Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Cyclists take over the freeway


Quote du jour: Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.
- Charles M. Shultz

Yesterday, Mother Nature got confused and dropped a spring day into the middle of winter.

I mean, it could have been April. It was warm, the sun was shining in a cloudless blue sky (in Oregon? in February?), flowers were starting to bloom, trees were starting to blossom. I took a walk at lunch and spent most of the time soaking it up. Actually felt hot, even sweated a bit. Incredible.

At the end of the day, I mentioned to a co-worker "Wasn't today beautiful?"
"Was it?" he said. "I didn't notice."
This is a man -- a sharp, perceptive man-- who works in a cubicle where one of the walls is all glass, a huge window that overlooks a park. His desk faces this window. He spent the whole day at his desk, facing this incredible day, and never once noticed how beautiful it was outside.

After work, I stopped at the local mom-and-pop down the street from my house. The young guy behind the counter asked, "Did you have a good day?"
"Oh yes!" I enthused. "It was such a beautiful day outside!"
"Was it?" he said. "I didn't notice."

Sigh.

*********
Okay, this I don't get. All week my weight has been edging up the scale. Work was so crazy that I couldn't get to the WW meeting, but I weighed myself last night. It was depressing. I weighed myself again this morning. Between last night and this morning I've lost 3-1/2 pounds. WTF? Where did it go?

Exercise du jour: Cycle to work and back. Smiling, even. If need be, I'll take the Max partway. So long as I get to pedal, it counts as a win.
Done! Well, maybe not the smiling part. Any cycling is better than none. Not by very much, that's all. Very long day, and I have an early meeting tomorrow. Probably the best thing would be to sleep in my clothes.
Plus, 2 miles walking.


This is a photo I took during the 2007 Portland Bridge Pedal. If you've never tried it, let me recommend cycling down a freeway. It's a smooth ride. Make sure to remove all automobiles from the area first.

13 comments:

WaistingTime said...

I can't decide if I love those surprise days in the middle of winter, or hate them for teasing me!

I will be cycling indoors at class today:)

LaShaune said...

They are the reason "Stop and smell the roses" is a popular quote. We have yet to teased down here in Houston - it's rainy, nasty, & cold (just how I like my winters so I can appreciate my spring/summer - what passes for spring here, anyway).

Enjoy your surprises!

C said...

People here would have noticed. The weather is all the english talk about.

Gigi said...

Feed a cold, feed a spring fever. The pounds will go away soon. Hang in there.

messymimi said...

Any time there is sunshine, I make it a point to go out into it, even if only for a short time. I crave it.

You will get your most accurate weight if you weigh yourself first thing in the morning, after using the restroom, and unclothed. Sometimes the weight difference between night and morning can be as much as 5 pounds. This has to do with lots of stuff like how much you had to eat and drink through the day.

I hope your sunny day is a sign of a pretty spring to come!

The Merry said...

What surprised me was that the weight seemed to just evaporate. I mean, it's not as if I had to get up in the middle of the night to use the facilities or anything. Don't recall doing any aerobic tossing and turning while in bed. So did it just go out the pores? Weird.

Cat said...

Just chalk it up to being in one's own little world. We had a great spring day down a bit from you here, too, only problem is, it makes me itchy to go garden... In February? Not!!

And don't get me started on how strange weight is... Hmph.

Cat

45+ and Aspiring said...

I love your site and your 'tude!

A smiling cyclist?? Seeing that might scare me.

I mean it would if I bothered to look up and notice the day and the blue sky and the sign of spring with cyclists on the road . . .

(good for you for noticing. . . LIFE)

McB said...

Those people who don't notice? Why do they always seem so proud of that?

Congrats on the loss! Yep, it's a strange cycle. Today will have nothing to do with yesterday and everything to do with last week.

266 said...

Don't ask where it went; just be happy that it's gone! Lol! I have something for you on my blog!

Shelley said...

Glad you had such a gorgeous day, but kinda sad that people didn't notice.

That bike picture looks like it would be fun - are you going to do it?

Charlotte said...

I am so so jealous of your beautiful day!! And of your west coast-edness! Sigh.

The Merry said...

Charlotte, please feel free to come back to the west coast! We'll save a spot for you.

Shelley, yes, I did the bridge pedal a couple times. That picture isn't the best, but I was riding my bike when I snapped it. (A ride-by shot as it were.)

Thanks for all the comments -- it does help me to get the exercise done if people are watching.