(Almost) Every Day in May -- Day 23

Okay, I'm a slacker.  No ride today either.  Rain has been flirting with us all day, but more importantly, I've just not felt like riding today.

So instead, I went to run errands that are hard to do on the bike.  While I was at the fabric store, I saw that they had updated their bike rack.

This is a wave rack. Architects love them. They're not usually installed correctly, but this is well done.  This is the place that used to have a one-bike "garage".  It was weird looking -- like an igloo but for a bike. Its saving grace was that it was under cover ... I guess.  I never used it.

If you didn't see today's Google Doodle, take a look. This is the one I voted for. Probably has something to do with being a military kid, grandkid, wife, self...

I know this is what my kids felt like when their dad came home from Iraq.

(Almost) Every Day in May - Day 22

Had to miss a great ride with the girls this morning to await the final piece of our bathroom renovation but it's worth it.

To recap -- it was a dark, dank, moldy, hard to clean, cave before.  Now:

And, I was able to take care of some of the piles of laundry that have accumulated while I've been out riding!

WIN!

(Almost) Every Day in May -- Day 21

So there I was, thinking I wouldn't get a ride in today.  I was on phone leash for an exchange student transiting the area.  When that happens, since I live within 10 minutes of the airport, I need to be able to get to the student if a subsequent flight cancels, etc. He was on the ground at 11:45 and his flight was leaving for overseas at 5:10.  I was supposed to tutor at 4:30.

BUT, my husband is also qualified as a volunteer in this situation, so I took a chance and rode my bike to tutor.  What a relief!

My student was very wiggly today.  They've started the SOL (Standards of Learning) Exams and are penned up all day.  She's also not very interested in tutoring as much as socializing.  Sigh.  I held her to the task though and I think she now understands rounding decimals up and down.  Whew!

So on the way home, as I cruised past all the people caught in bumper to bumper traffic (I was on a bike trail), I stopped at the tollroad overpass and took this photo.  I call it, "Why I ride my bike."

(Almost) Every Day in May -- Day 20

I had a great ride today. Yes, it was muggy, but when I got some speed under my wheels, it wasn't too bad. I was determined to go to a fabric store near my house that is well-known for the obscure buttons one can find. I'm trying to replace an unusual button from a blouse that I really like. The original broke -- they're really thin -- almost shell-like.

When I got down to the shopping area, I got turned around.  There are four different streets with the same name.  When you're in a car, it's easy to turn around and go back, but by the time I figured out where I was in relation to where I wanted to be, it was a mile back the other way and the only way to get there was via a steep hill with no shoulder on a two-lane road. We have a lot of those around here, but this one carries heavy traffic, and a lot of it big trucks. I had ridden down it once already, and back up. It wasn't the uphill that bothered me. It was the lack of protection I had.

So...I came back to my neck of the woods. What was really cool is that even when I was 8 miles away, it didn't feel like it was a huge slog to get home. I guess that means I'm getting into better shape. Finally!

I stopped at my local bagel place for lunch. The shopping center it's in is under renovation. Some creative soul left a portrait for us. Look closely -- anyone you know?

27 miles today.  Sweet.

(Almost) Every Day In May -- Day 19

I got in a short ride today. I had to go to a PTSA Scholarship Committee Meeting at a nearby home. The meeting was interesting, but I'm glad I'm stepping out of my PTSA duties for next year.  I currently write/edit the ptsa weekly on-line newletter.  We call it the KIT (keep in touch). I've done it for about 5 years now, so I think it's time for someone else to enjoy it!

And I'll help with the scholarship committee next year, but I don't want to be in charge of anything.There are some leadership changes going on and I'm ready, along with many of the veterans, to let people with new energy levels take over!

So my ride today wasn't very exciting, and I didn't bother with photos.

(Almost) Every Day in May - Day 18

Today it is rainy. It's so rainy, on and off, that the Boy Scouts cancelled a hike.

Since the only bad accident I've ever had was because the trail was wet, I'm practicing discretion (and house cleaning) today and staying in.

But, no worries -- there are definitely bikes in my homebound activities.

Yesterday my daughter and I went to a fabric store where I got three yards of this:

and two yards of this:

It's hard to tell but the background color on this is actually a light teal.

At any rate, now I have to figure out what to DO with them!  I'm thinking a skirt for the first one, but not sure what to do with the second one.

Any ideas?

Every Day in May -- Day 17

Today is National Bike to Work Day

I helped the Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB) at their table at our local town center. I'm a member of FABB and got a bunch of people to sign up for our newsletter.

I also got to practice putting my bike on the front of a bus. That was cool.  This isn't me, but it's one of the photos from our FABB website.  

And of course, there were freebies.

As it wound up I realized I needed to get to Ashburn for a meeting so I jumped on my bike and headed out.

I meet a friend at the Wegman's out there every Friday.  Today I discovered their bike rack on the north end of the building (I've been going to the other end, but I forgot my lock today so wanted to stay close by).  It's a wave rack, which architects love and bicyclists don't.  And look at this.

Do you see the problem?  I know very few cyclists who smoke. But over and over again, next to the rack provided for the most healthy form of transportation, I see grocery stores doing this.  Ick.

Day 17 ... over halfway!