Thursday, December 29, 2011

Ride to Restore (In)Sanity

It's amazing how just the simple act of moving my feet in circles works so much to keep me thinking clearly. Even more amazing is the fact I've not done much of it.

But, what have I been doing...

If I can't spin pedals... I'll make stuff that spins!



Something to do with all the old bike parts...


In other news... I miss Summer:
My hammock at work, that I catch Z's on at break. It's a little chilly to be doing that now, though...


Bi got a flat. I think this is his way of saying "Ride more!"


All is not doom and gloom, however. I got some riding in over the holiday weekend:

I also got some riding in today. It's been fairly warm lately, warm enough for me to ditch all my cold weather gear in the afternoons. So, after work today, I swung by the bank, then headed out across town with no destination in mind, just riding for the sake of riding. Bi is the bicycle that makes it feel like I'm flying on a good day, and today was a good day on the bike. By the time I got to the mall, I'd blown out most of the brain snot, and the sun was setting behind me. So, I turned around and rode off home into the sunset.

Sorry, I forgot my camera, so no pictures. But it was pretty.

You believe me, right?

Anywho, the end of the year is upon us... and what better way to ring in the new year than on a bike? I'll be spending Sunday afternoon down in Sedona, on Tri, with the folks from Absolute, riding into the new year. That ought to be a great start.
Mileage: Dunno, don't care.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

But, it snowed! So? Night ride!

Yes yes, we got some snow that stuck around, which means that notorious Arctic Snow Snake is back. Looks like this year it made friends with a rabbit:
So, I've been spending some time in the garage, instead of riding my bikes. Warranted, I think, because it's been getting down to 0 at night.

Besides, when I find myself in the garage, sometimes cool stuff follows me out:
Plant benches. For, y'know, plants.


Block of oak at the beginning...

And end.

It doesn't need the lathe to keep spinning! (Though it did stop just for the camera. Or, did the camera stop it? Hmm...)


So, obviously, I haven't been doing much riding, besides the old back and forth to work. It sort of stinks, as I've been itching for a long-ish ride, but haven't felt like riding in temperatures where water not only freezes, but sublimates fairly fast.

So why, then, did I find myself riding Bi out to Lake Mary this morning, at 5 AM, with the temperature hanging somewhere around the range of 3 to 4 degrees above Absolute Zero? A ride that I did mostly without headlights, because the full moon was so bright?
Those aren't rocket boosters lighting up the guardrail, just Bi's tail lights.

Well, I'll tell you:





Yeah... a total Lunar eclipse will get me out of bed at 4:30 on a Saturday morning, on a bike, and riding through negative eleventeen degree air to a good spot to watch the moon slip into Earth's shadow. Because of the timing, the sky was brightening with the rising sun as the moon was obscured, so that by the time the moon went into totality, it completely disappeared. No classic eerie red glow, it just faded away, which happened just before it slid below the trees.
Blurry, but it's the last sliver of light before the moon disappeared. You see it, right?

At this point, I was freezing from sitting still for the better part of 30 minutes, and I'm pretty sure that it was cold enough to make the camera operate at peak efficiency. The ride home was long, slow, and full of "Do I still have toes/fingers?" thoughts, and Bi had a layer of frost by the time I got home. But, it was worth it to watch the moon move into the shadow of the Earth. Especially since the next total lunar eclipse is supposed to be in 2014. Which would make this the last total eclipse before the end of the world, if the Mayans are to be believed.

Yeah, it was worth it. That's a ride I'll not soon forget.

Mileage: 20.1