonio streets are weird. The streets that run parallel to freeways are one way. Once you get off the freeways, even with directions, we found ourselves circling around about a 7 block area looking for an ice house that we knew was right under the freeway. Of course, we were on the wrong side of the freeway, had to turn to go back under the freeway and proceed the other way and follow my directions in reverse. We had been warned it was a sketchy neighborhood, Todd kept saying, "Why can't we find it?" and I replied, "because we are not there yet."
We did find, however, and old Humble Oil of Houston Tx gas station. Come to find out, this is the last standing Humble gas station in San Antonio. It won a national contest as the place that needs to be remembered in the US.
Humble Oil started in Tx, was bought by Standard Oil and became ESSO and now what we know as Exxon.

The Humble emblems and borders around the windows and roof line are all mosaic tile. I loved the streaks in the iron that replaced windows contrasting to the tile borders. It appears someone is beginning to do some remodeling. Will have to revisit to find out what becomes of the little old Humble Gas station.

Street Walking San Antonio Style

Last words out of my beloved's mouth before he let me loose on Black Friday at the Quarry in San Antonio, "You look awfully cute, don't let anyone pick up on you." My response, "Like someone is is going to pick up on me in the middle of the afternoon along a major street. Good bye honey I love you."
So I start on the walk home, with a  Longhorn Co-oP bag in each hand, up one street, bear left on the next past the second HEB and Steinmart, confirm with cyclist that Nagadoches is the street slightly bearing left, stay on Nagadeoches until turn right on Country Club, the left on Haskin. No problemo.
I passed the old limestone quarry with is now an exclusive golf course and country club, if it's not apts and shopping, past San Antonio sewer caps, past incredible homes.
Nagadoches is a major, well traveled 2 lane street with turn lane in the middle. I sensed a car slowing behind me, then stopping. I turned to see who is was, had to be a stranger since I only know 3 people in SA and 2 are at work and one is taking a nap. Stopped next to me is in a white-haired gentleman probably in his 70's, in a Texas-sized sedan. He rolls down the window, just says hi, smiles, nods his head, rolls the window up and drives off. No one honks in the line of traffic he stopped. I just laughed.
Must have been the Longhorn bags in each hand.

Honey, you'll never guess what happened on my walk home.

Last Training walk for the CIM and Black Friday In San Antonio

Today was my last official training walk for the CIM and Black Friday. I had been banned from shopping this weekend in SA. According to Emily, shopping in malls in Texas is considered a work out. Black Friday is like the Superbowl of workouts. Why not make it the CIM of workouts?
I needed one 5 mile walk this weekend. Nothing excessive. Maybe my dearest would be willing to drive me about 5 miles away on a route that I knew included stores. I would walk home. It worked. Clothes on, shoes on, credit cards in purse, close up glass and sun glasses, water bottles. Ready to go.
I knew what direction I wanted to go. We went, knew we were lost when we drove past the second HEB market. Should have gone left instead of right. Oh well, but wait, there's a Steinmart, there's the smokestacks from The Quarry Shoppng Plaza. I know where I am and how to get home. Just drop me off and let me go.
San Antonio has stores not found in Sacramento. I don't need to see many, just enough to go shopping. Focus this trip, Texas Longhorn Co-oP, for anything and everything Texas Longhorn. We're going to a Longhorn basketball game in Austin Sat eve and have been told I can't go unless I dress appropriately. Meaning, wear something Longhorn. So I found a Longhorn T-shirt on Black Friday sale, with glittery Hook-em horns, a new pair of jeans, and orange and white polka dot Longhorn earrings. Good to Go.
Walk home 3 ish miles. Take the dogs Bubba and Moose for a walk in the evening.  Cim training is complete, shopping on Black Friday accomplished, duds for the game purchased.

Why a Marathon?

26.2 miles 15 days away. I have asked myself this question many times in the past month. Some mornings are more difficult than others to answer the question. Nov 19, 2011 last long workout started about 6:30 am.
I remembered thismorning why I love the workouts on the American River Trail.

I missed picts of the buck and doe and the wild turkey family. This is what we saw.

Hope for America, A little red Cart, Fruita Colorado

Hwy 50 and Interstate 70 split again at the Utah Colorado border. The first town in Colorado along Hwy 50 that had a hotel was Fruita. It's pretty much a bedroom community of Grand Junction.  Colorado Natl Monument is about 5 miles away.
We found a lovely little hotel , The W Hotel, a 50-60's motor inn, with a wooden swing in the lawn and barbeque and table for al fresco dining. Just what we were looking for. The hotel was run by either a German or Swiss couple and was immaculate. They do their own cleaning I found out later. We booked for 1 night, barbequed steaks and our reality TV was watching the cars go through the drive through liquor store next door.
I got up early the next morning for a spin around Fruita. It's a town of charming 30's, 40's 50's houses, white picket fences, pumpkins in the yard. Downtown is about 5 - 6 blocks long with the usual mix of coffee houses, bike shops, yoga studeos, restaurants, and a lady delivering the newspapers pulling a little red cart full of papers. I had to talk to her. She told me a bit about town, informed me there were free showers a couple of blocks away (Did I look like I needed a shower?). I guess the town is the Colorado answer to Moab for mountain bikers and there are free showers in town for visitors not actually staying in a hotel.

We ended up spending another night in Fruits so we could ride bikes, eat pizza and drink beer in a town where a middle age woman still delivers newspapers in a little red cart.
Early morning views in Fruita, bike riding in Colorado Natl Monument, Store in the middle of nowhere, house across from the store in the middle of nowhere with a deep space telescope and observatory, pizza oven, and, you can't tell if my eyes are open or not!

CIM 55 Days and Counting

I am walking the California Intl Marathon Dec 4, 2011.  CIM 2008 was my first race ever. Longest I had walked in training was 20 miles. Everyone said if you can walk 20 miles, you can do 26.2. If I had realized how far 26.2 miles was, I would not have done it. Our walking speed for that race about 16 min miles. We chased the barrier men for a few miles, then just stopped at stop lights. Start time 7 am, finishing time about 2 pm. 
Why do I do it again?  Because I can.
I have a history of blister problems on my feet, so have gone from shoes with Superfeet inserts, to the inserts  that come with the shoes to no inserts, just good socks and the basic shoe. so far so good. And I have all my toenails this far in the season.
Walked 14 miles Sat Oct 8 and done 2 1/2 marathons since August.
Cross training: Sun am Pilates, Monday weight training, Tuesday speed training at the gym, Wednesday a day off, thursday weight training and kick boxing, Friday nothing, Sat long distance walk with SacFit. Throw in a couple of bike rides, you have the picture.
I've enlisted the help of Katie Vona, sports masseuse and pain inflictor extroidinaire to keep my legs, back hips, knees, ankles in working condition.
Best of all my 2008 partner-in-crime Erin is joining me.

Great Basin Natl Park Fence Art

Great Basin Natl Park is right on the border of Utah and Nevada on Hwy 50. The park itself is not the most spectacular I've seen and I think it is a park because Nevada didn't have any Natl parks.

Area residents have a great sense of humor.  Here's some of the fence art. Sign under the hat say To thee Tony and the hat hat bullet holes in it. Bob Wire and Barb wire are next to each other.

Leaf Peeping

Leaf peeping started at the shoe tree on Hiway 50. Peeped at shoes on the shoe tree in the middle of nowhere.
Fall colors magnificent at nearly 12,000 feet in Great Basin National Park. Air up there so clear. Atmospheric condition great for picts.

Fall in the Rockies on the way to Leadville CO, highest city in US.

Big Rock Candy Mountain

Utah has come of the most spectacular scenery know to man. It's worth the 10 hour drive through the desert on Hwy 50. Little red bike went us on the trip.
One of my goals in Utah was for me to ride the Big Rock Candy Mountain Rails to Trail bike trail. Rails and Trails converts abandoned rail lines to bike and hiking trails. The BRCM trail is 16 miles long and passed right by our cabin in Joseph,Utah.
I rode 12 miles round trip from Joseph to Elsinore the first evening we arrived. Terrain is gently rolling hills. I cruised past cows, alfalfa fields and farm houses.
I rode the second half the trail from BRCM In Marysvale UT to Joseph on Tuesday morning. This direction the trail is mostly downhill and it follows the Sevier River through red rocks and spectular formations. I did not pass a sole on either leg of the trip.
Picts of views along Big Rock Candy Mountain trail. The composition of the mountain is hydrothermically altered volcanic carbonate. Candy wins in my book any day.

True Love on the Fly Fishing Stream

We just returnd from our latest road trip, this time through the Nevada and Utah on Hwy 50 then through the Rockies to Denver. We spent a couple of days in cental Utah, one of the days fly fishing.
We hired a guide through Center Valley Fly Fishing in Centerville Utah.
He was a fabulous guide and I had almost a full day of private fly fishing lessons which I sorely needed.
The guide and I were on the last fishing hole of the day when Todd came and sat by the stream and watched me fish. He said he didn't want to move on to the next hole just up the stream. He sat and watched for about 20 minutes. I thought he was admiring my improved casting technique.
After I threw my last cast, he suggested we needed to wade downstream intead of going cross country back to our car.
He had been sitting for 20 minutes listening to a rattlesnake shake and couldn't figure out where the sound was coming from. He would have had to wade through my fishing hole to get to the next one and didn't want to disturb my fishing. He just sat.
Now that is true love on the trout fishing stream.

Camping Revisited

For the record, in all the 30 years we have been camping, we have encountered bears twice. Once when a careless camper in our group left apples on a table and once during the night. It's a pretty good indication of a bear in the campsite when you wake up in the middle of the night to a symphony of pots and pans being hit by spoons echoing through the forest.
We have yet to encounter snakes, although I do not venture outside the tent after dark for any reason.
We have encountered more snakes, deer, foxes, coyotes, wild turkeys, rabbits, moles, squirrels withing 2 miles of our house on the American River Trail than we've ever seen  while camping.

Camping in Bear Country Just a Question

We have a favorite camping spot up above Arnold on Hwy 4 called Golden Pines RV park. It's about a mile past Calaveras Big Trees State Park. The front of the RV Park had enough plastic flowers, fake rock waterfalls and gnomes decorating yards in permanent spaces to make one wonder why the owners bother to live in an area that has real waterfalls, wildflowers and redwoods.
The tent campers are in a beautiful wooded area down the hill from RV sites. No gnomes in sight. Whew.
Each time we check in to camp, I always ask about recent bear activity. Response this year, there were a couple of bears early in the year trying to get into the dumpsters, but nothing since May. Garbage is picked up each night at 8 pm and campers told not to leave food out. There are no bear, snake, tick, lyme disease, rodent warnings posted anywhere. Owners keep dogs on leash and clean up after them. We love camping there.
We hadn't been to Calaveras Big Trees for many so decided to visit using one of our free park passes. Just an aside State parks do accept donations to help keep them open. Thank you gift is free day passes. Gee that's good business.
We were given a park guide and dog regs. All dogs must be on a 6' leash and cannot go on any trails. Strict regs for dogs, as explained in a pamphlet from Gov Schwartz... are because the dogs may frighten wildlife, get bit by a snake, cause disease in the wildlife, attract ticks, contaminate water supply, fall off a cliff and get injured, and some people are frightened by dogs. There are bear garbage cans, bear lockers, warning signs for bears, snakes, ticks, lyme disease, and rodent diseases. We drove through the park and walked on the fire roads. Missed the main attractions since Sam the dog, our 14 lb water contaminating, people scaring, tick attracting, injury prone dog was not allowed near the really big trees.

Two questions.
First why are there so many more bears, snakes, ticks, rodents, dog fearing people in a state campsite than in a private one a mile away? Do adults and children not frighten animals, get bit by snakes, fall and injure themselves, get lyme disease, come home with ticks and contaminate the water system.? I know my husband must have contaminated many a water system while camping and fishing.
Secondly, why would a person who is afraid of a dog on a leash even bother to camp in a campsite that warns of bears, snakes, ticks, lyme disease, falling off cliffs?
I'm sticking to my private campsite with plastic flowers, gnomes and fake rock waterfalls. Apparently there are fewer risks and cleaner water.

Whoops, I did it again, Skirt etiquette part 2

Ever had one of those mornings when you wake up and realize you are really late to get someplace? I woke up last Friday morning and realized I had exactly one hour to get to work. That means 1/2 hour to shower, do hair, makeup, throw something in a bag for breakfast, load my bike and to figure out what to wear and 1/2 hr to drive downtown, park, and pedal to work.
What to wear consisted of grabbing skirt and top that matched and didn't require ironing.
Mission accomplished and I am out the door by 7:30 looking reasonably put together, make up on, hair fluffed, food in the bag and most importantly, coffee in the to go mug.
Fifteen minutes later, arrive at free parking space, unfold the bike, put the seat up, hop on. On no, I should not have picked a short sort of tightish skirt. I lowered the seat about 8 inches so I could lift my leg high enough to get on and off the bike. I had to peddle sort of knock-kneed and each time a car came toward me, I stopped pedalling, posed on the bike with my knees together and and let momentum take me forward. Must try to keep lady like decorum while riding.
Made it to work with 7 minutes to spare, skirt and dignity intact. 
Tomorrow wearing longer looser skirt but not so loose it flies in the wind.

Update 5-17-2012. Wearing my somewhat loose spandex workout shorts has solved the problem. Long skirts, short skirts, no problemo.

Little Bike Great Highway Big Hills Giant Race

August 26 was Little Red  Bikes' first road trip.  First stop was the SF airport to pick up Emily. Neither one of us had picked up a passenger at SFO. First pass around to find SWA terminal,  I left a little paint from the right bumper curbside at Southwest terminal. Nothing like the sound of bumper on curb to get the blood pumping and people waiting at the curb to notice your arrival.  Todd jumped out and I fully expected him to hand me the bumper parts. He surveyed the damage and started looking for Emily so I figured it must not have been too bad.(Two little scrapes near the bottom of the bumper) 
Circle two, still no Emily and Todd got back in the car. Circle three, jerk to the right does not let us into the right lane to return to the terminal so instead of heading to the airport, we're headed back on the freeway. Circled through San Bruno, then somehow made it back to the airport. Third time was the charm. Emily was waiting at the curb. Horray.
I'd had more than enough of driving and Todd had had more than enough of my driving. His turn. Of course, the online driving directions I printed out and taking a wrong turn got us lost. We hadn't bothered to put directions in Garmin while we were driving to the airport. Emily is the Garmin wizard and soon we are on our way. Fortunately we were on the right route before the fog became so thick we could hardly see in front of us. We made it to our hotel in the Sunset District.
All three of us participated in the Giant's 1/2 Marathon in San Francisco on Saturday morning. That's 13.2 miles starting at ATT Park, past The Ferry Building, Fisherman's Wharf, through  Golden Gate Park to Fort Point under the GG Bridge and back again. The race ended in ATT Park running around the infield. What a thrill to look up and see the stands, the giant Coke bottle, the scoreboard  from the player's view. Not such a thrill to walk up to the steps to the food level after walking at a 13:45 min pace for 3:02 hours.  My legs were cooked.
I was rewarded with a too small t-shirt, Tim Lincecum bobble head doll and no medal. They were out. Picked up my free bananas and whatever else was left to eat. Early birds get the worms apply to food and bling after races.
Back to the hotel to soak our aching feet in garbage cans full of icecubes and water. After a shower and lunch came time to ride the bike. Time to test  Little Red Bike along the Great Highway and hills in the Sunset district.

One look at the traffic on the Great Highway, Hwy 1, convinced me Sat afternoon at 2:30 is not a good time to start riding.  The safe route is the side road, La Playa, that parallels the highway.  That is my route.
Not only did I want to attack the hills on the little bike, I again wanted to test the theory walking muscles are different from riding muscles. I rode on La Playa, then went up a hill that didn't look too steep, rode on a parallel street, then went up another hill and continued the progression for a few miles.  Even though the muscles are different, the fatigue level from the walk is still there  I loved the downhills. Little Red Bike did great. Zippy on the hills, no problem changing gears.
The ride was too short but proved to me it is going to be a great addition to vacation toys.

Sunset District hotel and restaurant recommendations can be found in the Impromptu Eats and Sleeps blog coming up next.
Enjoy Bev

Why is Willie Weir on my reading list?

I was introduced to Willie Weir in an article in The Sacramento Bee Thursday Scene section. It was one of those foggy January mornings. I poured myself a cup of coffee, assumed my early morning reading position, at the kitchen table, and slipped the rubber band off the paper. As is my habit, I glanced at the weather forecast, ignored the front page and went for the Scene section.
Adventure cyclist Willie Weir was featured. I had no clue who this Seattle guy Willie is. I am a sucker for anything the hints of an adventure so started reading. The article spun a tale about a man who rode across the US with no plans, no agenda, camping in peoples' yards and garages. He found the best of people, the people who care, the kind of people not featured on the front pages of most papers.
I was hooked. He was speaking that evening at REI and I had to be there. I arrived about the time the talk was starting. There was still a line outside waiting to get in. It was clear I was nsot going to hear Willie Weir speak that night. I bought his book, went home and read most of it that night.
Travels with Willie is a joy to read. I was transported from a cold dark depressing evening into a bike ride across small town, side road America.
I wished I was on an adventure like Willie's.
A couple of months later I noticed in another Thursday Scene section Willie would be back in Sacramento speaking for 3 nights in a row at REI. I signed up for all three nights.
The first night I was mesmerized about the tales of riding across Eastern Europe, the second night about cycling in Turkey and the third about adventures in Columbia. I went from disbelief that someone would embark on these adventures, to thinking I can never to this, to how can I make the spirit of his adventures part of my daily life.
Thank you Willie.

Ghost Bikes

Ghost bikes are a memorial for cyclist who were injured or killed on a street. They are located in more than 150 locations all over the world. You have probably seen the white bikes chained to a post near an accident site. See ghostbikes.org.

My ghost bikes are not white, they are pink. A 1970's rusty, pink Columbia bike parked in the bike room at work, a shiny pink cruiser on the street, little blond girl on a little pink bike with training wheels. They are a somber reminder of our beloved daughter who passed 2 years ago. She loved her pink bikes. Each time I see a pink bike, it is a reminder of a lost little girl. I just say hey and send a kiss.

Riding Attire

Cycling downtown has its own sense of fashion. It's not unusual to see women on bikes wearing high heels and dresses looking quite chic. No heels for me but thought it would be fun to ride in a skirt. I picked a full skirt that modestly covered my knees.
Lesson 3: Do not ride a bike wearing a full skirt into the wind without artfully tucking in the skirt. I learned about the Marilyn Monroe effect on a bike. Back to black spandex shorts.

Asking directions and passing.

Monday Aug 16
I'm feeling quite confident on the bike right about now. No longer does my bike have to reside under my desk at work, it has an official home in the bike room. The bike room accomodates 80 bikes in racks and assorted others around the edges room. I know how to check the brakes, seat is no longer slipping, gears are a ok.
Ride 4 Whipped along T street and a young man passed me on a road bike. About a block later he circle around and asked me if I knew how to get to Freeport.
Not sure exactly what he means. There is a Pedal Hard bike shop half a block up so I direct him there for his answer.
Ladies, men on bikes actually ask for directions!
A couple of blocks later, I spy a bike going slower that I am. I pass him.
Then I pass another lady. These are two big wheel bikes getting passed on the left by little wheels. Yippee yo yo.
Men asking directions and passing big wheel bikes. What a day.

Monday August 8 Nirvana

Finally, I didn't have to stop on the way home for technical difficulties. Beautiful cruise home along T street and then S St. I am riding on the sidewalk because no one is on it and I can avoid a major intersection. As I approach 65th St, I see a man pushing a wheelchair full of possessions across the middle of the street. I pushes it up curb and onto the sidewalk and stops right in front of me. My brakes worked perfectly and I stopped and swerved around him.

Question: Is a homelessman pushing a wheelchair a designated driver?

Bicycle parts 1 1/2 and 2

The rest of the story for part 1 for the pointy up seat story is that when a cyclist cannot sit on the seat, it is almost impossible to change gears. In addition to avoiding the bike seat, my legs were spinning at a rate that seemed impossibly fast.
No more bike riding the first week due to collateral damage from bike seat problems.

Monday August 1. Ride home 2 Brakes. The brakes on the bike were adjusted by a pro. Unbeknownst to me, brakes are easily unadjusted when folding and unfolding a bike. It seemed to me that my back brakes were rubbing. Each time I stopped, I adjusted the brakes, trying to pull the pads away from the wheel. I just kept going slower and slower. Again, my first words when I got home were Todd, help me with my brakes, my back brakes are sticking.
He fiddled with the back brakes, told me they were fine but that the front brakes had been sticking all the way home. Apparently the cable between the brakes pads that had been fine the day before, crimped during the folding process causing the brake pads to become permenately affixed to the front wheel.
No additional riding that week due to collateral leg pain from sticking brakes.
Lesson learned: Always check the brake cables before starting a ride.

Monday July 25, 2011 Part 1

Monday July 18. My internet-ordered fold-up bike arrived. It's zippy little 20" rim 7-speed model.
We had just returned from a whirlwind trip to Oregon for a 2 day wining and dining wedding/reunion in the Rainsong Vineyard outside Eugene. While we were gone, we had hardwood floors in our house refinished. All our furniture was moved into two rooms, there was floor dust that needed to be cleaned up, our bed needed to be in the bedroom. The bike came
A bit of dust cleaned and the bed in our bedroom. I could not resist. The box was opened. Front and back of bike secure, handle bars up, seat up, pedals down. I was off.
The brakes and gears needed some adjusting so I prevaled upon my oh so patient husband who is a skinny-tire, owns three bikes and all the tools kind-of-a guy, to do some adjustments. Two nights later mission sort of accomplished. He was gracious enough to take the bike to a pro for final adjustments.

Monday July 25

My employment is at 4th and Q in downtown Sacramento. I have been street walking to find the best route home. That is, the one with the least cars. I decided upon T Street. It is a classic Sacramento tree-lined street that takes a rider past the Victorians downtown, the 30th's and 40 cottages mid-town, past the post war homes built in the late 40's to early 50's. Most importantly, cars going my direction are not looking into the sun.
Ride home approximately 7-8 miles.
About mile 6, the seat started tipping back, just slightly. About mile 7, the seat was at about a 50 degree angle up in the front and down in the back. It doesn't stay down.
As I transistion from the coolness of downtown to suburbs past Sac State, I notice myself passing other low rider bikes with kids and assorted meth looking addicts on the same sized bikes. My fanny is slipping more and more backward. When I manage to pedal, the seat is shifting right then left. I was not sure the seat was going to stay on the bike.
I ride the last mile home standing on the pedals, hoping my foot doesn't slip because if it does, I will impale myself on the sticking up seat.

Lesson learned. Always adjust the seat on a new bike.
No further riding week one due to collateral damage from the bike seat.

Wednesday, July 13

Wednesday, July 13, 2011 is the day I decided to finally purchase my red  fold-up bike. My employment is in downtown Sacramento, home of a bicycling renaissance. I really wanted a new bike. Yes, there is perfectly good red bike hanging in my garage. It was last ridden about a year ago.  It's just not an exciting bike. I wanted a new fun bike. Now to figure out what it was going to be.
I found my dream bike in Monterey in front of the Convention Center. A man came out of the Center holding a small bicycle, set it down, unfolded it, hopped on and away he went. I just stood there staring.  I had to have one. A fold up red bike in my future.
I  cancelled my convenient parking space across the street from work,  informed my husband we needed to start carpooling in our Prius  and that I was going to start riding home from work.  It took a couple of weeks to find the bike of my dreams. I purchased the value edition at Greenzonebikes.com because I wasn't sure if I would love this bike as much as I thought I would.  I do.
After sharing my fits and starts on the bike with friends and Tom, I was encouraged to start a blog.  Either they were tired of the emails and wanted me to stop sending or actually enjoyed the content. Either way, I thank them for their indulgence.
Let the blog begin.