From Sluggish to Restored in Two Steps

I felt like a complete and utter slug this morning but I like to get my exercise in before Saturday's second act.

Luckily, once I ate oatmeal with a banana in the mix, I felt somewhat like myself again. I usually go rock climbing on Saturday but my belay partner is out of town. Plus, I have considerable soreness in my glutes and thighs. So, of course, it made perfect sense to get on my bike and head to Grant's Trail where I usually come to a screeching halt when I see a cardinal. The braking, of course, is probably why I missed about six pictures but this beauty stood still for me.


I also saw two cats, a bunny and numerous Clydesdales. The Clydesdales make me frequently pause as well.




This clock reminded me of Frida Kahlo. Does anyone remember the name of her painting with a clock? It's a commentary, I think, on her marriage to Diego Rivera and the title is The Hands Were Broken or something like that? I tried to Google it but my phrasing must be off.

What do you brake for?

I pause when swimming because there's this father who's been teaching his son how to swim.

It makes me think of that scene in The Pursuit of Happyness when the son reaches up to touch the dad's face and says you're a good papa (1:58).



The pool father asked his son, who is about four, to do some drill and the son said it was hard and the father said:

Just because something is hard doesn't mean you shouldn't do it.

In addition to knowing that the pool father is a good one, he makes me think of my father and how I think about sitting next to him in conversation.

So, yeah, I started off completely sluggish and, don't misunderstand me, I enjoy slowing down and lingering over a cup of coffee while reading but I was once again surprised how you can feel lethargic then be invigorated by exercise and nature.

How's your weekend shaping up?

The Ear to Ear Standard

After test driving a few bikes, it was the Globe Vienna 1 that made me smile from ear to ear. I probably should have looked around more but I was itching to get back on the road and not with the ancient clunker that I’ve been riding.

Still, I made a few more calls and did more research even though the guy told me that it was spring and the bike might not be there when I got back. Finally, this guy in Illinois told me that Specialized had a 2009 Globe Vienna 2 in stock for the same price that I was going to pay for the 2010 Globe Vienna 1. I called the shop where I had taken the Globe for a test ride to ask them to order the bike for me.

Said salesman told me he checked and verified that the 2009 model was still in stock. Then, the question: May I ask why you want the 2009 model?

Hmm, let’s see. It’s an upgrade and it costs the same as the 2010 model???

Said salesman then told me that he had the 2009 in stock and that he would give it to me at the same price that Specialized had it discounted for.

I was disappointed when the fellow asked me why I wanted the 2009 model. Am I naive to expect people to play fair? When I told him about the 2009, he should have just said: The 2009 is a better deal.

I went to pick up my bike on Saturday and I was so nervous. I wondered if I should have looked around more. Maybe I should get my down payment back. Was I being extravagant?

Before I went to pick up my bike, I had to tighten the bolts on my bike rack which someone tried to relieve me of last year. Once I had the bike on the rack, I was praying that no one took that moment to run into me. Phew, no one did.

I took my Vienna 2 for a spin on Grant's Trail this afternoon and I saw a Clydesdale and a Cardinal along the trail... :)




All this bike talk reminds of the January 2010 Aha! Moment in The Oprah Magazine. Glenn Close said that she had a hard time saying vagina until she participated in Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues.

Who could say "vagina" out loud before that play? After being in it, I actually walked into a bike shop and asked for the "vagina-friendly" bike seat. I thought the guy behind the counter was going to pop a gasket. But it was the best way to describe what I was looking for.

Close said that she also had to learn to say schizophrenia, depression and bipolar. I really like what the actress had to say after talking about her sister who has bipolar disorder:

We are all connected, and none of us should ever feel marginalized, stigmatized, and alone.

Here's a better picture of my newbie...