The Bounding of the Pulses

From the NYT: Lillias Campbell Davidson, founder of the first women’s cycling organization, "championed 'the feeling of active movement, of the power of free locomotion, the thrill of healthful exertion, and the bounding of the pulses.' But bicycling also allowed middle-class women to escape their homes — 'the lives of women have been unnaturally cramped and contracted within doors,' she wrote — and travel to see new countryside sights and tour other towns alone."


Tonight - after work, thanks to the time change - I took Ol' Reliable, which I should probably now call Ol' Gunky, out for a spin along the Mississippi. I decided that I have been unnaturally cramped and contracted within doors, and should quit my whining and get out there.

If you zoom in you can see all the grime.
Poor bike.

I was going to stop and take a picture of a tree, surrounded by big, huge icicles, perched on the edge of the bluff, but I figured the light wasn't very good and I knew there would be a better picture to take further downstream. Well, I didn't count on the fact that that what I wanted to take a picture of was still covered in several feet of snow. Maybe next time.

Knowing that I probably missed the best spots for photos, I decided to take inventory of my ride. Here is my ride, in numbers:

30: Within the first 30 minutes of my ride, three cars passed me, reeking of pot. I don't care if you smoke pot. Don't smoke pot when you're driving, especially when I'm on my bike within a few feet of you. Dummies.

16: Roughly 16 years I've been riding this stretch with varying levels of frequency, and this was the very first time I smelled hops/mash/wort emanating from Summit Brewery. (If you're reading this, husband, I'm sorry that I do not know which part makes the smell. I just know these are words you use in beer-related sentences.)

15: I saw 15 boats of people fishing at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. Pretty impressive, Minnesotans, for a 40-degree Thursday evening with a nice breeze out of the northeast.

10: It only took 10 minutes on my first road biking adventure of 2018 to get yelled at by some dude in a conversion van - who wasn't even trying to pass me, he was going in the opposite direction - telling me to quit riding on the road and to ride on trails instead. Uhm, no. For several reasons. But thanks for the "suggestion," guy. Have you been waiting all winter to say this to someone??

6: At least 6 really deep, wide, long puddles, some with surprise frozen mud chunks at the bottom

2: I have a lot of pairs of things.

• 2 pieces of fruit: a whole banana, a whole pear

• 2 gigantic eagles' nests in Lilydale

• 2 very different sets of scenery, depending on whether you were looking at the northern bank of the river (very little snow) or the southern bank of the river (lots of snow!)

• 2 words that are inappropriate to say around children

1: Got a few of these, too.

• 1 pile of gravel that almost put me, well, ass over teakettle (see "2 words" above)

• 1 driver that reminds me that drivers have varying levels of courtesy (see "2 words" above)

• 1 daydreamer guy with headphones walking and weaving right in front of me 

• 1 happy Maggie

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MS150Maggie2018

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/Maggie2018TourDeMN

Iora O'Sciuridae

While I think rabbits are cuter and more fun to watch - - despite the fact that they are destroying one of my shrubs in the front yard - - we all know that I have a kinship with the Sciuridae family. Well, kinship might be a strong word. Relationship. Bond.

Ever since I biked over a live, running squirrel and had that other one run through my spokes, I swear they are out to get me.

I was greatly relieved, when watching the Olympics, to learn that the squirrels are out to get others. It isn't just me. This seals the deal, though, that I will never try snowboarding.

WATCH OUT SQUIRREL. pic.twitter.com/rtQ94MQeDj

— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 24, 2018

(This is my first attempt at embedding something from Twitter into a blog post. If it doesn't show up, you can go to the link to see the Squirrel at the Olympics.)

So, why am I all reflective about squirrels? I'm getting squirrely. I need this snow to melt. I need to get out on my road bike. I was looking through my notes from the past couple of years. On March 4, 2017, I did a 46-mile road bike ride to Stillwater. On March 13, 2016, I took my road bike 41 miles after going to yoga and had my second flat tire that week. On March 15, 2015, I rode 51 miles! Maybe this year will be like 2014, when my first real ride was on March 29.

On the bright side, since I haven't been on my bike, I've been able to practice my Irish dancing more to gear up for next weekend's festivities. Hopefully there won't be any squirrels at our shows.

Iora (Gaelic word for squirrel)

I'm planning a team meeting for our Bike MS team right after we dance on Sunday. Maybe I'll go in costume. That will make things a little more interesting!

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MS150Maggie2018
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/Maggie2018TourDeMN

Well-brushed teeth

I read this article over the weekend about how middle age is not too late to start exercising to get a healthier heart. The author of one of the three studies discussed said that people should think about exercise as part of their regular routine, like brushing their teeth.

While I missed the opportunity to get my 💖 road bike 🚴 out this weekend in the short thaw/brief respite from winter, I apparently have been exercising nearly as much as I have been brushing my teeth - Irish dance practice/rehearsal Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, topped off by visits to the gym Saturday and Sunday, and some vigorous shoveling of deep, wet snow tonight. It will be interesting to see whether any of this translates into better biking outcomes. At this point, I think if I got on my bike, I would inadvertently ride in circles. I have a sore left calf, a sore right knee, a sore right glute, and a sore left shoulder. What is up with my body mechanics? Whatever is up likely would translate into weird riding form - either because I'm lopsided to begin with or because I'm lopsided now.

One thing I apparently haven't been exercising is my fundraising muscles! I'm a bit behind and will need to get creative. 

I am contemplating letting people view embarrassing videos of me trying to dance on St. Patrick's Day in exchange for a donation to the MS Society. Maybe people would pay to NOT see me dance?

March 2017 - will we be snow-free this year?

p.s. I often look for Google Images to spice up my blog. Don't search there for photos using terms about bikes and teeth, by the way. You won't be able to unsee nasty mouths.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MS150Maggie2018
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/Maggie2018TourDeMN