Reasonably good indicators on both fronts: returning health, and returning spring. Biking keeps me attuned to both conditions–my physical well-being and the turning of the seasons–in ways that driving could never provide.
Health: My uphill ride home is a real indicator of whether I’ve shaken off whatever crud has attacked.
Not good: I sound like someone you’d want beginning nurses and doctors to listen to with a stethoscope for the definition of the word “rales” because I’m still crackling like a bowl of Rice Krispies.
Not good: Still a most unladylike amount of nasal fluids being produced.
Good: On the last couple of climbs toward home I’m no longer in first gear–I’m in third. Woohoo! These are hills that I usually do in the middle ring of my front derailleur, not the little ring, so I still have a way to go, but this is progress.
Spring: Like fall, it’s another shoulder season when I start playing “musical layers”–take off one, take off another one, decide I need that one for a few more days after all….
I also play musical gloves: lobster-claws in the morning, five-fingered in the afternoon because my hands would sweat in the lobsters.
Right now I need to be dressed more warmly for the ride to work because I create more speed and thus more windchill factor going downhill, it’s colder in the morning, and I don’t have the warmth of working to go uphill. In full summer it’s the same morning and afternoon.
Today’s outfit:
- Black cotton/Lycra leggings
- Lightweight Helle Hansen long johns–not the thick Hot Chilis I was wearing a few weeks ago
- Wool socks
- Tall gray boots (a souvenir of my trip to New York City with Second Daughter)
- Camisole
- Microweight cream-colored long-sleeved wool tee from Swrve
- Gray cable-knit hoodie sweater from REI
- Cute scarf
- Morning: Windbreaker, lobster-claw gloves
- Afternoon: Stopped halfway home to take off the windbreaker; five-finger gloves
- Long gone: The face mask I was wearing to block windchill and warm my breath; a cap under the helmet; fleece neckwarmer; another layer of wool stockings under the long johns and leggings
Biggest indicators of all that we’re turning toward spring: blue skies, fat, puffy clouds instead of gray overcast dullness, birds chirping, and the sunlight on the road as I headed home around 3:30 (can’t quite hack a whole day yet).
I can’t wait for full spring and full health. Meanwhile, the bike helps me feel more optimistic about both coming back soon!
Ride Report
- Days ridden: 27/54 (goal is 250 days this year–travel and illness are hurting my percentages right now but I’ll get back on track)
- Miles: 203.5 (goal for 2012 is 1,200)
Related Reading
- Keep Your Weather Eye Open
- Shoulder Season: The Blogspedition Stays Toasty
- A Weak Week: Coming Back from the Flu
- It’s Snot Pretty
- Pretty Handy, Gloves. The Blogspedition Assumes You’ll Get ‘Em.
Your Turn
- Did you ride today?
I haven’t seen the full line, but on our facebook page (facebook.com/BikeStyleSpokane) I just posted a video from the Let’s Go Ride a Bike blog showing their rain trenchcoat with reflective trim and an extra-large hood to pull up over your helmet. Very cute!
Here it is: http://youtu.be/bXpHbtS7ZPY
I’ll have to go check out the rest of the line-up now! There’s no Lululemon shop in Spokane, alas.
Barb, did you see Lululemon’s new launch of bike commuting clothes?!! I thought of you immediately. You must go check out their pants, shorts, jackets, etc. I’m dying to get to a store to check them out. http://shop.lululemon.com/products/category/ride-on
I take it all back! Well, not the part about being more attuned to health and weather/seasons because of biking. But it’s snowing quite heavily right now and sticking (Saturday morning) and my cough kicked up again last night. That’s what I get for blogging about being on the road to recovery and spring. Sorry! (Is this the bike equivalent of washing your car to make it rain?)