Adventures on my bicycle

well.  in case you remember my mileage goal for July and have been just dying to know how that went down, here it is.  The goal was 180 miles on my bike.  And. . . . I made it 174.  I was 6 miles short.  six.  But I'm really not too down about it because that last ride on the last day of the month I was pushing my way up Provo canyon loving the ride, feeling great and like I could go forever, and. . . I had to turn around to make it home on time to feed my baby.  And those are just the kind of little sacrifices that you have to make when you're a mom (especially one whose baby decided to refuse to take a bottle anymore.  future moms--you should listen when you're doctor tells you to give her a bottle every couple of days so that she'll remember how to take one).  And it's ok.  Sometimes I wonder how far and long and hard I could go on that thing without time restrictions.  If I didn't have to squeeze in my ride between the end of my shift and the beginning of my husbands and between feedings.  But then I'm just grateful to be able to squeeze them in at all, and grateful that I have a nice bike and a healthy body and beautiful places to go riding, and a hard working husband and lovely baby to come home to and then I get over it. 

Here are some of the adventures we've had together so far this summer and the things I've learned:

I ventured out into west Provo.  Far enough to pass cornfields and lots of sunflowers, cows, and horses.  And something about knowing I live that close to cornfields, sunflowers, cows, and horses makes me feel good about life.  And there is one spot with a good view of Mt. Nebo that completely makes me feel like I'm in Guatemala and it's beautiful.  Utah Lake is a common destination of mine.  If I have time I stop and sit by the Lake and wish so hard that it was the kind of lake without disgusting water--one that you could actually swim in and come hang out with your friends on the beach kind of lake.  Then Provo would have everything I think. 

One day I got caught in an absolute downpour and it was the highlight of probably my entire month.  I LOVE getting caught in the rain.  I made it to bridal veil falls that day, and by the time I stopped to rest there I was completely soaked and dripping.  It had been so dang hot all month and that ride was so nice and cool and refreshing and I can't even tell you how happy it made me so I'm just going to stop trying.

Let me just say I feel really dumb having such a nice bike but knowing absolutely nothing about how the thing works.  I need like a bike mechanics 101 class or something.  It leads to some really awkward moments like having to ask the bike shop guy to come look at my bike to tell me what size I need to replace my tube.  And one day when for some reason my brakes were misaligned and rubbing my tires and I could not figure out how to adjust it even though I could tell it was just some tiny little thing that needed to be done if I just knew where to tighten it.   And it was.  But it made me feel a little better when the nice high school kid in the bike shop couldn't figure it out either and had to get his boss to come help (who fixed it in about 2 seconds and didn't even charge me.  Thank you Mad Dog Cycles).   The kid also made me feel better when he told me that some guys will come into the shop with like $10.000 triathlon bikes (yes, people do spend that kind of money on athletic equipment) with flat tires.  It made me feel less spoiled and incompetent if that makes any sense. 

My dad taught me how to change and patch a flat tube which is way harder and than you might think (or maybe just for me).  While doing so he said my tires looked practically brand new which totally hurt my ego.  He also told me never to go on a ride without a patch kit, spare tube, hand pump, and your cell phone so that you don't get stranded miles and miles from your house with no way to get home but walk.  Which advice I did not follow and had to learn my lesson the hard way.  I had only gone 4 miles and did have my cell phone except that almost every single person I know in Provo decided not to answer their phone that day.  And to be honest, even if I had everything I needed, I'm not sure I could have fixed the tire myself anyway in a reasonable period of time.  So I got to have the really awkward experience of accepting a ride from a good Samaritan college freshman who pulled over and asked if I needed help.  Making smalltalk for 4 miles made me feel like I was on a first date and I will probably never forget my patch kit and pump again.

Roadkill is pretty hazardous for a biker.  And I have seen more varieties up close and personal lately than I care to go into detail about.

I really really really appreciate bike lanes and smooth, clear roads more than ever before.

I discovered while on vacation that Jackson Hole, Wyoming is pretty much the cyclists paradise.  I felt like I could explore the place for an entire summer and still not even hit every trial, not to mention that most of them are in beautiful national parks.  I got in a few completely amazing rides and want to go back just for that.

I also had a long chat with my husband about how someday we are going to bike across the entire country, coast to coast.  Yep, totally doing that.

As I was lamenting to my dad the fact that I need some cycling buddies and that I don't know any other girls who are into cycling, let alone that live in Provo, he told me that most bike shops have "bike clubs"  that will meet weekly or so for rides and that's a good way to learn a lot about biking, to get a lot better, and make friends who you can go with!  I just found out Mad Dog Cycles has a ladies only group Thursdays at 10:00.  But I'm pretty sure Tanner has class then.  I may need to recruit a babysitter and muster up the guts to go!

All of you should start roadbiking.  It's the greatest thing ever.