You can call me Commuter

Today I rode my bike to work! I don't do that very often for quite a few reasons which I shall subsequently list for you in order to quench your insatiable curiosity and unnecessarily fill up space:

1. I don't have a real job. I am currently substitute teaching while I look for a full-time teaching job. I actually love what I'm doing, I just don't always have the luxury of knowing where I'm going to work the next day, so I can't plan ahead.

2. Of the schools where I may be called in to work, the closest one to me is 12.5 miles away and takes me 50 minutes to get there. Thus, it takes a good deal of forethought and preparation to commute on any given day, as I have to leave about an hour earlier than usual to be sure I have enough time to get there and get cleaned up before I have to be in the classroom.

3. It's dark out there! No matter how many lights or reflectors I wear, I'm afraid the drivers won't see me. That brings me to the next point...

4. Dumb and impatient drivers exist. Everywhere. This is true for the daylight hours as well, but they're more dangerous in the dark morning hours as they rush to get to work on time.

5. Commuting is exercise, exercise makes me sweat, and sweat makes me stink. It's hard to get freshened up in a school bathroom. Usually on these days I just leave my hair in a ponytail because there's no point in trying to be pretty. Besides, I have to ride back home again later.

With that said, sometimes I commute anyway for the thrill of the challenge, to get my exercise done for the day, and to experience God's beauty in a new, unique way. Today, in particular, was gorgeous, both in the morning and the afternoon. Once I got past the loud traffic of Highway 101 on the way to ACA and onto the field-lined back roads, I was able to appreciate where I was and what I was doing. The air had a sharp chill that cut right through my long sleeved jersey whenever I went down a hill. But that same frosty air felt so good to breathe in. It was fresh air - the kind that feels like no one else has used it up already. The kind that comes right after a spring rain that washes away all the pollen and smog that usually tickles your nose. Not only was the air perfect, but so was the timing. The pink and yellow rays of the sun were just beginning to creep over the edges of the fields and trees to my right, while the stars in the deep dark blue sky on my left used their last bit of energy to shine their brightest as if they knew their time was almost up. The earth was silent but for the soft melody of waking birds, and the clear, long crow of a rooster trying to rouse others to the excitement of a new day. Moments and feelings like that can't be bought, or even sought. Sometimes you just have to be in the right place at the right time and enjoy the blessing you've been given with a sense of wonder and awe.

I think I scared Mrs. McMakin, the assistant principal at ACA, when we both pulled into the parking lot at the same time around 6:50 AM. I hung around for a moment while she got out of the car (which may have scared her more) so I could assure her that it was just me and not some crazy person circling the building on a bike looking to do harm to children. I must have been quite a sight with lights flashing all over me - kind of like a rolling Christmas tree. But, once she realized it was me, I think she was able to breathe a little easier.

I spent the day at ACA in PE where I learned four important life lessons...
1. You cannot possibly see everything that happens in a gym full of children, no matter how hard and close you are watching.
2. While watching once side of the gym, someone will inevitably get hurt on the other side.
3. Kids make funny faces when they jump rope.
4. I should be very grateful for all the things my body can still do at the age that I am. Every physical ability is a blessing!

When the day ended I got to ride back home in the most beautiful weather I could have asked for. The sun was out and bright and there was barely a cloud in the sky. The clouds that were there were those cute white fluffy ones that are reminiscent of the kind you used to draw in art when you were seven. In other words, it was a picture-perfect day! In fact, I wish I could have taken a picture to show you. The cool wind was at my back the whole way home and I felt like I was flying! I must have averaged at least 18 mph on the trip back, though it may have been closer to 20 mph. If only every ride felt like that...

The Itch

I got the itch last Friday. The sun was warm, the weekend was approaching, and the open road was beckoning. As every human has had the opportunity to personally discover, the only way to relieve an itch is to scratch it.

So, I did!

I may have been a little too gung-ho (is that how you spell that?) about it, though. I hopped on my bike and rode all the way from Woodruff to Lyman. It's really only about 15 miles from my house to downtown Lyman. The catch there is that it's also 15 miles from Lyman back to Woodruff. So my total distance for the round trip was 31 point-something miles, using many familiar back roads. Prior to Friday I hadn't gone on any "serious" rides since before Thanksgiving. Thanks to the cold weather and the usual time constraints, I spent the off-season spinning my wheels on my trainer inside while watching seasons 1, 2, and 3 of CSI. It's a nice workout, but bicycles aren't meant to be ridden indoors. Thus, the itch.

I would like to say I did the 31 miles without even having to stop to catch my breath and without experiencing any pain or fatigue along the way; but, there's really no point in lying. Reality reveals that my bum has to toughen up once again to withstand the long, idle hours spent on a tiny, minimally padded seat, that my legs need to be awakened from their four and a half month slumber, and that I need to go ahead and buy more sunscreen because the heat has come early this year. However, on the positive side, a 25-mile route is what I used to strive for when I first began cycling. Compare that with a 31-mile season-opener and it's easy to see some improvement over the years.

I was tired and hungry (oops, forgot to pack energy for the trip) by the time I got back home, and my legs were burning slightly; but, I survived without too much fatigue. And, as always, I'm glad at the end of a ride just to have ridden.

The itch has been scratched.