Walk This Way

Today began with the all too common and familiar poor weather park/ride bus option. Over the past 7 days, when I haven’t been poor weather park/riding I’ve been just plain driving to work.

As the days go by I’ve been increasingly frustrated with myself for my lack of riding. I’ve got a handful of excuses for not riding. As good as some of them are none of them add up to even a second on a bicycle. The blogger support system I have in place is showing some wear, but it’s been great reading about all the other cold weather riders who actually are still riding. There’s always tomorrow, eh?

As I read The Local Daily on the bus I was pleasantly surprised to find it picked up an AP article about cycling and the new transportation bill. Here’s a link to the article as it appears in the Oregon Corvallis Gazette-Times. The big highlight:

"(Columbia, MO mayor) Hindman, who has worked on cycling issues for many of his 11 years as mayor, now has an embarrassment of riches — helping to figure out how to spend $25 million in federal money over the next five years to improve bicycling and walking routes in his community."

Speaking of improving walking routes:

I cut out of work early in the afternoon and hopped the bus to the dentist (yet again). The people there remember well a few weeks ago when I appeared for an appointment in full cold weather bike regalia. Of course they asked today if I biked, but they never followed through enough to find out how I actually had gotten there, or how I was leaving.

As I stepped out of the dentist office into the 9-degree 0-wind day of winter perfection a few ideas converged in my head. I have the next two hours to myself. It’s reasonable walking distance to the record store, from there it’s a reasonable walking distance to where my wife is working, and from there it’s a reasonable distance to my park/ride car. And finally, repeat after me, walking sure beats waiting for buses.

I dialed up my weekly podcast listening and started walking. I nearly crossed paths with the only cyclist I saw but had to wait at a crosswalk. I nearly crossed paths with the only pedestrians I saw, but they diverted to a nearby restaurant restroom. In the record store parking lot I nearly observed a parking lot fender bender, but only looked up at the sound of cracking plastic. Ah, what could have been.

I emerged from the record store $12 lighter, the new Korn CD heavier, and a little warmer than I had been going in. The bumper car guys were still getting to know each other. “Dude, my dad is so gonna kill me.” I continued my walk.

I laughed this morning when I read the Nation Weather Service forecast:

UNSEASONABLY COLD WEATHER WILL CONTINUE TODAY WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE ZERO.

Seems to me this is a better season than most to have single digit temperatures, but that’s just me. As I walked I marveled at my khakis ability to keep my legs warm and wondered if maybe I’m wearing too much on my legs when I ride. I stopped on the bridge over the river and noticed the flowing water was clear enough to see the bottom. I also notice the river was flowing. Guess I won't be riding there this weekend.

One hour and 2.5-ish miles later I had arrived at my car. From there I scouted a possible route to work for the morning. I stopped off at the ice cream shop to warm up with a nice bowl of chocolate peppermint swirly ice cream, and then picked up The Boys and went home.

That’s my story. I'd rather be riding. Maybe tomorrow.