One Week (to go!)

In the olden days, I often would refer to song lyrics in my blog posts. So, when I typed the very creative title, "One Week," I thought, "Isn't there a song by that name?" I went through my 90s memory and dug up  "One Week" by Barenaked Ladies. So then I watched the video and read the lyrics and thought there's very little that relates to this blog post (but watching the X-Files sounds really quite enjoyable), so moving on...

Yeah, so, in a week I'll be crawling into my tent, hoping that whatever random city park we're at in Marshall, Minnesota doesn't have floodlights everywhere or teenage boys hot rodding through town at 1 a.m. It also hopefully won't be near a train track. Or the night sand volleyball league. These are all the types of things I've slept near in a tent in municipal parks throughout the state when doing the 5-day MS TRAM bike ride. 

Am I ready? I barely rode my bike in June. I was visiting my sister and her family in California one weekend; my stepmom, brother, and his family were here the next; then we went to visit my mom and stepdad in Wisconsin the next weekend; and then we went to visit Dan's brother and his wife in South Carolina for a long weekend. During the weeks it was raining a lot. I've been riding a lot since June 28, though, including a very nice catch-up ride with my old riding partner BBF Matt who was in town, a ride with a stop at my brother and sister-in-law's house as I explored routes to get to my bestie/neighbor for one more day Jen's new house, and some fun rides with the ladies (I am lucky to be part of a great group of women that ride on Thursdays but also other days, too). I got to introduce many of them to the amazing little path by the creek in Battle Creek Park, and it was fun to hear them behind me saying "ooooh." 

This weekend, Dan, Haley, and I went camping up by Cass Lake, and I rode along the Migizi and Heartland Trails. The Migizi Trail is part of the national forest, but the Heartland Trail is one of the rails-to-trails bike trails we have in Minnesota, which connects to the Paul Bunyan Trail. We are super lucky to have these great trails in Minnesota, due to Minnesota voters approving a small tax on the ballot in 2008 (the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment), which will continue for another nine years. This is in addition to the 1988 ballot measure that passed and dedicates lottery funds to preserve our state's environmental and natural resources.

This map shows the state trails. There are a bunch of very sizeable, paved regional trails not shown here, too, like the amazing Mesabi Bike Trail in the Iron Range. 

I had thought about riding on some county highways yesterday so that I didn't do a straight out-and-back, but decided that the shoulders were pretty narrow, the roads were pretty bumpy, and the trails were pretty empty (other than that young buck that almost collided with me - an actual deer, not some young man), so why not embrace the trail?

Our campsite on Friday night.

Steamboat River, along the trail. There was tons of 
wildfire smoke from Canada, so it is hard to see the actual river.

On the Migizi Trail.

The trail without me blocking the view.

Post-bike ride, post-shower hammock, book, beer and dog event.

It was just under 60 miles
round trip. The two trails
cross each other. You could do
100 one way on the Paul Bunyan Trail
between Bemidji and Brainerd
and another 50 one way between
Cass Lake and Park Rapids.

So, I haven't ridden as much this year as in other years before the TRAM, but I think I will be okay. I'm hoping the camping won't be too uncomfortable. Last year was pretty painful but my PT is going *GREAT* this year, so I'm really optimistic that I can muddle through!

Been meaning to donate? Here's the link! https://events.nationalmssociety.org/participant/GoMaggieGo

Weekend Warrioring

Well, I haven't ridden a ton since the last post, but I decided this weekend that it didn't really matter and I have enough of a base level of fitness, muscle memory, and stubbornness to do a 75-mile ride to Hastings and back. So, that's what I did. (I also felt like I had implicit permission due to some article I read on the Internet written by who-knows-who that it is okay to be a weekend warrior.)

It was a lovely ride with Carolyn and Laura, through town until we got SE enough to connect with the new trail that fully connects through, now, to Spring Lake Park and on to Hastings. And then we took the trail along the Mississippi River all the way back through St. Paul until we got close to home and took a road, rather than the trail.

Leaving my house at 8:30.

One of our breaks, in Spring Lake Park.

My goofy pose in Hastings.

Both of them remarked that they didn't think I was acting or looking tired at the end of the ride, but I was, and I definitely needed to do some stretching and my PT exercises for pain relief later that night. Dan made me a good dinner and bought my favorite snacks. After eating and having a beer, I laid down on the couch with my mystery novel and promptly fell asleep. 

I rallied though and went to bed at a normal time and felt fine the next day. I'm hoping that when I do the week-long Bike MS Ride Across Minnesota in July that my hip feels better sleeping on the ground than it did last year, even if it won't feel as good as it does after sleeping in my bed. (Thanks for all the support so far with respect to the July ride! https://events.nationalmssociety.org/participant/GoMaggieGo)

Carolyn went back to the trail today and took this video from Spring Lake Park, just north of Hastings. It is such a pretty place. It was fun to see so many people biking on the new trail to Hastings. When you had to ride on a crappy street, cross some horrible tracks, and take a gravel road, there weren't that many riders. If you build it, they will come! 

I've been enjoying riding with the assorted Thursday night crew - we go 20-25 miles and then end at the brewery. I led this past Thursday night's ride and I think doing some hills was a good reminder on Saturday that you just can just switch your gears and do what needs to be done.

Last Thurs' riders, minus Laura the photographer.

I have a lot of booked weekends coming up, so I'm not sure exactly when I'm going to get in some good consistent riding before the July ride, but I'm sure I'll figure it out, or just get 'er done. I wanted this year to be a year of lots of riding, so I should actually figure out how to do that.

Yesterday, we went to a memorial service, which really, truly was a celebration of life - in honor of my sister-in-law's dad/my brother's father-in-law, Michael Brodie. Michael and his wife, Jane, have been big supporters of my bike rides/fundraising, and he used to always ask how my training was going. He loved the outdoors, athletic activities, and people. He was a remarkably kind and warm man who shared some common traits with my own dad. When my brother and sister-in-law were dating, he was the first family member of hers that I met - as we both helped the two of them move. I thought he was world-class then, and after knowing him for over 20 years, my appreciation for him only grew. It was so special to be able to hear about how he touched the lives of so many people over his life. His was a life well-lived, and if the world were a place full of people like Michael Brodie, we'd be in a pretty great spot. I often bike near the Dodge Nature Center, which is close to where he lived for 38 years, where the celebration yesterday was held, and where they have a memorial bench in his honor. I look forward to visiting his bench in the future and taking time to think of him, my appreciation of his kindness, and my gratitude for the role he has played in the life of my sister-in-law, my brother, and my nephews. Seems like a great destination for some bike rides...

Some good ridin'

This was a good week of bike riding - consisting of riding to/from a pilates class Monday night, the Thurs night women's ride with some rolling hills, skipping out of work with my friend Molly on Friday (need to catch up on work for those people who kindly have given me contracts, though, whoops!) to ride from her house on the LRT trail to Victoria, and doing 55 miles on Saturday.

Saturday was the BikeMS Twin Cities Ride. I rode from my house to the ride, paid the minimum fundraising fee for that ride, and pieced together two route options that were the longer legs. A woman volunteering at the snack table told me that she has MS and her treatment options have really improved in recent years due to the funds raised during these rides.  (Please tell your elected officials how important government funding is, too.)

It was a great way to start getting ready for the summer. I did a lot of yard work, too. I am so lucky to be able to move so freely, even if I had to do more PT exercises to alleviate some aches! I had hoped to do even more biking but the dog needed some good long walks, too, and household obligations were calling. Regardless of those stymied plans, this would be a good week by any measure. 

Molly and me.  I didn't get permission to use her photo, so I altered it. Ha ha.

My loopy 55-mile ride. 

My crabapple tree in full bloom, with weird formatting. 

My bike ride is in July. Time to get cracking on riding and fundraising!

https://events.nationalmssociety.org/participant/GoMaggieGo

This crazy life

We are listening to a special preview of an album that comes out tomorrow and the song right now keeps on talking about "this crazy life."

It seems appropriate for 2025. 

It is MS Awareness Week and, in honor of the week, I thought people should know that federal cuts to funding to NIH and universities for research (including indirect expenses, which I'm happy to discuss with anyone who has questions about those) will have serious impact on important MS research. You're welcome to let your Congressional reps know how problematic that is. 

My CDC job was eliminated with many others on 2/14. (That's some love.) I have been on my bike on the nice warm days we've had between snow storms and chilly gross days. But mostly I've been working full days to find work (I'm doing consulting under my new LLC - need a tobacco policy thing done??), doing chores, and being diligent with my PT exercises. I have a great network and am optimistic. It was a very shocking event, though, even though I suspected it was coming eventually. 

I have a new PT person who is great, and *that* is great because the steroid pain shot I got in my hip in Feb lasted just a couple of weeks and things do not feel good, even when I ride my bike, which is a newerish development I'm addressing. This is supposed to be a year of big biking! I am optimistic about this, too.

My fundraising is off to a good start, and I'm so grateful for support there, too, and am optimistic about meeting my goal! (https://events.nationalmssociety.org/participant/GoMaggieGo)

To be honest, though, there is so much that I'm not optimistic about, concerning current events. I worry. About people I love and people I don't know. And I am very sad. And I am mad. So sad and mad.  Biking will help manage those feelings to some extent, and walking the dog helps too. I hope all my friends are taking time to care for themselves. 💜

Here is Haley, mad as SHE gets, about the fact that she couldn't swim. It was 50 degrees and there was still ice on other parts of the creek and our lakes still have ice on them. So, be patient, doggy! I'm not sure why this is showing up sideways on my screen all of a sudden. 

Here's a cute little kid that Haley and I saw on a walk. He shouted out "on your left" as he was passing, in his little kid voice. I heard his dad say that he just took the training wheels off. 

And this is from my first ride of the season. I haven't been riding far or fast, but I've been relishing each moment. Even today, being able to ride to get groceries. 

💜

Well...

The year is off to an interesting start, as they say here in the Midwest.

First things first and long story short, my hip is still bothering me. I haven't talked to the doctor after last week's MRI, but *my* read of the report online in conjunction with previous discussions is that nothing is newly wrong (so who knows exactly why I had such a painful flare up for weeks at the end of 2024), there are some structural things that won't resolve themselves, and PT and exercise will help until I'm older and need a hip replacement. Instead of riding all moronically on my basement bike, I've been doing some very careful (but still challenging) riding to get used to having better form and build up the weak spots. (That idiotic bike PT guy be damned! (I think I talked about him in my last post.))

While biking this week, I watched scenic videos of rides in Stinson Beach, CA, and the French Riviera. These are good at distracting me from thinking about being in my small and cobwebby 1926 basement.

These aren't screenshots from the actual videos, but they have similar scenery to where I was riding. Nice, huh? Sure beats MN in February, even this year.

So, I'm still planning on the weeklong BikeMS ride in July. I'll need to think through a more comfortable solution for sleeping in my tent in July; last year was not pleasant. 

Related to that, I am still planning on working hard to make this a good bike year. 

There's a good chance I'll lose my job - possibly soon - based on the Executive Order tea leaves. Many of the typical places I'd work instead won't be hiring, as the effects radiate out. So, I may have more time to spend on my bike when I'm not trying to figure out how to apply my skills and get paid. I think if even a fraction of the current proposals are executed, we'll have some pretty major economic challenges as a country, and we'll all need nature and exercise to help us relieve the stress.

So, I have three requests:

1. Let me know if you want to go for a bike ride with me. ;)

2. Send cute videos of animals, preferably pandas, red pandas, otters, beavers, or Rico the porcupine from the Cincinnati Zoo who is super adorable to watch eat any food - - but popcorn and peanut butter in particular. I've restricted my own access to FB and IG - I don't need Zuck to profit off me. But I do miss the animal videos and the pretty photos of national parks.

3. Don't feel bad if you can't contribute your normal amount to my fundraising efforts this year (https://events.nationalmssociety.org/participant/GoMaggieGo). Your economic situation may be changing, and goodness knows there will be many, many worthwhile causes to direct your charitable donations. 

Actually, I have a fourth request. Take care of yourself. Life is a marathon, not a sprint (hopefully!)

A schtick-free recap

Back when I was a child... wait, what? Back when I started this blog, I updated it rather regularly. It looks like my last post was nearly 3 months ago. I don't think I've lost all creativity, just some of my schtick, maybe. And, quite honestly, I've been doing more nature walks than bike rides due to the change of seasons, change in daylight, and having a rather busy fall. 

After our cut-short vacation (and, likely thanks to my August vaccination, my corresponding cut-short bout of COVID), my September was wrapped up with a week of work travel to Atlanta, a really disappointing bike PT appointment ("You've been cycling a long time; you've probably got it all figured out by now." SERIOUSLY!), some Oktoberfest fun, another week of work travel to DC (with some good walks), a trip to the orchard, and a few good bike rides.

This wasn't really an Oktoberfest thing,
but the Irish bar allowed you to get an image
put in your Guinness foam. This would
be a better picture if I hadn't had a sip first. 

I was actually sober, just having fun.

We ate so many helpings of apple crisp!

A ride with Laura,
who kindly gets me out on my bike. She
leads the Thursday night rides I do all summer.

In October, I went to a class with my friend Marcy to learn about wines of Armenia (I really liked a couple of them), a work trip to Denver (with a fair amount of walking and a nice side trip to see the sunrise at Red Rocks), a good Holmes/Poirot play with Marcy, a visit from my great cousin Sarah, and a few more good bike rides with the ladies and, separately, my long-time BBF Matt.

This late season ride with the ladies oddly kicked my butt.
The leaves were so pretty that day (unrelatedly).

It isn't a great picture of me, and Marcy might not like me
sharing this, but I think she looks so cute here. She's
been my solid friend since I moved here in 1992 and 
we remarkably had nearly every class together at the 
University of Minnesota, which you couldn't plan if you tried - - fate! 

Sunrise at Red Rocks in Colorado.
Oddly, this was my first trip to Colorado. 

In November, I went to visit my Mom and Terry (great walks in the woods with the dog(s)), had some interesting all-day work meetings here in Minnesota, went to a matinee movie about bands that played at the 7th Street Entry one week in 1981 (yes, really), went to DC for the release of the Surgeon General's Report on the topic of eliminating tobacco-related health disparities (with a couple of brisk walks thrown in), had a radon mitigation system installed in our house, and ate a bunch of pie, kale salad, and green bean casserole, a decent amount of gravy, stuffing and turkey, a token serving of mashed potatoes, and whatever cranberries I could get. 

It was raining, but White Deer Lake
is one of my favorites to visit, regardless
of the weather.

I took my parents' dog, Alvin, and my dog, Haley,
for a walk down the old logging road which goes to
my favorite spot in the world. Alas, there had been
a forest fire. Kudos to the firefighters for getting it out
relatively quickly, but the landscape is totally
different and jarring. 

Yep, that's me with the SG! He's so smart and nice.
I appreciate having the opportunity to have been
an editor and writer of this report.

Yes, the election season was stressful, and I am worried
about the future. In the meantime, the Washington
Monument is still really pretty at sunset.

"Peace and justice work
continues uninterrupted."

This past week - Thanksgiving week - I was in a decent amount of discomfort due to tweaking my bum hip that wrenched things out of place in my back. I'm feeling better now, after lots of Aleve, heat, Icy Hot, CBD salve, pungent Chinese pain relief patches, stretching, PT, etc., and am looking forward to getting back on my bike in my now radon-free basement! I'm kind of out of shape; long walks with the dog aren't cutting it, although they are enjoyable. Especially the walks that we've done with my parents' dog, my friend Stacy and her dog, and my friend Andrew and his dog. The more interactions we have, the better my dog Haley gets at, well, not being a dick.

Stacy and Xinn on a walk with Haley and me.
The dogs did so well with each other!

oxoxo

And then tonight, I signed up for the weeklong BikeMS Ride here in Minnesota in July: https://events.nationalmssociety.org/participant/GoMaggieGo

I got free registration due to raising close to $6,500 last year (THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU), and they also will let me do a BikeMS Ride anywhere in the country for free without having to do any fundraising. I'm trying to decide where I want to go (if my work vacation schedule matches up okay) - Do that hilly San Fran ride again? Go east? I need to think about what will really motivate me to get out on my bike a lot in 2025. I'm ready for a lot of time in the saddle.

Better luck next time!

In my tired, Covid-addled brain, I had a snappier title for this post, but lost it.  

Yes, that's right, our great Pacific Northwest adventure was cut short by a stinkin' virus. We got to spend time in Portland (with a day of hiking at Mt. Hood and dinner in Hood River) and Seattle but skedaddled home quickly, swaddled in N95 masks, instead of continuing on to Vancouver BC via train. 

Some highlights from Oregon include loading up my suitcase at Powell’s Bookstore, eating at good food trucks, seeing my friend Michael and his family one night, having slowly paced tea in the Chinese garden, seeing pretty roses on our bike tour of the city, touring a historic mansion and taking a several mile walk in the woods in the city from there to the peaceful Japanese garden, and our Mt. Hood excursion. 

On the way to Seattle, we stopped at the Mt. St. Helen's visitor center and refreshed our memories about the events of 1980. It was too hazy to go see the volcano. 

In Seattle, we did a great bike tour of the city and took the ferry to Bainbridge Island. I also met my friend C.J. for donuts and coffee and hope I didn't get him sick before I knew I was sick. 

We had great local beer and wine and a particularly good dinner in Portland and an amazing dinner in Seattle. 

And then all of a sudden it was clear I was sick. We did some fast pivoting and ended the trip. And now our dog is keeping a close eye on us, suspicious if we leave the room (or the hammock).