Rather than tell you about it, I thought I would let the photos do the talking. Enjoy! (or feel sorry for me!)

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I’m going to try again this week. I am DETERMINED! Today I also go on a ride along the levee path, which I am looking forward to.

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Today someone said this sentence to me: “It seems like your little cycling career is ending anyway.” Hours (and an apology) later and it still smarts.

Do I ride less than I used to? Yep. Do I sometimes complain about riding up hills? Yep. Did I take 8 weeks off due to a broken foot? Yep. Am I riding less because it’s winter; choosing to walk or get rides when offered? Yep. No, I am not as gung-ho about proving myself, I got over that. Is my “little cycling career” over? NOT A CHANCE.

I don’t want to think that this has to do with  my being a woman, but I can’t help it. Today’s remark was not the first time I have heard this. People ask me all the time if I have given up and decided to get a car. Why is that even a question? As though getting a car is giving up on riding my bike. News flash: plenty of people ride bikes AND have cars. News flash #2: my job, which is why I gave up my car, is still the same. No raise = no car anytime soon.

My love for riding is not a passing fancy. Even if I do buy a car or ride less, that means nothing about my passion for riding. If a man takes some time off from riding, is he asked if his “little cycling career” is over? Does anyone consider his decision to ride a “little cycling career”? I am recovering from an injury and trying to get back into it. It is harder than I thought, which is upsetting, but I am working on it. Shit, I just had the flu for a week! I rode my bike to and from an ass kicking ballet class last night in 27 degrees.

To be clear, I am not lambasting this person. It simply brought out some anger about being treated as a joke. As a woman working in the non-profit world, I get that enough. As a 31 year old single woman, I get that enough. The last thing I need is it coming from the cycling world.

Tomorrow night I will ride my bike in a prom dress and have a great time doing it. Anyone who has a problem with that can suck it.

Skirted working girl riding her sweet bike around, ready to make salted caramel brownies, cuddle her cat Sylvia, and listen to old episodes of This American Life

To this…

Pissed off Cyclocross girl who doesn’t want to be practicing right after work

Well, I’ve got one word for you: KATE

Kate happens to be the new female rider on the Bici Cyclocross team this year, and she is kicking ass! While I was hanging out in Kentucky drinking too much beer and being a general slob this past weekend, she was winning the freaking Bamacross women’s 4. My belief is that she has accomplished this through a combination of running, spinning classes, general gym attendance, and practice. Ugh.

Last year I just hung out and rode around, barely getting on my cx bike when not racing and having a grande old time. I was nowhere near as fast or skilled as the top women in our class, and I was enough ahead of the others, so overall not too bothered. Now Kate’s come along and showing me that she is legitimately better than me because she actually works out and stuff. Why is she doing this to me?!

Thanks a lot, Kate. Thanks for setting the bar high. Yeah. This is the face of someone not amused. Whatever, Bici Coop team will dominate all fields at that next race. GRRRRR

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P.S. Anna is the one racing Cyclocross, not Elisa. Elisa has a busted foot, Anna races Cyclocross.

P.P.S. I did make those brownies last week, and they were ungodly delicious.

Seriously.  I count on my cycling for so many things- to see the world, feel the breeze, connect with my city.  Most importantly (right now, at least), it keeps my anxiety and OCD under control.  Yes, I have pretty severe OCD and mild anxiety.  The details aren’t necessary (no, I don’t wash my hands or lock doors if you are wondering), but since I have been riding it has all been handled.

Now I am worrying all the time and frankly, can be kind of a mess lately.  My emotions are all over the place and I am feeling antsy. The first week I did too much and now have to use a crutch and go see a specialist because it is not healing.  Boo.

It is incredible how much you count on the cardio and release of cycling when you use it for transportation reasons.  I don’t go on training rides or think “I am going to work out on the bike today”, I just go.

Boy oh boy, do I want to just go these days.

Because I have to do something to keep me occupied, besides watching too much Netflix and working 60 hours a week, I have started crafting a TON more.  I even started a crafty blog, Staying just ahead of the madness! Check it out if you are so inclined. If you like crafty cyclists, also check out Knitting Lemonade, a new friend.

Thanks for the well wishes and I hope to see you on the roads soon.

tetris bike pack attempt #1

Sit back and let me tell you a little story.  A pretty princess named Elisa was riding her bike home from a lovely dinner with friends.  She is looking quite smashing in her purple jeans, brown boots and tunic.  Decided to stop and pick up some groceries from a friends house where she had left them.  Uses key, opens door…and sets off alarm as she has forgotten the super secret code.

With that situation taken care of, she gather her things, plays a bit of shopping bag Tetris to make it all fit and struggles to make it all stay secure on the bike.  About 7 combinations of straps, bag and rack placement it is all snug and ready to go.  Oops, nowhere for her (adorable, handmade) handbag to fit.  “Oh geez”, she thinks “there is also the vegetable oil and books I need to get home.  Where on earth will these fit?”.

Another 10 minutes of struggling she gingerly carries the bike down the stairs and out to the street.  Princess Elisa sets off toward home, working to keep the bike upright.  She encounters a big scary monster…a beastly Birmingham hill.  Attempts to stand up…only to discover that this makes everything wobble to and fro.  Sits down and cranks harder.  Up she goes.  One hill and then another, each getting steeper and more treacherous.

Home is in the distance.  Pulls up, and hears a CRASH!  The strap has come off, groceries are now all over the sidewalk.  Eggs broken, books scattered, spirit broken.  Picks it all up, praying for the safety of her eggs and heads inside.  What is that sound?  Why isn’t the bike rolling properly?  Oh wait…that is the strap wrapped around the chain.

Elisa, not feeling very pretty or princess-y, picks up the back wheel and struggles in.  Upon inspection, the eggs have gone the way of Humpty, all is covered in egg juice and the chain is thoroughly tangled with the strap.  Oh, and egg juice down her new Purple pants!  Say it isn’t so.

Cleans up, fixes chain and strap and immediately takes photos and tells Twitter (isn’t that what everyone does?). Laments that car free living is not as glamorous as she had hoped.

Poor poor little princess Elisa.  She needs an Xtracycle so badly.  But will have to get a cargo net in the meantime.

Anyone else had an experience like this?

photographic evidence:

packing attempt #2, slight strap variation

strap entanglement

trying to untangle took a while

What was left of the carton of eggs

Available in unisex s,m,l American Apparel Off white with red writing.  Handscreened by yours truly.  You can get there at my etsy store.

Help me Ride out the Recession and look good doing it!

Bike Love

Yet, I have only ridden once this week!! arg. Here are my stupid excuses:

Monday: was housesitting at a house that is actually closer to work, but farther from my safe route. So I drove to work instead of driving twice the distance to get somewhere safe enough to ride.
(I learned of a new route to work directly from my house that I plan to test run this weekend to make srue I know how to get there and the time it takes, etc)

Tuesday: RODE!!

Wednesday: Rain and storms predicted. Which did happen, but only in the middle of the day. So frustrating.

Thursday (today): woke up 10 minutes before i had to leave for work. Oops. So I had to drive like a bat out of hell only to get to work 10 minutes late. I also have to go somewhere immediately after work, which is when I really feel the pain of living in a cycling un-friendly city. There is no way to get to where I need to go on my bike. At all. All day today I have been sad that I didn’t ride.

Friday: I.AM.RIDING. no matter what.

The guilt and remorse has been too much! Do you feel this way, or have weeks like this? In the back of my mind I know that there is only a small window of time between freezing cold and stupidly hot and humid, so every day that I drive feels like a waste and a shame.

To sunny days and Spring Fever and getting back on the saddle!

(oh, are you coming to the Bici Prom??…I hope to see you there)

What I got instead was a fall (jeans seam caught in chain ring), a flat (damn glass on the road) and a REALLY cold walk the rest of the way. I arrived cold and dejected. and pretty pissy.

Of course, the reponse was “Are you CRAZY?!” and “It is too cold, that will teach you!”. Yes, a flat tire and a small spill is definitely a lesson I learned from riding in the cold. Oh wait…all of that could have happened in 65 degree weather and the cold wasn’t cold until I had to walk.

Maybe I am still a bit on the pissy side! On the bright side, I get to try my hand and changing my tube, something I learned to do months ago but have not had to do. It is on the rear wheel (back with the scary derailleur) so this could be interesting…

do I regret my ride? maybe. Will I be out on the road again tomorrow? YES.

next week I am going to try to be back on the wagon (saddle?). Today we have an end of the year party and I plan to ride there, since it is only a mile from my house.

Does this happen to you? Hit a commuting wall?