Urbana-Champaign Cycling Ventures

Below freezing thsi morning but barely. Headwind. I didn’t charge much at all. Hmmm. Self: tomorrow see if you can and see what the mood is upon arrival.

Last night I had a long detailed dream about visiting my brother and …. oh, there were tons of details! And I”m pretty sureit was before the radio went on to influence the brain with words. SO we went some place haveing nothing to do with cycling but there were bicycles and folks gathered as if for an event so I asked to get out of the car and Richard M. was there from our club; the dream location was “somewhere else in Illinois that’s pretty close and has a club” (even tho’brother lives in Virginia). Now, a person I know from when I was in bike club in Virginia commented on FB yesterday but he was not in the dream. I talked to lots of people about gosh, I’d ride with them but… and somehow my Xtracycle was there, and I noted it would only go so fast (feeling irritated at self because I shoud have had more confidence) and … it seemed to me they were taking a LONG time to actually leave for the ride, and I had eaten some of the food and I figured out that it was a potluck and the food was first, then the ride, and I talked a lot to people about their bikes; somebody had an *extremely small* light (definitely dream stuff) Brompton and I said I had one… and I was thinking about riding with them anyway …. but confused because where was my brother????? and then realizing that the only way my bike would be there would be if he had gone and gotten it and put it at the event for me to find. I also talked about the event: it was monthly and I didn’t get an answer to whether it had always had this awesome turnout.

I considered this in terms of …. okay, should we have an event like that? Well, we do. That’s the “tour de france party” except it doesn’t Have A Ride. I usually don’t have dreams with all those FEELINGS mixed in 😛 Obviously I’m tryin’ to boost my confidence about something 😛 Now, I had also messaged somebody who’d shared they wanted to bring singing into our whole community mutual aid efforts, and hadn’t even heard of “Singing Resistance” and I added with this email that I’d like to get a group of folks who could pass background checks to actually go to schools for a short concert, get ’em singing, give teachers a bathroom break…. and …. sent a few John McCutcheon videos. Only when I woke up did I remember that when I was a teacher, I’m ***pretty sure*** that’s who was playing at the high school and I convinced them to let my middle schoolers go with me across the street and IT WENT TOTALLY FINE even though it was longer than one would have formally recommended for my “LD” group. And we had heard some songs in history class (Harriet Tubman)…. the response to the first email was that we should talk after church but that didn’t happen … I do NOT have the skills to put on a concert. I am strictly backup. And m aybe that was the feeling part that got channeled into bicycling, I dunno. I’ve got chorus tonight (and my best “doing a solo” is …. being the one to introduce some of the songs 😛 )

So Gas prices are screaming up and blivit face made a war-crime threat Saturday that he retracted last night completely (saying it was b/c they had had good talks about things, which the other people said didn’t happen) so now stocks are screaming back up too! IT’s such a racket.

And now to do the things I **need** to do…

yea, 40 year old me would have said a prayer and bundled up but 65 year old me knows the bus service 😛 Yesterday we had a bunch of almost tornadoes that happily did not get to whirling, and some rain tho’ wish it were more for the drought. Today? Temps *dropping* and it’s gonna be bitter cold… then spring comes Wednesday so hopefully On The Bike Again.
But also I left the Garmin on the floor last Thursday on the RIDE HOME FAST to try to get to the Lay Affiliates meeting at 6:30 so the extra miles have not beenlogged. Happily, I was able to ride hard and reasonably fast (I topped up tires Tuesday because that was “ride home fast before the tornadoes get here.” It was good to ride hard; actual stress. Housemate’s dog … welp, she was 14+ years old. Thursday seh went “over the rainbow bridge.” I got to visit M, duck home to get the phone I forgot at home, and ride *slowly* out to the meeting and get there on time. Trial run: Wednesday I’m hoping to be able to get to Contemplative Prayer live and in person and in time to figure out how to do the tech for when B isn’t there.

Friday was just rainy and weird and … I forgot to pick up the Garmin from the floor. Saturday was “get out and do while it’s do-able”. Thursday they’d also started getting excited about Sunday’s weather, and Saturday when they all kinda disappeared I figured they were all napping to prepare, which is an ominous idea. But Sunday the winds were only 25 mph so I ducked out for the bagels, ducked home to hand one off to housemate, and checked the radar. Yup, that little storm happened during church and I got to deliver the rest of the bagels and visit and get home — and I swear the weather was coddling me. There was less than a tenth of a mile of “oh, that’s windy!!!” — because it was changing direction and usually behind me or blocked by buildings.

No, I didn’t successfully do stuff watching the weather come. No, I didn’t successfully remember the 1:00 class so I was 14 minutes after because I ducked across to vote.

Welp, I did put a card on the seeds.
Yesterday was borderline brutal and … really close to that line. YES, I did kinda “ride to meet a goal” even though it wasn’t a lot of fun. It wasn’t dangerous. Just 16 degrees F and 16 mph winds, headwinds. So the 5 mile”lap” took 38 minutes not 33 much less/more 29 like that first day I pumped up the tyres. YEs, the winds had died down to 5 or 6 when I left (but it still felt great). It was also “better ride today, tomorrow is supposed to be WORSE!!!” because we had an official wind advisory today. Since the low temp was possibly oh, 19 …. I figured it would be a bus day. HOWEVER, at 7:00 a.m. the winds were 13 mph *from the South* so I left on time and got to work on time
No lunch ride because 25 mph winds then but back down to 17 by departure time… yes still from thesouth so the 0.7 miles on Country Fair (or something like that) were in a low gear, but it wasn’t gusty or scary and once I was heading East it was nice. I was in slow mode, though (kinda “I SHOWED UP< OKAY???? DO NOT EXPECT MUCH !!!”) and yes, I bobbed and weaved enough to have 500.1 miles at the end of the day.
Now, tomorrow? possible mix precip and … NO i don’treally believe this but … if I take the bus maybe it will do the precip thing and we’re in a critical drought so that would be good. It would be rain mix to snow … possible nasty mix pin between. HOWEVER, I’m done at 5:00 so … I could tell the weather I HAVE RAIN GEAR PLEASE GIVE ME A REASON TO USE IT.
And blivit face is doing a thing tonight and I am going to light a candle now.

It’s up to 23 right now. I have 28 miles to go to get to 500 on the year and in supplication to the weather I should endeavor to knock it off by Wednesday to give it permission to snow. Looking at traffic cameras it’s rain-turning-to-snow in Maryland (snow in western MD). I put some tomato seeds in tiny tiny little seed starters. Time to get up from here and put a card on the thingy saying when and what it is, and knock off another load of laundry and … oh, no, really try to find that credit card and the missing receipt of life?

Whereas Tuesday I learned people who should ride the bus … do. And whereas I asked MTD abotu marketing at Parkalnd and yes, I stuck up a little piece of paper about it but that’s not marketing…

Therefore, I need to find that response from MTD (or just find “marketing” online) and connect our Parkland marketers with their marketers b/c the other whereas is I brought up bus pass vouchers and at least one advisor was not aware.

LOL I typed today no records but that’s b/c it was a long day. I did remember getting *to the desk* and computer said 8:00… so checked and yes, it was THIS MORNING that the five m ile lap was under 28 or 29 minutes and “PR” on “commute sprint” which is between Lincoln and Goodwin (takes close to a minute and a half unless I push hard enough to get to 15 mph and I did)… and I got to 19.5 on Main STreet and I had to start from red at the light.

YES we had storms but YES they were done by 5:00. I stuck an extra mile on with a beer run so I have 454 miles on the year. However, wind advisory on the morrow and it’s saying 27 mph. Nope. But I should get the 1.2 in at the end of the day w/ a visit to M. And it’s Lent. I am endeavoring to end my evenings thoughtfully instead of just pouring myself into bed and gettin gup early and trying to figure things out.

Got 50 seconds on the “commute sprint” segment, which Strava says is a personal best. I see Larry Fitz on the leaderboard (local legend and maven). I got to see 8:00 **on my screen in my office** despite going an extra two tenths of a mile 😛 And the five mile “lap” was under 28 minutes. Yes, inflated tyres and a tailwind will do that, and tho’ weather channel says 8 mph … My Flag Observation Thinks More Like 12. The lights were moderately favorable, too.

Turns out waving dog walker will have been one of our peer tutors.

Somebody was at the bus stop (which I could see approaching as I pulled out of driveway) but it wasn’t my suspected glovebearer.

I got to 19.5 coming out of Race and Main and yes, I had to stop there….

It’s lent 😉 I don’t expect to get out during lunch b/c it’s been busy so I’ve had to … eat lunch during lunch 😛 and that might be of storm times. National forecast finally says “rain developing this afternoon” but the locals have been sayin’ possible storms, but I expect they’ll be done for my trip home …. or I’ll take the bus. Looking at the morning forecast of 25 mph west winds… that’s looking like a good idea.
Oh, and … yea, I overdressed a little so what with goin’ for records I actually… perspired.

the low vision wheelchair user had a lot to say about ice on the places they needed to go.
Later, they noted that they have NEVER RIDDEN THE BUS.

Dudes. THis able bodied human can be car free because I KNOW HOW TO RIDE THE BUS. We need to share that … well, it’s only “knowledge” if, in fact, a low vision human using a wheel chair *can* use it effectively. I do not assume this is true. I strongly suspect it is.

Windy on teh last little stretch from said meeting but seems tomorrow will be “blustery” but navigable.
bt we need to let people know how glorious our bus culture is

Few weeks back, I’m on the bus and the grizzled guy points to the floor on my left. I’d dropped my purple glove. I grab it, and the white-isth mitt for the other hand and hold them up w/ a smile: “They work.” First guy and the guy next to him hold up their hands ensconced in mismatched gloves. “It’s too cold!”

I told that story waiting for the bus when it had snowed even more, and B___ said, “was the glove purple? Light purple? padding like this one?” I think I saw it on the sidewalk near Webber but …probably have to wait for the snow to go away.”

I walked the Gingah there and didn’t see anything…
I’ve been on the bike all week 🙂 This morning, peeling out …a right-hand purple glove was in the driveway 🙂
INTROVERTS RULE 😛

but NO I CAN’T FIND MY GARMIN. And Yes, I’m 98% sure (more than last time) that I brought it inside. Okay, pretty much 100%. LOL when the last ride recorded ends at home….

So now to go snag the phone from on the bike before it logs more miles tho’ it usually does that in the office.
Yesterday was single digits and almost windy. The bus was pretty darned full even after the middle/high schoolers got off (a block after I get on). Today I got to see the 9B driver comin’ out at the last part of my trip, but no, I didn’t get to the college first.

Yesterday I got some midday walking in, though.

I looked up and clock said :52…. okay, no excuses really… just put on my coat and went outside b/c there was supposed to be a little walk at top of the hour. I walked towards the athletic fields and didn’t see anybody gathered, thought of goin’ back, but thought of the people being brutally disappeared …. and saw there were 3-4 pedestrians sprinkled along Parkland Way, including ones that had gotten off the bus, oh, some more. You’re not going to take the bus to Parkland and … walk to the little road that peels to campus from the main N-S road that has bus stops…. so I joined the sprinkles and then joined the group from the cars that was big enough (50 or so) to be “loud and a crowd,” and *yes* we have a rapid response team and I’ve got the number. WCIA was there. (Somebody asked why we had cameras; somebody else didn’t know we had cameras… when you’re on a bicycle you see “FLOCK SECURITY” and notice cameras. Our admins have always been big on security bling and/but no, I don’t think they care what happens to that information. We walked to the big road and stood through half a dozen light cycles. At least ten approving reactions and 1 middle finger.
It was set up to take an hour b/c that’s what people could get as a break. I was glad to get the steps in 😉 and to use my voice, which was pretty *rough* last Sunday b/c I haven’t been singing enough.