It was cold this morning. I was happy thinking I have thick winter socks waiting for me at work. I was also happy to have my under-ski hat (one of those light warm fabric hats that cover head and neck. Great for under a bike helmet)… yes in July. Of course I had warmed up by Fremont bridge to forget the socks and by the second University Way stop light I removed the hat. On the way home I tried to figure out the average speed I need to achieve my 40-45 minute 12 mile triathlon leg (which I might not be doing, but swimming instead). I will have to increase my ave 14mph to 16-17mph. wow… I was not far off. I wanted to increase my 11 incline speed to 14 and 14 flat speed to 17 and 6 weeks to do it. I won’t think about the swimming yet.

I saw the Hawk biking to work this morning. Above Westlake road on Aurora bridge. A small hawk so I would say a good chance the Hawk is male. If he was silent I would not have noticed him. Awesome him sitting there under the bridge in a way stating whatever he was he is stronger than bridges, strong enough to outlast the crazy people. With the bridges, trees, and abundant food source (pigeons) I am surprised there are not more Hawks in Seattle.

For the record when I was 7 I went head to head against my second grade teacher trying to teach which words to capitalize. Yes the seasons (we no longer, or not suppose to. I do my favorite ones because they are important), no animals and yes Human. We no longer do human and I pointed out humans were animals (she replied this was English time not science and that was great she spoke it because if she wrote it I would have argued why English when talking about language and not the word language or science). At the end I told her I would capitalize the words important to me and she can mark what she wants. She replied who do I think I was to feel I can decide this and I answered the same as the people who decided for her only I am deciding for myself.

Seattle Sun

It seems summer has arrived in Seattle, at last. With it my fight to stay white returns. So far my white cotton long sleeve shirt has kept me from getting burned on bike rides but seems to be failing when I brick biking to the Patch, run a few chores and home. I still do not get burned, but my freckles are out and that has be wondering if I can do better.

Trying to find the facts on the SPF of clothing is getting harder as no one makes a profit when the consumer walks into her/his closet and tossing on a shirt. It angers me the USA medical associations feels it is more important to get bloody rich that protect her people. Why do I have to drudge through 5 pages of  a Google search all pushing products to find a bit of facts on skin cancer and free/low cost ways of protection?

I kept on digging and decided on replacing my white cotton shirt with my green bike shirt. The closer weave and nylon (Polyester?) thread is suppose to triple the SPF (30 – 50) of my shirt (7). I also dug up my larger sun hat (larger bill and longer drape to be sure to cover my neck). Olive oil is reported to have 15 – 25 SPF (compared to cocoa and shea butter rate of 7). Not the recommended 30 but my face is not getting direct sunlight (due to the hat) but is suffering from the reflected light of the bike path/road. I am also sad my bike air-conditioning (getting my shirt wet) has to stop as this lessons the sun protection (mmm unless I get my tee wet and wear a dry shirt over?). So this sunny hot week I’ll test out my changes and write back.

What do I have against lotions?

> People are already too willing to drop a pill/slap on lotion instead of being aware of were they are at and what they are doing.
> The eco footprint is huge! Chemical by-products in productions and packaging, transportation, disposal. Then add the damage to rivers, lakes, and Sea when the lotion washes off. And now they are coming out the chemicals in the lotions are cancer agents.
> Again we are trained to turn to an expensive product instead of adapting healthier life choices.

We always have choices and the ones that cost money are seldom (so far in my life — never — but my life is only half over) the correct ones.

I finally biked Dexter. With panniers stuffed with veges from P-Patch and the Farmer’s Market I was waiting at the light to turn onto Westlake… but decided to try Dexter. I would not take this route in the dark, I can see the danger. Parking lots, merging roads, and ruts that can swallow a small truck.

But on a Saturday afternoon, in the bright summer sun it was a blast. Coming off the Fremont bridge there is a grand incline then a breezy glide all the way to Denny. The road is a normal Seattle obstacle course. Ruts, bricks and weird drains; a bit rougher than Westlake. But Dexter does not have the fast traffic and the awesome view (once past the hawk living under the Aurora bridge). Dexter is a chance to ride.

Sad but real. I was worried this would happen when the cloud cover was so dark in June the street lights would turn on by 6pm. This morning I just about choked on my Mocha as I noticed the trees across the street had began to turn!

The upside is there has been no better summer for bike riding. I am pushing myself, if I don’t have time for a longer route to work I push for a faster/steady pace. Oh that reads so sweet — but I am talking about pushing up to a steady 17/15 pace (instead of the 14/11 I am doing now) or adding on 3-6 miles to my morning trip. Nothing awesome, just awesome for me. The upside is I am finally burning the stomach fat!

No time to adjust this Summer. 79 biking to work this MORNING and 94 biking home. Hot hot hot. So some tips

• Pack twice the water! I drink twice as much and the other 1/4th I soak my clothes
• Pre-hydrate before the ride.
• Use a safari hat (or bandanna) and soak it then wear under your helmet
• Wet shirts! I left work with a wet tee and white long sleeve. They stay wet for about 3 miles then I have to soak them again.
• Slow down and enjoy the flowers
• Bike with your mouth shut (I almost swallowed a honey bee)
• Eat light (Coconut Bliss works good :-)

Out of the biking norm I like the dogs I meet on my bike. From Newfies to Seattle’s little brown dogs. I constantly hear how Seattle must be the top city in the USA for dogs and every convenience for their pampered care. I think my secret is I love dogs and I must smell it ;-) The last reaction a bike-chasing dog wants is for the victim to dismount squealing “ohhhh look at the keeeute little doggie” That is my theory, so I have started this on car bullies — and it is funny! Seems the last thing a Hummer/SUV borg wants to hear is “ohhhh look at the keeeute little truck, I mean the front looks like a smiley face” Deflates them every time.

I should find the time to create a Seattle Little Brown Dog fan page. As a new owner of a SLBD I now notice them everywhere. They all have a dominate breed. This morning I passed a BASSET HOUND SLBD. Yesterday a Pomeranian SLBD. Willow is terrier, Jack Russel, Rat, or Fox but definitely terrier. The other portions that turn the breed into a SLBD is the fun bit. I think there are a lot of Corgi and Pug mixing going on. I also think LBDs themselves, sadly, are doing the mixing. If you like intelligent, dominant, tough little dogs you cannot do better than a LBD!

Have I mentioned I finally bought a bike computer? Just a cheap basic one. I NEED reading glasses (3) so I was afraid I would not be able to read the screen on a bike. I can! and wish I would have bought one earlier. My pace is up now that I can see my speed. This is so important because I tend to eat Summer meals like most eat over the winter holidays. Summer is the time for Tomato sandwiches, Walla Walla onions on white bread (gasp! But the only time I ever eat white bread), pasta salads and potato salads, Vegan paddies, and, finally, hot enough for Lemon icies and sorbets! So with pushing my pace I am still losing that stomach fat without denying my feasts. Biking rules!

I was Chatting with Sam at The Vera Project about how time flies, yet for me time is very slow. June felt like years! I have a theory. As people drive their brains have to operate at a faster rate. They never -have enough time- -time moves so fast- -where did the time go-. But when you bike/walk/metro and never drive the brain can return to a normal human rate. The brain can take the time to notice details, think complete deep thoughts, handle a realistic time budget. The mind returns to communication habits instead of constant panic/attack mode.

Biking to work I hit the damn side-wind (blowing off the lake until I turned west then switched to blow off the Sound) meaning there was a headwind all the way to work then back to home. Most of the lights just turned red as I came to them. The drivers coming home – DAMN – idiots. Then I noticed, even the worse bike trip… is still better than the best trip by car (which was very rare). I don’t know any driver that gets out of their car and smiles “that was a lovely drive” ever (OK, maybe on a Sunday-drive). Drivers DO NOT see other drivers as community but as competitors, prey, predators. Driving is a bad drug.

I thought after a year of biking to work I would run out of benefits, but there seems to always be more.

Zed

Today Zed moves onto her new home with a friend of Zander. I wish more bikers would pass on their bikes instead of selling out. The smile of these gifts are priceless. I had forgotten how small her wheels were. She is a good bike going onto a good home.

I had an exciting ride to the library this afternoon. The Gay Pride parade was ending so traffic was a puzzle. But by using every ‘legal’ angle and now being able to bike Seattle’s hills I had a fun ride to the library, parked/locked/checked out my materials and on the way back passed the same cars stuck in traffic! I biked to work to lose fat but have discovered biking is doing amazing reconstruction on my brain.

I am back, sorry for the long break. I still bike! I’ve just leveled up several heights.
I’ve added a job – The Vera Project

New Puppy Willow!

<< A Puppy

And a NEW BIKE! >>

My new 2-speed bike ;-) Fast and stop.

No more sore bums and an instant 10 minutes faster trip to work. I have been pedaling mountain bikes so long I had forgotten the balance and speed of road bikes. I had to visit 6 shops, trying around 15 bikes and returned to the first store, REI, for bike that was my 2nd try. Worth a weekend of shopping, I am sure I found the best bike for me.

I woke this morning realizing I am – again – thin in my dreams. I had not realized that as I gained weight in RL I was also gaining in my dreams. My fat dreams had me sitting or walking, slowly, short distances. My fat dreams I was losing, just missing the plane, late for work, running late with too much to do. Oddly in my fat dreams I would wake and wonder who I was in that dream. While fat I had insomnia or fitful spurts of sleep, could this be caused by a fat life of survival?

Biking this Autumn I have ‘heard’ the Fremont Bridge as the artist in residence matched music with the bridge activity. This morning I watched a young Bald Eagle over Lake Union and noticed when I stop people and say “Look an Eagle!” I get excited smiles. I will lose weight and gain muscle so much faster in Autumn, Winter, and Spring due to Seattle’s battling winds off the lakes and Sound (a nice way of saying I hit a head wind regardless what direction I am!).

“Life is not a private affair. A story and its lessons are only made useful if shared.”
“There are no ordinary moments!”
The Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman