yup, tushie was tender but it forgave me right away and after a mile or two, i didn’t even notice.

outbound:

• 21.54 minutes
• 8.2 avg mph
• 3 miles
• 17.8 max spd

total:

• 37.06 minutes
• 8.5 avg mph
• 5.35 miles
• 18.5 max spd

i biked to the mar vista library today via venice blvd. i’m sure my tushie will complain tomorrow since i didn’t acclimate it to the saddle before today’s ride.

• duration (moving): 25.54 minutes
• avg spd: 10.4 mph
• max spd: 18.3 mph
• distance: 4.5 mi

…and the bike path is mine. all. mine.

1.21.35 hours / 10.8 mph avg spd / 14.80 miles

my neighbor and i left for and returned from our respective bike rides at exactly the same time today. do you believe in coincidence? it was hot by santa monica standards today – the sun was overwhelmingly bright and i returned from my ride covered in sweat beads all over my face.

14.80 miles / 1.20.20 hrs / 11.0 mph avg spd

14.80 miles / 1.22.31 hrs / 10.7 mph avg spd

don’t even get me started on how many impolite bike path users there were today…

round trip: 15.09 miles / 1.22.16 hrs / 10.9 avg mph

i was aiming for a 25-ish mile bike ride today. seemed like the thing to do as it’s the friday before a holiday and i took a day of rest yesterday (no biking at all, if you can believe that, although i thought about it). so when my 13 mile marker showed up on my bike computer and i still felt good and i had some more time to kill, i kept going to the manhattan beach pier. that’s right, kids, i biked from home to the manhattan beach pier. and back. and not just back. back in a headwind that i knew was there but was ignoring as i was flying south and feeling great. i knew i was going to experience 10-20 mph winds today, but i just couldn’t resist extending my trip when i could *see* the pier so clearly. it’s *so* close.

i had enough water (just) and i brought ample snacks, but i knew i was in trouble when i stopped in marina del rey on my return trip to have an apple and a bar and i was stiff after sitting for only a few moments. luckily, the bike path wasn’t as crowded as i had expected for a holiday friday, so i was less vexed by crazy tourists thinking they are the only ones on the path (oh, i can’t just stop suddenly in front of you and fiddle with my camera?). i made it home, popped 2 advil, stretched, ate, and am continuing to stretch every hour. the sunset is beautiful, it’s even windier now than it was earlier today, and my morning ride leaves me with absolutely no regrets. my muscles feel otherwise, but i’m ignoring them.

southbound: 15.78 miles / 1.10.13 hours / 13.4 mph avg spd (13.4!!!)

total: 31.57 miles / 2.33.17 hours / 12.3 mph avg spd (better than usual despite my fatigue, the wind, and walking my bike more to stretch my legs a bit and give my a** a break. i just can’t keep myself from trying to one-up myself. which is why i both should have and should not have become a professional athlete in an individual sport.) n.b., i was still at 13 mph avg spd at marina del rey. i tried really, really, really, really hard to bike at a more leisurely pace from MDR to home. trying to maintain a 13.4 mph avg spd northbound is so not a good idea.

what a morning…where to begin? it was cloudy. again. so bummed. i was in a funk again – one of those where i could probably be very productive, if i could just push myself over the edge. i took a few moments to have coffee and yogurt and then decided that yes, i would go for a bike ride. i went to pull my bike out and !!! (flat rear tire). actually, it’s funny how a setback or limitation can prod you into creative mode, which is exactly what happened this morning. i decided to change the tube instead of going for a ride. to make a long story short, i examined, changed, and tested the tube/tire in less than 35 minutes. i remember sitting on the kitchen floor in my sfo apt once, trying to put skinny tires on my rolf dolomite rims. i probably sat there for almost 2 hours. (in fact, come to think of it, i think my attempt spanned 2 days…) i finally accomplished my task but my hands were red for a week. so imagine my surprise when the tire and tube both came off and went back on with nary a muscle twitch. it’s now 9.20am, plenty of time for a ride: 10.81 miles / 45.31 mins / 14.2 avg mph

(i should also note that my trusty tire kit contained a tube of cement that had evaporated so i resorted to a park tool super patch. i had never used them before and i’ve probably had them since 2000 when i got my park tools and toolbox. they are f’ing brilliant! instant bonding glue. no waiting. worked immediately.)

cut to my ride: 3 blocks from home, i think i’m going to be hit by a car. i’ve actually dismounted from my bike and am waiting at the stop sign for my turn to proceed. the car to my left passes through the intersection and now it’s my turn. i get into my pedals and am watching both of the cars to my left and right out of my peripheral vision, but i focus more closely on the car on my right and next thing i know, the car on my left is advancing toward me. WHOA! it seems to me like the driver has no regard for me, but in reality, it’s possible s/he was just trying to be an a** and either scare me or stake a claim to the intersection.

it gets better…i turn onto ocean ave and head north, hearing helicopters off in the distance. i soon realize that 4 helicopters are positioned over ocean ave and san vicente boulevard. of course, i am headed straight toward them – am i going to die? (yes, but hopefully not today.) ultimately, i never discovered what they were monitoring. plenty of walkers and bikers and drivers and dogs going on about their business. so that’s what i did, too.

that was my weird morning. some days you just shouldn’t be productive and should stay home in jammies doing nothing. having said that, fixing my flat tire was highly satisfying.