California & April: a New Must-Have?

"I remember long ago
How I wondered where I'd go
While the blizzards, cold wind and snow
Pounded outside my window.

California sunset
Going down in the west
All the colors in the sky
Kiss another day goodbye." Neil Young

I'm 17-17 so far for riding in April. In addition to the fairly meaningless rides to the end of the alley and back, I got some bike commuting and bike errands in between snowstorms and a short warm-up ride in California last weekend, followed by a longer ride with my sister Molly, brother-in-law Tom, and husband Dan. I also walked a ton, in the city and in nature, trying out a new East Bay park with my friend Anne and her son, and watching how a 12-year old girl reacts to getting a worm in her mouth (one of those cute, green inch worms hanging from trees, not a fat earthworm). I got some good quality niece time running around at the park, too.

The day after we got back to Minnesota, we faced snow and ice, hopefully for the last time until the late fall. This has got me thinking that I might need to go to California every April to start my training for the MS 150. 

It was good to be there last year while people in Minnesota were shoveling out, and nice this year to feel some warmth. And, of course, great to see family and friends.

I think it is going to be a great weekend for riding and to get some miles under my belt.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MaggieMS150

A regular ol' mechanic over here...

That's a total joke. I am continually flummoxed by derailleurs.

I am not a handy person, so I take pride in being able to change my tires, install a water bottle holder on my frame (for those of you who have done this, you know that a baby monkey could accomplish this one), clean and lube my chain while looking cool with my bike on our bike stand, etc. Seriously, these are things anyone can do, but a lot of people don't.

My new rack for my Framed bike didn't hold my super great panniers, which have two hooks at the top to hang on a rack, and an elastic band at the bottom to keep each pannier from flopping off.

After about an hour of considering my options, it struck me that Banjo Brothers, the local company who made my panniers, might have adapters. Indeed!

I ordered them, installed them, and the rest is history.

But Banjo Brothers. Check them out. Not only did they send me ample hooks, but a free phone holder thing. And their product guide folds open to reveal an Adam Turman poster. He's the local artist who has been providing me with the biking postcards I use as MS 150 thank you cards.

I love my community.

9 for 9 on the 30 days of biking, 58% of the way to my goal with 58 days left...

Captain George Gooding's Daughter, Amelia.

What a difference two months makes. Today, I ran an errand via my mountain bike (the fat bike with normal mountain bike tires on it). I took these photos roughly in the same spot by Lake Nokomis as in my February 14 Valentine's Day post.

You can tell that the ice is breaking up and that the snow is largely melted. The trees are still bare, but with these 50-60 degree temps, that won't last long. 

The February ride and the ride today are the only two times I've ridden around Lake Nokomis in many years. It is a highly underrated lake, but let's keep it a secret so all the crowds stay at Harriet and Calhoun. I am hopeful that this summer I'll get my act together and try out Sandcastle, the new restaurant at Lake Nokomis. A bit of trivia: Lake Nokomis, until 1910, was named Lake Amelia. (What is kind of funny is that there are about 100 websites indicating that Lake Amelia was named that in honor of Captain George Gooding's daughter, but none really say exactly who Gooding was, exactly. I think he was stationed near the fort early on in Minnesota history. I'll have to look in a *gasp* book!).

I'm 7 for 7 on the 30 days of biking in April, based on the fact that I've embraced the phrase "any distance counts." 

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MaggieMS150

Eagles and rivers

I'm regrouping after a ride on the paved trails along the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers (on my mountain bike, to bust through the piles of slush better and ride through the winter debris). I was scouting out the trail conditions and was enjoying it so much, I went further than planned.

As I'm typing, the cat we are watching is trying to get the dog to share the dog's bed and, well, the dog does not want to snuggle. It is fairly entertaining.

But not as entertaining as the three eagles I saw today, including one that went right over my head. I'm including a photo from the fort, where that eagle was, and my annual spring photo of the confluence of the two rivers.

I rode to work Wednesday, the day before our big snowstorm, and made a detour on the way in to the eye doctor for a checkup. I might not recommend riding with dilated eyes on a bright spring day.

62 days until the ride and I'm at 58% of my fundraising goal. Maybe I will make it to 62% by day 58?

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MaggieMS150

Giving and receiving

Hmmm... tomorrow is the first day of 30 days of biking. It might snow pretty much every day this week. The snow is a bit of a slap in the face after getting out for a ride with my teammate Matt on Saturday, and then a nice little ride to the falls with my cute nephews on Sunday.

After returning the boys (they slept over, and we went to the Angry Catfish to read over donuts and coffee this a.m.) to their parents, I went and donated blood.

And then I switched gears entirely and went to the Aveda school, where a nice student named Juan gave me a facial (Aveda facials apparently involve a foot massage, a scalp massage, and a lot of neck and shoulders, your face is just part of the picture). He told me he loves doing it because it makes people happy. I'm a sucker and fell for his “you should do this regularly" pitch, despite the fact that some things about it could've been better. I want Juan to succeed and have lots of practice before graduating. So, guess what I'm doing in early May?

Here's hoping for some long biking days before then, making my face feel as though it wants to be nurtured.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MaggieMS150

Everyone's got a story

People are really generous. I shouldn't be surprised, and I'm really not, because they support me in amazing ways in all aspects of my life, including with my bike rides. I guess I just am humbled to be a recipient of all of this generosity.

I know that almost everyone who donates for my rides knows someone with MS, and that's why many people donate. A lot of people have told me that they appreciate my commitment, and that's why they donate repeatedly.

Other people haven't said why they donate.

One of my most generous donors hasn't said why she donates. And it hasn't come up in conversation because we don't ever see each other. In fact, I haven't seen her for nearly 30 years, about a year after we nearly accidentally killed her guinea pig by jelly bean exposure at her birthday slumber party. We've exchanged some Facebook messages, and maybe one Christmas card after she started donating, and that's mostly it.

I don't think I'll ever know the whole story, but I'm very moved by this generosity and support. What is crazy is that  has a story like that.

...like my first friend from the U of M, whom I haven't seen in 20 years...

Thanks, you guys, whatever your reasons.

Go, I guess!

Today I rode to work for the first day since the fall.

I took my fat bike, but removed the fat tire wheels and replaced them with 29" wheels with knobby mountain biking tires. (If you want to sound like an experienced and/or hipster biker, you can call these wheels "29ers.") The heavy bike and the knobby - very frictiony! - tires made for a very slow ride to and from work. Those factors, the weather,* and my out of shape-ness made for one tiring 15-mile (total) ride. I'm beat.

Fat bike, with 29ers

For those of you who don't live here, you can see that there is still ample snow in some places, like on our back patio. The roads were clear of snow, had just a bit of ice, and were covered with all the debris that's been sitting in the snow for many months (but what feels like an eternity). Most of the bike lanes contain parked cars due to the snow/ice piles that are still next to the curbs.

I am happy that I was able to ride today. Last year, the first day I rode was 3/28. Two ridiculously long, snowy winters, even for Minnesota. Climate change naysayers can come shovel my driveway next winter. I'm ready for another season of biking, after I get some rest.

* It was 11 degrees when I rode to work. The 15 mph winds meant that the wind chill was -5. It felt relatively warm, though, except on my numb feet, with the bright sun. It was 23 degrees when I went home, with a wind chill of 11 due to the still-15 mph winds.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MaggieMS150