Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Commuter Chronicles

The plan this morning was cycle comute to work, do upper body strength at the fitness center.

Packed my pannier bags the night before. Planned my strategy for cycling clothes - it's a little tricky, 30s for the ride in, upper 50s for the ride home. Figured out how much time I needed, when I should leave, and set the alarm.

Got up. Geared up. Pumped up the tires.

Meanwhile, son is out in the driveway fiddling with the car. Will not start. Click.click.click.click. Stopped to talk with him about it a bit, then decided no worries, take my car, I'm cycling in.

Got off a little later than planned. Things are good. Then I think. Hmmmm. I don't think I have my toiletries. Better stop to check. Nope . Definately don't have those. Okay, turn around.

Back home. Laid my bike down at the end of the driveway (it's gravel and it was faster than walking it back up to the house) grabbed my toiletries bag out of my gym bag, bungeed it to the rack. Pick up the bike...walk it back up the street.

Clack.Clank.Clank.

What the font?

When I laid it down, my rear light rotated inward and was hitting the tire. But I had trouble muscling it back out. Had to get the multi-use tool out of the bag to loosen it up, adjust, tighten.

Time check. Oh wow. I'm WAY behind schedule now.

Plan B. I'll head to the other fitness center at work. It will cut 2 miles off my commute. No time for upper body now.

Arrive, stretch, head in for a shower, change clothes. Walk to the hair dryer area. No dryer anywhere to be found. I presume someone stole it.

Crud. Arrive at office a few minutes late with wet hair. Just lovely.

[Edited to add: Rest of the day went okay. Got a few comments on my hair - it dries wavy and I normally blow dry it straight. after work, we got the the car jump started and took it in to PepBoys. It's back with a new battery and Son should have no problems tomorrow. Cycle commuting is always interesting, sometimes it goes well, sometimes you have to improvise]

21 comments:

  1. oh boy... sounds like a rough day all around! But amazing that you are organized enough to commute to work and to the gym! That's awesome! Here's to hoping tomorrow will be better :)

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  2. Wow, that all happened BEFORE you got to work. Ha!

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  3. Sorry for the bad start to your day!

    How did the rest of the day go for you???

    I hope much better!!!

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  4. I think you did more this morning than I did all day...

    MCM Mama

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  5. Your a better woman than me my dear! When I started reading the part about your bike being at the end of your driveway I was thinking, "Oh no, her son backed over it." Phewwwww....

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  6. If all that happened to be BEFORE work, I would have thrown in the towel.

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  7. Haha wow that's a lot to handle first thing in the morning!

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  8. I'm glad the rest of the day was OK because that was one rough start LOL

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  9. Well it sounds like you had all the details worked out in advance so it wasn't a total disaster. Good job!

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  10. Wow, sounds like a rough start to your day. It's really cool that you bike to work though.

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  11. Quite an adventure. Nothing wrong with wet hair at work. ;-)

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  12. Oh man, one of those mornings when nothing goes right! At least you still got some exercise - way to stick with it!

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  13. Way to roll with the punches! And I admire your dedication to cycle commuting b/c cycling in the 30's is miserable for me!!

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  14. Wow. I think I need a nap.

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  15. Riding in 30 degrees?!? OMG, that is C-C-C-COLD! You really are hardcore. I need to be more like you.

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  16. Neither rain nor sleet nor snow nor mechanical failure will keep you from your appointed rounds :-)

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  17. You gotta love a dtermined Lisa! Even whipping out the multi use tool. This chickie was getting her workout in!!

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  18. Yeah, you did WAY more in a morning than I do most days. No way I'm going to work after all that.

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  19. I came into work with wet hair today too! Not flash...

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  20. Well you still made it on the bike - so you did well!!

    When did your background change again, think I missed that.. very funky.. which in english is a good word (as in cool) not a bad one!!

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  21. Wow! Awesome that you bike to work :) That sounds like a lotta complications to deal with that morning though.

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