It's amazing how much faster you can do 13 miles on a bike

[annathepiper]

Today, I biked to and from the bookstore, and am quite pleased that I managed to pull it off without being too terribly wiped out. I had to take frequent rests, but they were short ones, and on the way back I had water in my water bottle as well. Furthermore, I was quite pleased that although my bike's chain slipped its gears, I was able to put it back on without much trouble; got my fingers all greasy but well hey, I figure that was worth at least a butch point or two. ;)

Points in favor of this bike session: 1) I HAVE BEHELD THE FERAL CHICKENS AT LAST! 2) I find that in fits and spurts I can even SING while riding. However, I only advise this for long open stretches of trail, otherwise you'll be doing what I did, which was zipping along going "SAAAAAAIL THOSE SAME OCEANS AGAIN oh shit somebody's coming"! 3) Kenmore's stretch of the Burke-Gilman trail goes by WAY faster on a bike; given that Kenmore is a pit, I am in favor of this.

Points against this bike session: 1) As ssha has observed, albeit more pithily than I, the cottonwoods are out in full force and I kept getting cottonwood wafts in the face. 2) I am not yet fully acquainted with the Mysteries of Gear-Shifting, for maximum efficiency of riding. I'll have to fix this.

Comments

[petit-chou.livejournal.com]

Aren't the feral chickens the weirdest thing in Bothell? Well, them and the llamas. Have you seen the llamas yet? Who knew that Bothell and Peru are good places for the same fauna?

I wish I lived right on the trail -- I'd bike to work, too. It's really not bad at all since it's all so flat. Le sigh.

PS - You DO wear a helmet, yes?

Re:

[annathepiper]

I haven't seen the llamas; where are they?

And I don't live right on the trail, but I do live right up the hill from it. Getting up the hill after leaving the trail is a bit of a bitch though. ;)

And yep, I got me a helmet. It's all shiny and black!

Chickens and llamas and emus, oh my

[justjulesinc.livejournal.com]

Hi Shen, long time no see! Bou has gotten me hooked on these live journals!!

1. When you figure out the gear-shifting let me know. I bought an 18-speed bike at a yard sale and I am confounded and confused.

2. I used to live in the exTREME boonies in Central Georgia and on our street was a goat farm, very smelly, and these African folks (not a slur here, they were actual Africans from Africa) would come buy a goat or two and slaughter it right then and there. Lovely. There was also a woman on our street who raised llamas and emus. My daughter was about 4 and we drove past her place once and my girl says "Mom there is something wrong with my brain. I am seeing ostriches" TOO FUNNY!!

3. Shameless plug time http://www.livejournal.com/users/justjulesinc

Love,

Jules

Re: Chickens and llamas and emus, oh my

[annathepiper]

Hi Jules! Yes, LJs are addictive little buggers, aren't they. ;)

On the shifting of gears... well, see if your bike sounds anything like mine. I have 1-3 on my left hand and 1-7 on my right hand. My mate advises keeping the left hand pretty much on 2 all the time, and I find I like to have the right hand on 7... lower gears are easier, less power... but you go slower. Higher gears, more power, more speed, but you have to use more energy to make them happen. I find I zip along nicely on level ground with my left hand on 2, though sometimes I kick up to 3. Going up a hill, though, I may kick my left hand back down towards one... and the right hand maybe down to 6 or even 5.

Hehehehehe about the goats.

And yay, new journal to look at!