Turtle Tracks

Another Year

2009-01-01T09:14:00.000-08:00

It's another year entirely. I noticed, just before we left for Mexico, that I hadn't posted to this, my original blog, in nearly a year -since Dec. 25, 2007. Never mind, I said, I'll post there on Christmas day, and it will look downright intentional. Then I forgot.

This poor blog. Since I started keeping the two travel journals, I've neglected it terribly. Why don't I blog when I'm not traveling? Do I not have a life, in between journeys? I notice that on our travels, I depend on the journal to remind me of what I've done with my days. Years later, I read an old entry and remember clearly what that day was like - the light, the smells and sounds. My days at home pass in a fog of work and meals and internet obsession, and I don't remember them. That's a lot of my life to let fall on the cutting room floor.

So there it is. All unawares, I've been composing a New Year's Resolution. Never mind that I don't do New Year's Resolutions - recipes for disappointment, I've always felt - this one seems to demand my attention - and my intention. Who am I to demur?

The Great Countdown Has Begun

2007-12-25T19:34:00.000-08:00

Now if only I could remember to whom I said "I'll be blogging on Turtle Tracks while I'm in Mexico. No, I won't. Of course I won't. I'll be blogging on The Amazing Voyages of the Turtle (http://sandarastraveljournal.blogspot.com), as usual. To whoever that was, I do apologize. I blame my pre-holiday exhaustion and my excitement over the trip to come.

The In-Between Time

2007-05-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

We've come back from Mexico, fallen headfirst into work to finance the next trip and the one after that..... The next trip is in fact a little one, to Orcas Island in Washington. We have a date there for a four-day weekend later this month with a group of friends. Then we'll be scurrying to get ready for England in September. I'm so excited that my baby sister will be joining us in England, helping me open and close locks on the Kennet-Avon Canal. There are many, many things I want to share with her. The poor thing will be exhausted when she gets back home.

I'm over there!

2007-01-25T22:24:00.000-08:00

I've opened a page at del.icio.us, which allows me to organize all my bookmarks. When I went to flag this blog, I realized it's sitting all lonely and neglected while I'm down in Mexico. I'm writing pretty well daily in The Amazing Voyages of the Turtle, which you can find at http://sandarastraveljournal.blogspot.com. So come on over and visit me, okay? And while you're at it, you could come have a look at http://del.icio.us/sandara where I'm putting links to my favourite blogs, sites, videos etc.

Or 8679, if you like

2006-10-09T07:53:00.000-07:00

...or 1443, my finishing place out of 1581 competitors; 898 of 994 women; 53/60 in my age group; my chip time 1:15:44.

.

Just Call Me 820

2006-10-01T12:31:00.000-07:00

That was my number in this morning's CIBC Run for the Cure (5K).

I didn't run, of course - but I walked it in 45 minutes. I would probably have done it a bit more quickly, but I assumed I'd be at the slow end of the scale so I started near the back, only to find myself behind a sea of real slowpokes. I spent the first km dodging around people (and dogs and strollers) to get to my comfort zone. I'll know better next week in Victoria. Mind you, the Victoria race is actually a race, so there probably won't be so many lollygaggers.

I was a little worried about my back, after the mess I made of it in England, (see Turtle Afloat)but the walking actually seems to help. I had fun. I have to work 5 days now, and then I have the weekend off. I think I'll try to go down to Victoria on Saturday morning, collect my race kit, spend the night either in the RV or at a friend's place, and be there in town for the race. Otherwise, I'll have to leave home incredibly early on Sunday to be there for the race.

Given the difficulty I had walking 12 k a couple of months ago, I think I'll stick with my 8k registration. There will be time for 1/2 marathons later, I hope.

Turtle Afloat

2006-09-04T17:35:00.000-07:00

Robin and I are flying to England tomorrow for a narrowboat holiday, and I've started a new blog in honour of the event. It's called Turtle Afloat, and I've put a link to it on the list below. See you there!

The Five (at last count) Rs

2006-08-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

Reconnecting. Re-reading. Resonating. Ranting. Remembering.

Hi, everybody. My poor computer was ill, so it went off to hospital for a few days, and I suffered the torments of the isolated. It wasn't bad, really, except I missed being able to catch up on the boards, post here and also read Charlie's blog to get the latest on his athletic endeavours.

I have done several 10k walks and two bike rides (14 and 16 miles, respectively), which made me feel ill - I don't seem to do heat very well. I'm glad the races are scheduled for October, not August.

In the meantime, also, I've re-read Barbara Kingsolver's Small Wonder, which brought me to tears again; I've listened repeatedly to my favourite violin concertos and the Bach cello suites -and the other day I heard a wonderful 3-hour CBC programme that featured the viola da gamba. I'm beginning to sort out my physical reactions to the various stringed instruments. The violin takes my breath away - literally, at times - but I seem to hear the sound mostly in my face and jaw. The viola da gamba resonates off (on? in?) my left collarbone and shoulder blade. The cello's voice settles right near my bottom ribs and gently touches my diaphragm, thus also causing a bit of breathlessness. I tend to think of it as making my chest hurt, but that's not it, exactly. It hurts good, whatever it is. The common-or-garden viola sounds to me as if it's made from a not-quite-empty cereal box, and it doesn't resonate at all - just lies there making scraping noises. All these things make me ponder the nature of beauty and our individual responses to it. They also make me want to unplug the tv and just fill the house with music (my music, of course. This could be difficult.)

Here comes the rant: Why, why, why did I not take violin lessons when I was advised to do so? Our school system brought in people to test us kids I think I was nine or ten years old - and tell us what sort of instruments we should play (if any, I must presume*); I was told that I was best suited to the violin. I took a few piano lessons at school (a horrid experience), but never picked up a violin. I did sing, of course, and continued to sing until just a few years ago, when a bad patch of allergies made me sound like a frog, but my voice is the only instrument I ever learned to play with any degree of proficiency. Shame. It was probably a matter of money, and there was nothing to be done about that, but it's still a shame. I'd love to feel the music in my fingers and hands and arms, as well as in my face and chest.

*Little story. Funny/sad. My daughter also took piano lessons for a short time, but from a private teacher. Before long, the teacher told her she was the most appallingly untalented child he had ever encountered (PD is, she will be the first to admit, tone-deaf, and her eye-hand co-ordination was a little slow in coming. She has other redeeming qualities, like emotional honesty and straightforwardness, which I wish I shared.) Shortly after this outburst, the gentleman killed himself. All these thirty years or so later, I think my poor daughter still nurses a suspicion that she was responsible for his demise.

That's what happens if you take my computer away. I have too much time to sit and think.

A Learning Experience

2006-07-11T17:27:00.000-07:00

Several, actually - the latest of which involved sitting here, composing an entry about my last week's activities, and failing to notice that my battery was low. Suddenly, the screen went dark, and there went my post. So here I go, trying to remember -

I had planned to take the 10k walk with the Running Room group last Sunday, but something else came up, so I went out by myself on Saturday instead. The walk was long, but fun, to make a long story short.

Then I worked and worked (enough said) until this weekend, when I took the Coho to Washington to visit some very good friends. We had a lovely, relaxing couple of days together.

When I got back to Victoria, I intended to walk the 8k Victoria Marathon course, then take the bus home and watch the re-run of the World Cup final. I carefully avoided watching or hearing any news reports, so that I wouldn't hear who won. I walked to the bus station, only to discover that they don't have lockers any more. The lockers were pulled out a year ago. I guess I don't take buses often enough. My backpack contained my clothes for the weekend, toiletries, and two bath towels I had bought in Washington. I was also carrying a purse. There was no way I was going to walk the 8k with the pack on my back, so I settled for a walk up Douglas Street to a fabric shop. While I was in the shop, I heard horns honking. The sales clerk said "Oh, those crazy Italians! They just won the World Cup." So much for the element of surprise. In the end, though, I didn't mind, because I got to be in Victoria for the party. There were cars speeding up and down Douglas Street with horns blaring, Italian flags waving from their windows, and voices crying "Viva Italia!" While I waited for the bus, I sat on a bench in the Empress Hotel's rose garden and listened to a marimba band that was playing on the corner. It was a great finish to the weekend.

This morning I set out on a walk. I made several mistakes. First, I didn't map the route out first, so I felt a little aimless. Then, I didn't have any bananas, so I ate a nectarine instead. Nope. Bad idea. I only had $3 in my belt, and figured that would be enough. It wasn't. About five kilometers into the walk, I was decidedly tired, so I detoured to a supermarket to buy a Power Gel. I ate the gel, wishing I had enough money to buy a bottle of water to wash it down (Fruit Punch Gatorade really doesn't go well with chocolate gel). Much refreshed, though, I walked home, where I stretched, bathed, and finally mapped the route I had taken. 10.98k (6.82 miles) that felt much longer.

Along the route, I thought about my mother, who would be 90 years old today if she had lived. Creaky as I am, I'm still moving, and I'm eleven years older than my mom ever got to be, so I guess things aren't so bad.

8k and beyond

2006-06-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I did the planned 4.11 mile (6.61k, 10,040 steps) walk, and arrived home still feeling strong. I thought I could have walked farther.

This morning I decided to try for 8k. I had an unexpected errand to run, so I modified my walk to allow for a stop at the office with paperwork. I was wearing my pedometer, and figured I'd have to do about 12,000 steps to make the 8k. By the time I had taken a walk that included the errand, several stretch stops and one bathroom stop, I had taken 12,454 steps. I entered the route online and it worked out to 5.66 miles/9.11 kms. Cool.

I've listened to the experts. I'm no longer trying to lengthen my tiny stride, so the shin pain is gone, though I'm developing a blister on my right little toe. Also, Charlie told me that the only person I'm competing with is myself, and I've decided that at least for now, my race isn't about speed; it's about endurance. Today's walk took just under two hours. Without the business stop, I think I could have done at least 10k in the same amount of time, even with the rest stops.

I have another day off tomorrow, and I hate to waste the opportunity for a walk, so I'll probably put my rest day off to Sunday, when I have to work at 6 am anyway.

Useful Discovery

2006-06-21T22:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was prepared to spend $30 at The Running Room

http://www.clinics.runningroom.com

on a pedometer that would tell me how far I had walked, but I didn't have $30 on me, so I put it off to today. When I got home, I had an e-mail from The Running Room that included maps of a 5k run and a 10k run here in Nanaimo. They were done on Google's pedometer site, which I hadn't known existed. Whew. Saved me $30, they did. I signed up for the site, and this morning I did a 3.51 mile (5.616 km) walk in my own neighbourhood. 8,762 steps. I've already mapped tomorrow's 4.11 mile walk. This is going to be very useful indeed. I will spend the $30 on something else from The Running Room.

http://tinyurl.com/hbbvb

Charlie's going to be racing again this weekend - check it out on his blog. The link is over on the right.

Time off

2006-06-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

I've had the last few days off work - time for lots of training, one would think. However, it hasn't really worked out that way. Robin has had the time off also, so we've been doing things together. The World Cup finals are on, so we've been spending an inordinate amount of time glued to the tv. Robin has an unfortunate tendency to support the European teams. I like the New World teams, for the most part. The match that's coming up in a few minutes is England vs Sweden, so for once R and I will be cheering for the same side.

Yesterday we drove the motor home to Parksville, where we took a bike ride - but it wasn't all that long a ride. We had Lupa with us, but it seems I tired her out the day before, so she didn't feel like walking very far. That's to be expected, I suppose, as she's about my age.

Today we went to the Aquatic Centre. Robin went straight to the pool, but I took a few minutes to walk on the treadmill, then used the lat pulldown, shoulder press, leg press, and ab machines before I joined him. I did my stretching in the pool, which was wonderful. As I've mentioned somewhere else this morning, I actually feel as if my hip flexors are starting to flex, and that's just amazing. I'm feeling guilty about not doing full walks the last few days, but if what I'm doing loosens my hip joints, it can only help when I do walk 5-8 k at a time.

The receptionist at the Aquatic Centre informed me that there is a summer special on. If I buy a monthly membership for July, I'll get August for free. That works perfectly for me. Now I can relax and go to the gym/pool as often as I like.

Return to Power

2006-06-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

I've been without power to the computer for a few days, but all is well now - power cord here and connected. Meanwhile, I've not kept track of my activity - but I have been walking. We have Lupa here again, so she and I get out for a walk first thing in the morning, and tonight we took a second walk. Tomorrow we will take Lupa up to Parksville in the motor home and spend the day - or possibly stay overnight. That will allow for some beach walking, as well as a bike ride.

I do recall noting that when I started walking on pavement, I developed a pain in my left shin that didn't respond to stretching the shin. Oddly, I could relieve the pain by stretching my calf. Today, when I did post-walk stretches, I forgot about my quads, and when I started to walk later they protested. I really must develop a routine for stretching, so I don't forget something important.

My sister Pam will be coming up for a visit in August. I've rented a spot for the motorhome at my favourite RV park in Victoria, and I've warned Pam that she should start training, because she and I will be walking the 8k course while we have our visit. She's such a good sport, and a great walker. I look forward to seeing scenic James Bay with her.

Now that I'm reconnected, I'll try to keep up here - my memory being too short for three-day breaks.

Just for a Change

2006-06-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

I didn't go to the gym yesterday. My shift was noon-8:00, so I took Lupa (Golden Retriever) for a walk in the morning. We went to the Parkway Trailway and walked for one hour and twenty minutes. The new shoes felt pretty good, apart from a little heat where the lump had been. I think I'm just settling the cushioning foam into place.

I don't think I made half the speed that I do on the treadmill, though. When race day comes, I'll need to find somebody fast and chase him/her for all I'm worth.

After work, I did a few pushups and worked my triceps. I met a runner the other day who said that running in the morning and strength training in the evening works well for her, so I'm going to try that approach.

This morning, R and I were going to go for a bike ride, but England is playing football, so I have a feeling I'm going to be on my own.

New Shoe Diary

2006-06-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

I took my new training shoes to the Aquatic Centre this morning and walked over four miles on the treadmill. I did just under one mile, got off to turn the fan on, and inadvertently turned the treadmill off, technologically challenged as I am - so I turned it back on and did another 3.25 miles, just to be sure I had made it over the four-mile mark. A couple of times during the walk, I increased the speed to 4 mph for 1/2 a mile.

The shoes: At the beginning - at least for the first mile - I felt as if I had something in my right shoe, close to the outer margin of the ball of my foot. That feeling did ease up considerably in the course of the walk. For a while, my left foot felt a bit numb, but that passed as well, and overall I was very pleased. I think I can resolve the issues I had by learning to tie my shoes. It's never too late, I hope. It occurred to me that the socks I wear are quite thin, as well - so I'll try wearing something a little thicker.

After the walk I stretched a little, worked out on the lat pulldown, the shoulder press, and the Roman chair, then spent the last ten minutes doing some serious stretching. I came away feeling much more limber than usual.

As I walked, I tried with some success to keep my arms engaged, but from time to time I just had to lower them for a rest. I was working on racewalk form, but I don't think I carried it off. I think I'll get somebody to videotape me while I walk. My camera will do two-minute videos. If I have a look at my form, I can make some corrections. At the moment I feel very awkward. OTOH, maybe you just can't racewalk correctly on a treadmill. Better check that out.

My pre-workout breakfast was half a banana again. That seems to work very well for me. I'm only now (11 am) beginning to feel that I need a bowl of Spoon Size Shredded Wheat. I am trying to figure out what I need to eat before I go out to race, and the 1/2 banana seems to fit the bill. As I start walking longer distances, I'll start carrying a Clif bar or something similar to eat during the walk.

You know what the best part of working out is? The focus. During my stretch, I suddenly realized I had been thinking of nothing except stretching this muscle, stretching that muscle. The realization came when I noticed a group of people with MS working out nearby. I started to reflect on how lucky I am, and that was when I realized I had been totally absorbed in my workout. Cool.

What I did on my day off

2006-06-12T18:50:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed that days off just fly by? I woke up this morning at 5 o'clock, decided that was a ridiculous hour to be up, and went back to sleep. Unfortunately, I didn't wake up again until 7:15. I was to pick up my friend Jane at 9 am. I had to go to Victoria to pick up my new passport and do a couple of other errands, and Jane was kindly coming along to keep me company. We wanted to have time to do all the Victoria stuff and get out of there before rush hour.

Accordingly, I dressed in my gym clothes, grabbed half a banana for breakfast, and drove to the gym. I only had time to do 55 minutes again (I didn't actually have time for that, but I did it anyway.), a little over the 3.25 km this time - then a perfunctory stretch, and home for a shower. I arrived at Jane's, puffing, at 9:15. Tsk.

Jane and I had a great time in the big city. After we picked up my passport, we had lunch at Pagliacci's, a Victoria landmark. Happily fed, we drove over to James Bay and checked out the routes for the 8k and half-marathon. Then we hit Silk Road for a supply of Rooibos tea, Home Depot for Jane's paint, and back to Nanaimo.

My right leg started bothering me last night, possibly because I'd been trying out all those wonderful stretches I found at www.racewalk.com and got carried away - but I had a good look at the New Balance shoes I'd been wearing (for everything), decided they were really Old Balance, even Off Balance, and had been for a very long time. After I left Jane at her house, I made my way to the Running Room, where Mike guided me through the painfully expensive experience of buying a new pair of shoes for training. I ended up with Mizuno Wave Riders. They feel very structured after the loose comfort of the NBs. I'm wearing them around the house tonight, and I'll go to the treadmill tomorrow morning to give them their official tryout. If they're okay after that, I'll risk going out on a track and making them unreturnable. I shall be good and wear them only for training.

So. I was walking back and forth in the shop while Mike stared at my ankles and knees (the rogue - checking for excess movement, he said) and I noticed a sign on the window referring to two other races coming up in this area. The first one will be happening while I'm on holiday in England, so that's out, but the second one, the CIBC Run for the Cure, is slated for October 1, will take place here in Nanaimo - and it's just a 5k. Hey! I could do that as warmup for the October 8 8k run - and walk off my jet lag as a bonus.

Charlie, you've created a monster.

Lest I forget

2006-06-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

I just came back from the gym, and I'm hurrying to get ready for work - but I want to make note of this morning's stats: 55 minutes, 3.25 miles. I did a couple of minutes' warmup on a different treadmill, didn't like it, and switched back to the one I used yesterday. How can they have such distinct personalities, these machines? Anyway, I set the speed at 3.5, which is 17.08 minutes/mile, and the incline at .1, and just walked. I took a much-needed bathroom break at 2.5 miles, and I'm not sure whether the clock kept ticking while I was away, so I'm calling this "just over 3 miles" - still up from yesterday by over a mile, and at a minute less per mile. I'm really enjoying this, so far. The first mile or so is drudgery, but then I seem to get into the spirit of it, and it stays good for the rest of this - admittedly still short - walk. I may reconsider when I get to the five mile walks.

My late mother's birthday is July 11, and that's the date I've set as Decision Day. I should know by then whether I will be able to do the half marathon. I'll try to add at least a mile to my walks each week, which should put me at 8 miles or better - still nowhere near the 13 needed for the half, but I should have a good idea of my capabilities by then.

Off I go to work now.

Emulating the tortoise, not the hare

2006-06-09T20:45:00.000-07:00

I woke up to the sound of rain this morning. It wasn't the kind of morning that inspires one to walk to the gym, so I changed plans. I drove to the gym, got on the treadmill, and did two 18-minute miles. I was tempted to speed up, but (having a lot of time to think while I walked) I thought it best to start gently. My heart rate was just right - in the aerobic range - at 18 minutes. Tomorrow I'll walk a little farther at the same speed. First, endurance - then speed. I can walk pretty fast, but 8 kms is a long way - and 21 kms - my not-so-secret true goal - is even farther! I want to find a speed that I can maintain for the distance.

After the treadmill, I worked on shoulders, legs and abs until I had to leave for work.

During the day, I stopped by my friend Joyce's house to ask whether she might join me in the race, and in training for it. She would love to, but is waiting for knee surgery. If she has recovered in time, she will get on board. I hope she does. Get well soon, Joyce.

Here I go.

2006-06-08T21:26:00.000-07:00

I did it. I registered to walk the 8 km road race that is part of the Royal Victoria Marathon on October 8, 2006. That gives me 122 days to train, some 21 of which (in September) I'll be in England, winding and climbing and taking walks along the canal. Meanwhile, I'll have to start walking to the gym instead of riding my bike, and I know I have a pedometer somewhere. I've added a link to the marathon to my list. Do check it out. It's right over there. -->

I get a shirt - a purple one, I think.

Yesterday's workout was great. I biked to the gym, worked out for an hour, including a ten-minute stretch at the end, and biked home. I felt terrific. That and reading Charlie's report of his half-marathon were what inspired me to make the commitment.

Today, R and I went out for a bike ride before work, but he got a flat tire, so we really didn't get far. Tomorrow, he starts work at 7:30 in the morning and I don't start until 11:00, so I think I'll get up with him, take a walk to the gym, and work out before I go to work.

I am just so stoked. ;>) A winding, walking, wheeling dervish.

In Training

2006-06-06T12:08:00.000-07:00

Okay, Franco, I'm back. Franco has been nagging me to get back to my blog. I think that's mostly because my last post recorded my beating him at UpWords - what was it? Three times in a row? Heh™.

I'm here to say that the tables have turned, UpWords-wise. Franco has beaten me every time we played since that first night. Never mind. There will be other games.

Robin and I have booked our flight to England for September 5, and rented a narrowboat (the Bedwyn Lock) to sail the Kennett-Avon Canal for three weeks starting September 6. It is now high time for me to get into shape for my job as winding-thingy person (aka The Monkey). I went to the Aquatic Centre the day before yesterday and bought ten tickets so I would be sure to keep coming back, then did a half-hour workout.

Yesterday I put Leslie Sansone and the Stepford Wives in the DVD player and did two miles.

Today I had the day off, so I rode my bicycle to the Aquatic Centre (15 minutes), worked out, and rode home again. I have the day off again tomorrow, so I may just do the same again, or at least the workout part. When I was at Wydel's Gym, I used to do two days on, one day off, two on, and two off. That seemed to just suit me. Mind you, that was a few years ago now. I'll have to see how my poor old body reacts to all this activity.

The highlight of the workout, in terms of pleasure, was the leg press. I love the leg press, probably because it's easy for me to push 120 pounds. The real highlight, as far as fitness goes, was the new piece of equipment I discovered. It had the word "Atlantis" on it, and it was an ab machine. It was horrible. I hated every second of it. I did three sets of twelve crunches, pushing 30 pounds. I also worked biceps, triceps, lats, and obliques, did a quick session (five minutes) on the rowing machine, balanced on a tippy board - well, tried to balance on a tippy board - and stretched a bit. I made notes of the various pieces of equipment, and I'll make myself out a schedule to carry along so I don't just wander aimlessly around the gym.

Somebody please keep reminding me that I really do like working out, and really, really like Having Worked Out.

I am the Champion

2006-01-04T21:47:00.000-08:00

We went to F&J's for dinner. R didn't want to play UpWords. Channeling Peter Sellers, he said "I like to watch," so F and I played. I won the first game.

"There's a learning curve," said F. Things will be different this time. I won the second game.

"I've really got the hang of it now," said F. I won the third game. Heh™.

I love UpWords. It is definitely going to be the game of choice on our holiday.

Tonight we went to Alexandra's Restaurant for dinner, courtesy of my bosses. I decided to order calamari. I take in a little animal food now and then, so I don't turn into a self-righteous and judgmental vegetarian, a regrettable tendency of mine. The calamari were delicious, but they aren't agreeing with me. I remember this feeling from when I ate clams in Mexico last year. Back to the soy I go.

First steps

2006-01-03T15:11:00.000-08:00

Today we made reservations for the American Atheist annual convention, to be held in San Antonio April 14-16, 2006. http://www.atheists.org/convention/ This constitutes starting our itinerary at the tail end, or nearly. By the time we attend the convention, we'll already have been in Mexico for a month or more, then worked our way back via Laredo, I think. My sister Pam and her husband hope to come visit us in San Antonio or - earlier - down on the gulf. If that doesn't work out, we'll be stopping by Austin to see them after the convention. We're both very excited about our trip. It comes up in conversation about every five minutes. 42 days and counting.

Yesterday was R's 66th birthday. I gave him a tripod for his telescope (much needed and appreciated) and a game of UpWords, which comes highly recommended. We're going to F&J's house for dinner tonight, and a game of UpWords is on the after-dinner agenda. Shortly, we'll be packing both telescope and game into the motorhome......(see what I mean?)

Happy New Year!

2006-01-01T20:46:00.000-08:00

Starting as I mean to go on, I've come in to welcome the new year. I bought a new notebook yesterday, and I'm determined to do writing practice every day. It wasn't exactly a New Year's resolution. I just realized that I had gone far too long without writing, and the time had come to correct that. However, the beginning of a new year is a fine time to start a new good habit, or revive an old one.

Today, I've had several ideas come to the surface of my mind, and I've not been in a position to write them down. Now I have to go sit quietly and hope they resurface. If that doesn't work, I should consider carrying around a very small notebook just for jotting, so that when the time comes to actually write, I won't just stare into the middle distance and wonder what it was I wanted to write about.

As for my real New Year's resolution, I absolutely must go back to getting some exercise every day. I'm having a hard time remembering how good it felt, but I know it was better than this fatigue and depression and getting fat trip I'm on now.

Well, wasn't that a cheerful closing line? How's this? I'm off to open my shiny new notebook and write for fifteen minutes. Exercise for the brain.

After a long, long time,

2005-12-29T18:44:00.000-08:00

I'm back! I see that I went off to Oregon back in - what was it, September? - promising to write more on my return. So much for my promises.

Winter set in, cycling weather became rare to non-existent, work got heavier and more stressful, and it became a chore even to read Charlie's blog, much less to write my own.

Over the last few days, I've been trying to get a little better organized. I wrote three letters for Amnesty International the other night, and I finally set up a database to keep track of those. Just now I gathered my will about me, opened Charlie's blog, and saw that he has been gone almost as long as I have. LOL. Fair weather bloggers, both of us.

And now, as promised: The trip to Oregon was lovely, although the weather was not entirely co-operative. I bought two huge kites in Newport, one for us and one for J & F. The weather gods saw what I had done, and they were not pleased. All the wind disappeared and we were left with a breeze that couldn't flap the laundry on a clothesline, much less keep a kite aloft. When we did get wind, it came with rain, and I don't see myself flying a kite in a rainstorm. Never mind. The Turtle will be coming over in two weeks, to be used as a guest room for a few days while my daughter and her husband visit us. After that, I'll start packing for our trip to Mexico (scheduled for February 14, give or take), and I'll be sure to include the kite. I have visions of running along a beach at the Sea of Cortez, watching my seven foot delta kite soar overhead.

When I'm not flying a kite, cycling or paddling our new canoe, I plan to be reading and knitting. As we'll be gone two and a half months this time, I figure I'll need at least ten really good books. I found a copy of Under the Tuscan Sun and grabbed that, along with Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City. B, whose taste in literature is impeccable, lent me her copy of Memoirs of a Geisha. I went to see the movie the other night and enjoyed it very much. The photography was beautiful, and it set the mood quite elegantly - dark water running over pebbles, moonlight on floating leaves, flashes of kimono colour against a background of despair. If the book is better than the movie, which is usually the case, I have a great read in store for me. I've bought a novel by a Chinese author I don't know, on spec, and thrown in a couple of non-fiction books. Now I need to see whether Rohinton Mistry has a new book out, which would be wonderful, or failing that, I need to find at least four more exceptional books. Such a happy task.

Ready to Roll

2005-09-03T22:39:00.000-07:00

So today the sky opened and all sorts of stuff fell out. It rained so hard at one point that I couldn't see where I was driving. It was a little scary.

It also didn't give me the urge to go cycling after work. I couldn't help wondering whether the rain might start again.

Not to worry, though. Tomorrow we're off to Victoria for the night, then across on the Coho to Port Angeles, to begin our (nearly) two-week motorhome trip down to the Oregon Coast, then back by Mt. Baker and up to B.C. again. We're bound to get some cycling weather along the way.

If I have internet access, I'll report in at Amazing Voyages...

I dragged myself out tonight.

2005-09-01T19:14:00.000-07:00

I had altogether the strangest day. I ate. And I ate. And I ate. No matter what, or how much, I ate, I couldn't get enough to eat. I had a good day at work - nice people, no major hassles - so I don't know why I was so hungry. (I do tend to eat more when I'm stressed out.) By the time I got home, I think I'd hit every fast food place in town. Late in the day, I discovered I had some trail mix with me, so I used that to get through the last couple of hours.

Having caught up on the boards, I got dressed and went out on my bike. It was hard. I slogged along, low on energy (not surprising) - but I went a little farther than I have been doing on my evening outings, and of course, by the time I came home, I felt much better. Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Not a Chance

2005-08-31T19:36:00.000-07:00

I had the day off today, my last before we leave on our holiday - so I had lots to do. I did hope to get on my bike for a bit - even considered riding up to Starbucks for my coffee - but time was going to be tight, so I passed.

I rented an electric hedge trimmer, the kind that's almost as long as I am tall, and did my home version of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I lopped a couple of feet off each of the shrubs in my yard. I also used the machine to cut the perennial border down to about six inches in height. Then I raked up all the debris and hauled it out behind the house to the brush pile. I hope that when the monsoons hit this year, the yard won't look as ghastly as it did last year. We do tend to go away just when I should be cleaning up the garden.

Then I washed the sheets, towels and carpets from the motorhome, vacuumed the floor and furniture in there, and vacuumed the house.

When I returned the hedge trimmer, I considered driving on up for a second cup of coffee, but I couldn't bear the thought of steering all that way. I came home and made tea instead, and took some well-earned R&R. I had to use two hands to hold the teacup.

R has gone out for a short bike ride. I considered joining him, but in the end I decided I would probably fall off the bike. ;>) Tomorrow I work from 7 am to 3:30 pm, which leaves me plenty of time for an after-work ride.

Idyllic Weekend: a Review

2005-08-29T14:05:00.000-07:00

We got in a couple of hours ago, having had a quiet, restful weekend on Denman Island. We were in the Provincial Park there - only 10 spots, no services (except the privies, which most of the visitors seemed to regard as Smoking Rooms. Ugh.) We did some cycling, walked the dog in the woods and along the beach, counted stars, read our respective books. I've recently started reading Banana Yoshimoto's stories. They're like an itch that you can't quite reach, but you keep trying to scratch it, because you can't help yourself. R is reading a book called Mimi and Toutou Go Forth, iirc. Considering the giggles I kept hearing from him, I guess I had better read it when he's finished.

When I got up yesterday morning, I heard a loon cry. I pointed it out to R, but he couldn't hear it. This morning I heard it again - then I realized that one loon couldn't possibly make all that noise. Even R could hear it. He went out and had a look. It was indeed an entire choir of loons. Their song was wonderful. It reminded me of that dance that Billy Elliot does in the movie - all leaps and whirls and clumsy landings and total exuberance. Great stuff.

On the subject of stories - all that peace and quiet bore fruit. I came up with two story ideas, which I shall promptly write down in the separate online journal I've created for that sort of thing. Also, it occurred to me that I could create a blog within a blog here, and copy my travel journal into it. That way, if we ever get our laptop, and if I ever figure out how to obtain and use WiFi service, I'll be able to journal as I go, without the intermediate handwriting stage. The travel journal is called "The Amazing Voyages of the Good Land Yacht Turtle." It's at http://sandarastraveljournal.blogspot.com. I've also put a link over there. ====>

For All My Fans

2005-08-26T21:29:00.000-07:00

LOL. I stopped by J&F's house this morning to pick up our rent-a-dog, and F said to me "I haven't seen anything new at Turtle Tracks - are you still stuck out by Newcastle Island?" Little did I know that they were following this narrative. So, lest they fall behind:

I had the day off today. I spent it doing chores and preparing to take the motorhome to Denman Island tomorrow. I took the Buick to Midas to see about having the brake pads done, as I could hear the squealers. I left the car there, asked them to call me with an estimate, and cycled up to Country Club Mall, where I met a friend for tea at Starbucks. Then I cycled on up to Longwood Station and had my hair cut. Just before I left Starbucks I got a call from the shop saying we need $1,200 worth of work on the car. Pffffft. I said we might well just put it away for the winter and think about it in the spring (in Tara).

Anyway, after my haircut I cycled back to Midas, put the bike on the car, and came home for lunch (at about 2:30 pm). My 'day off treat' was to sit and watch "Something the Lord Made". The title had always put me off, but I noticed that it had Alan Rickman in it, so I watched it. What a lovely movie! Nothing makes a day off like a good movie with a nice, soggy ending.

Having now walked the dog, finished packing the motorhome, and had dinner, I'm ready to collapse. I am so looking forward to being out on the island (a smaller island!), cycling and swimming and not working. See you next week!

The Learning Experience

2005-08-21T15:12:00.000-07:00

Well. We've been thinking about buying a boat of some description to put up on top of the motorhome. To help make the decision, we rented two kayaks this morning and paddled up the channel, around Newcastle Island and Jessie Island, and back to the rental shack - 3 hours of paddling.

I enjoyed the first part, sort of, but it was after our brief stop on Newcastle Island that I really thought we were on to something. When we first started, I felt I had to choose between paddling and steering. Doing both at the same time was beyond me. I must have made a comical picture, weaving and splashing my way up the channel. It's a wonder the harbour patrol didn't pull me over.

We beached the kayaks at Newcastle Island, where I tried to get out and ended up falling out into about six inches of warm water. I was still laughing when I stood up. I noticed a few minutes later that I had ripped a piece out of the front of my ankle (bottom of my shin?), but the cut wasn't serious. A few minutes later, we set out again, around to the outside of the island (the part that faces into the Georgia Strait), and I found that I was more comfortable than before. I had shortened the strap on my left rudder control a bit, which made steering much easier.

When we got out into the strait, we encountered some swell, but nothing too bad until we got close to the channel between Newcastle and Jessie Islands. There, the sea was very confused. There, as well, I discovered that it is quite possible to be seasick in a kayak.

We waited for the incoming ferry to go by, then struck out for Jessie Island. I was sick, exhausted, and frightened, in about equal measure. About then, I remember yelling to R., "I think that the sooner I'm out of this boat, the better." I paddled and rested, paddled and rested, then heard the outgoing ferry bellow. I paddled and gasped and paddled some more, and at that point, my symptoms rearranged themselves: frightened, exhausted, frightened, sick, frightened. My head was swimming (I was still in the boat, though), my legs were tingling, and I definitely wanted out of the damned boat. I would have been infinitely grateful to have the harbour patrol boat pull alongside. But no-o-o-o-o.

Eventually, we fetched up at the ramp, and a strong, cheerful young man helped us to come ashore. He assured me that my seasickness was only moderate - nothing like that of the man that projectile vomited throughout a 7 hour tour last week. How comforting. We finished our business with the kayak people, then automatically got back into the car in the positions we had arrived in - me behind the wheel, R in the passenger seat.

That lasted for about three blocks, until I made a right turn off the road filled with ferry traffic, then a very quick left into a diagonal parking space, and slammed on the brakes. I was out of the car in a flash and staggering up the grassy bank to a very solid rock, on which I sat with my head between my knees until the dizziness passed (sort of).

R drove us home, and I collapsed into a recliner, which unfortunately rocks when it isn't in the reclining position. I fixed that. About ten minutes later, I was able to get up and make myself a cup of green tea with peppermint, and half an hour after that, I made and ate a sandwich. Having had a brief nap, I still feel weak and puny, but I've stopped thinking I'm about to pass out.

R says his hips and shoulders are sore, but he really thinks a canoe with outrigger would be a better idea than the kayaks. They're too hard to get in and out of.

I think I'd rather ride my bicycle.

What a difference on the hills!

2005-08-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning got away from me a bit, and I missed the water pilates class, but at about 8AM I clambered aboard Honey and rode out to where my taxi lives (12.6 km away). It took me one hour and ten minutes (Lance Armstrong I'm not.) via Bowen Road. On the way, I pulled in at Starbucks and stopped the clock while I enjoyed my morning coffee and a breather. I was a little disappointed that the trip still took 1 hr. 10 minutes, even on my new bike, but I assured myself that the trip home would be faster, as it had more downhill runs.

When I reached my destination, I dropped off the envelope I had carried with me, got back on the bike, and rode home (as planned) via Jinglepot Road, which may or may not be slightly longer, but which has it all over Bowen Road wrt scenery. There are horse ranches, small farms of various sorts, and something called "Shady Mile" a pleasant forested area to which, every November 1, people from all over town bring their jack-o-lanterns and set them on fenceposts and along the roadside to entertain passersby for the next week or so.

I only dismounted for one hill. That was on Jinglepot, on the way home. I started up the hill, tried to downshift, and accidentally upshifted instead. Brought to a sudden halt, I got off in disgust and walked up the hill. As it turned out, it was a terrible climb, so I would probably have had to get off anyway, but that clinched it. The learning curve strikes again.

The time for the trip home? One hour, ten minutes. Sigh.

I arrived home in time to shower, dress, and head downtown (by car) to meet my online acquaintance and her parents for lunch. It was fun to play tour guide for a little while.

In the evening, R suggested we go for a swim at the Aquatic Centre, but wondered whether I was up to it, given that I was walking funny. Hmm. Fightin' words. I went. It was a silly thing to do, of course. The wave pool was making little waves, which I found very annoying, because all I had the energy to do was float on my back, and the waves kept trying to drown me. In the end, I decided to do some stretches in the water. I also went into the hot tub twice.

Much to my surprise, I feel okay today. I rode my bike downtown to ask Grumpy what maintenance I need to do on the bike (He loved that!), stopped in at the market for a couple of things, and rode home. If R wants to go out on the bikes tonight, I'll probably be up for it. Amazing.

At Last

2005-08-17T20:50:00.000-07:00

I took Honey out for a ride tonight. It was delightful to be able to stay on the bike even on steep hills. It wasn't easy, but I could do it. The bike seems very tall to me, and it will take time for me to feel comfortable getting on and off it, but once I'm there, I can fly!

I have the next two days off, and plan to do lots of cycling. There's a water pilates class tomorrow morning at the Aquatic Centre, so I'll try to cycle up there for 7:30am - weather and wakefulness permitting - then keep going to where I have to pick up my cab on workdays. I'd like to see how long it takes me on this new bike.

Coming home, I'll likely take Jinglepot Road, which is much more scenic than the highway. All this has to be done in time to come home, take a shower, and drive downtown by noon to meet an online acquaintance who is visiting from Chicago. I've recommended the little fish & chips place on the docks. They have a veggie burger, so I'll be able to stick to my usual fare.

If I survive tomorrow's efforts, I'll think of a new adventure for Friday - maybe Ladysmith and back?

Go figure.

2005-08-16T19:16:00.000-07:00

I went into the bike store this morning and paid for my bike. Later, R stopped in and picked it up for me. He took it for a spin (his delivery fee!) and reported that the gearing system is great.

Meanwhile, I spent the afternoon working, feeling ill, hoping I would feel better this evening so I could take Honey out (that's my bike's name, btw.) - but I don't. It wouldn't do to get too far from home in my state.

So - tomorrow is another day, right?

Making the most of a day off

2005-08-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm feeling a little more confident on my bike, I've raised the seat a bit. As a result, I can now stand up and pedal a few strokes from time to time. I think that's considered cheating in orthodox bike circles, but it enabled me to make great time this morning, even on the little hills. I never geared down below 2.4 in the 40 minutes we were out. I left R in the dust. Heh.

After our ride, we went to the Aquatic Centre for a swim, and I took my 45 minute Water Pilates class. I am now officially done in.

R has gone off to work now. He'll be home about 4:30 this afternoon, and then we'll go down to Yellowpoint with the dog. (I hope to have recovered by then.) There's a place called Blue Heron Cove that seems to be a haven for dog people. The last time we were there, there were about 8 dogs on the beach, running free, playing in the water, having a wonderful time. Nobody seemed at all bothered by the dogs. This time, I'm going to wear my swimsuit and have my first salt water swim of the season - before the season is gone.

Meanwhile, there are shrubs to be pruned. Sigh.

Another Day, Another Decision

2005-08-13T22:25:00.000-07:00

I've learned that the bike somebody at The Motley Fool recommended is not available in town - it looks as if I would have to go either to Vancouver or Victoria to buy it. I spoke to the Grumpy Old Man that runs the bike shop here - the one that carries the Miele Toscana L1 bike I liked - and he just made Grumpy Old Man Sounds. I told him that someone had recommended I upgrade to a bike like a Trek 7100 with the - I don't know - the whatever-it-was on the rear end - and he said "THAT WOULD MEAN GOING TO AN $800 BIKE"......and then....."WHO ARE THEY? THEY'RE CYCLISTS. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SELLING BIKES FOR THIRTY-FOUR YEARS!"

What to do? What to do? I really would rather not get into a relationship with this man. His idea of customer relations is to growl and pound on his customers until they agree with him. On the other hand, I know that I'll have problems with my bike. It's a bike, after all. Disagreeable as he is, he's here in town, and he seems to know his stuff, and unlike most of the other bike salesmen around here, he's over twelve. I can walk from my house to his shop in half an hour, if necessary. If I buy the Trek bike or something like it, I'll have to drive 1 1/2 or 2 hours by car to get the service. Furthermore, I e-mailed Fort St. Cycles to ask about price and availability. They sent me an e-mail saying they could get the bike I'm interested in by next week, and they don't like to give out prices over the internet or phone, because they want to woo customers with their excellent service package. Again, the service is a couple of hours from here, by car, and I don't like being asked to drive all the way to Victoria without even knowing the price of the bike - and a service call wouldn't cost that much more than a drive to Victoria, what with gas prices going through the ceiling.

I've made up my mind, haven't I? It's me and Grumpy, joined at the hip, for as long as my bike lasts. Shudder. Maybe I'll make him some cookies or something, to soften him up.

Busy, busy

2005-08-11T16:58:00.000-07:00

Such a busy week. There was the air show in Comox, which was, on the whole, not as good as in previous years, but it was still fun. We took our motorhome, parked in the special lot they had set aside for such as us, and sat on our roof to watch the proceedings. The Snowbirds finished the show in their usual spectacular fashion. http://www.pbase.com/klin/sb_at_cfb_comox
I'm not a fan of anything with an engine, really, but the Snowbirds always bring tears to my eyes.

Then, back to work, trying to fit an hour on my bike in every day - although I missed yesterday. I just told myself that Charlie would approve. ;>)

Today I had the day off, and I spent part of it going from cycle shop to cycle shop, looking for a new bike. I'm becoming increasingly dissatisfied with my mountain bike. I had no idea what I was looking for when I bought it. Now, I'm beginning to understand what kind of riding I'm really going to be doing, what my own physical limitations are and how my choice of bike can help to mitigate those limitations. Of the four bikes I've tried out today, the least expensive one is the one I like best - BONUS! It's $425 Cdn, which is still a fair amount for me to spend, so I'm posting to the Bicycling Fools board at the Motley Fool, asking for advice, before I commit to anything.

Here's the bike I'm considering: http://tinyurl.com/7ssul

I guess this is the end of my post. R is standing in the doorway, telling me he's ready to go for a bike ride. Carpe diem. Bye.

Sandra the Intrepid Traveler

2005-08-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

First thing yesterday morning I made my groggy way out to the storeroom to pick up my bike and headed out for a ride. I'd been cycling along for about twenty minutes when it occurred to me that I was going to be cycling home from the north end after work, and maybe I should take it easy. So I limited the ride to half an hour, got ready for work, and put cycling out of my mind until after 7 pm, when I had finished working. I stopped at Starbucks, got a bottle of water and a ginger-molasses cookie (supper), changed into my heart-stopping cycling clothes in the washroom, then picked my bike up and transported it a little farther north to where the car lives.

I left there on the bike at 8:10 pm, and arrived home at 9:20 pm. The trip home is slightly more downhillish than the trip I did the other morning, so it didn't take the hour and a half I expected, which was good. I was a little concerned about the light situation. My bike has no lights, and the day was rapidly turning to night - just as I got to the part of town that makes me a little edgy. Everything worked out fine, though. R was standing in the driveway when I got home, also a little concerned, I guess.

I expected to be dead on my feet, but I actually felt quite well after the ride, and it was 12:30 am when I finally did collapse into bed. At 6:00 am I woke up coughing - probably inhaled a bug on the bike ride ;>), so today I did feel a litle weary - but R and I went for a 50 minute ride this morning. It wasn't until I was working that the weariness set in. Hmmmm. Maybe I'd just rather be cycling.

Now it's time to really get some rest, because we're off to Comox tomorrow morning for the air show.

Best Laid Plans

2005-08-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

Still elated from yesterday's ride, I decided to do it again this morning. I didn't have to start work until 10:45. My bike needed a tune-up again. So I decided to bike from my house to where my cab lives (about an hour and a half - for me - north). I intended to ride to my cab, toss the bike in the trunk and take it back to Country Club Mall, where the bike store is, then drive home, shower, eat breakfast, and go to work.

Well.

I left home at 8:10AM, slightly behind schedule, but not dangerously so. I rode and rode, braving the cars along the highway, being very rudely cut off by a transport truck driver, finally making it safely to the bike path that starts half an hour from home and follows alongside the highway to the mall. I was still on that path at 9:00AM, five minutes from Country Club, still 20-30 minutes from my car, when my cell phone rang. It was my boss, calling to advise me that my cab was at the garage - three blocks from my house in the opposite direction. I'm afraid I shrieked a bit, which was unfair, considering that she had thought she was doing me a favour by leaving the cab there, thus saving me a drive out to her house.

Once I regained my composure, we arranged that I would go ahead and take my bike to the shop, repair to the nearby Starbucks, and wait for this lady to pick me up and take me back to the garage. She had to take her baby to daycare in that area anyway, so all worked out well, except that my bike won't be ready until tomorrow night, so R had to come pick me up after work tonight. I even managed to get home and have that shower and breakfast and start work on time, in spite of everything.

By a strange co-incidence, I finished my shift right there at Country Club Mall, and seeing the hand of fate at work, I went in and spent an inordinate amount of money on a pair of black spandex cycling shorts and a fancy-schmantzy hot pink sweat-wicking cycling shirt, which will clash horribly with my red helmet, so no d&^&^(! truck driver can look me squarely in the eye and pretend not to see me so he can justify pulling out in front of me on an uphill grade. Grrrrrrrr. If you can't beat 'em, blind 'em.

I feel SO WELL today ----

2005-08-03T18:24:00.000-07:00

R and I were going to go to Vancouver today, to visit his sons at their workplace, but that turned out to be unworkable. Then we thought perhaps we would take our bikes on the ferry to Horseshoe Bay (north end of Vancouver), load them onto the front of an express bus going downtown, and spend a couple of hours cycling in Stanley Park. We received a timely warning that the buses only have room for two bikes on them, so we had better try to be first off the ferry and first in line at the bus --- it all seemed like too much trouble, so instead ---

We drove to Victoria (an hour and a half) - parked the car at the foot of Beacon Hill Park, got on our bikes, rode for an hour along the seaside to Oak Bay, turned around and drove back to the car. Total cycling time: 2 hours, 5 minutes. Then we drove home.

The bike ride was beautiful. We stopped a couple of times to gaze at Mt. Baker gleaming in the distance, to guess where AngelMay's house might be, out there across the water, to talk to a couple of guys about kayaks. There were two truly wicked hills that had us off our bikes and trudging, but I was pleased with the way I handled most of the hills.

At the end of the two hours on my bike, I felt as if I had another hour in me. I probably didn't, probably would have collapsed in a heap after another half hour, but as it was, I quit while I still wanted more (rush hour approaching, and all that).

What a wonderful day.

Strange Day

2005-07-31T21:40:00.000-07:00

I had the strangest day today. R's sons came over for a visit, and we all went up to Parksville to spend the day at the beach. When we got there, we discovered that there was a car show going on at the beach we had intended to visit, so we backtracked to Rathtrevor Park and went for a walk on that beach. Then R and one of the sons went for a bike ride (on R's bike and mine) while the other son and I read and relaxed. After lunch, both sons went for a bike ride while R and I did the dishes and got ready to drive back to the ferry. All told, everybody got to go for a bike ride but me. By the time we came home it was too hot to go riding, and by the time I finished shopping for and cooking and eating and cleaning up after dinner, I had lost interest. Ah, well. Tomorrow is another day. I don't start work until 10:15AM, so there will be lots of time for an early morning ride. We did have a good visit, and I don't suppose the world will end just because I skip exercising.

Besides, I just noticed that I didn't finish bragging about yesterday's cycling. R and I did go out in the evening. He led the way, and we rode another - approximately - 14-15 km, so I'm officially calling it a 25 km day, including my morning ride. Not too shabby.

p.s. This is my new hairstyle - actually, back to my old hairstyle - much more suited to an active life than having long hair was.

Inch by inch

2005-07-30T18:47:00.000-07:00

Step by step - that's how I'm approaching this training. I took a rest day yesterday, and this morning I felt a little wimpy. I didn't bother setting my 30-minute timer, because I thought I would be making a stop at the supermarket for a piece of fruit. As it turned out, I didn't do that until I had got all the way up to JinglePot and Westwood and backtracked to the JinglePot store. I went, again, a couple of blocks farther than I had the time before.

I was out shopping this afternoon, and took a detour to check my cycling distance. According to my car's odometer, the trip from JP and W home is about 5.5 km, so my round trip was about 11 km - nothing at all, by normal cycling standards, but a lot for me.

In a few minutes, R and I are going to go out on our bikes - probably for an hour's ride again. I'm really looking forward to it. If we do an hour's ride, that will make my day's cycling total at least 22 km - maybe 25, which is what I would like to be doing on a daily basis - someday. R worked today, so he hasn't had any exercise yet. I hope I hold out.

Ta-Da!

2005-07-28T09:39:00.000-07:00

I just went out for my morning ride (I don't have to start work until 10:45 today, so I have time for a morning ride). Yesterday, I went about three blocks farther in my half-hour outward journey than I had the time before (Monday, I think). I decided that another three blocks or so would put me at the pub on the other side of the Parkway, so I set a 30-minute alarm again, and tried to hustle a bit more. I made it! 30 minutes to the pub, stop a moment to take a slug of water from my bottle, and 22 minutes home. Mind you, when I went out yesterday it was only about 7am - today, I lounged around until 8:15, so the last part of the ride was a little warmish. Tomorrow I shall try to remember that. I was trying not to get moving *too* early, as I have to work until 7pm, but I think that was an error in judgment.

Anyway, I'm very pleased with myself. Tomorrow, I'll go out earlier, and I'll set a goal a little farther up the hill.

I'm making progress

2005-07-27T20:06:00.000-07:00

At least I think I am. Two days ago, I got my bike out, set my cell phone alarm for 30 minutes hence, and started cycling toward the Aquatic Centre. I actually got a few blocks farther before the alarm went off. I then cycled home, and to my surprise the return trip also took 30 minutes (I had expected that because it was mostly downhill, it would be quicker).

Last night R and I cycled to the supermarket to get fixings for dinner. We were gone about one hour and ten minutes, and only about ten minutes of that was spent inside the supermarket. I enjoyed the trip, and didn't even feel particularly tired afterward.

This morning I made the Aquatic Centre trip again, but this time I got another several blocks along before the alarm sounded, and the return trip took me only 17 minutes. I think I'm developing some muscles in my legs!

Tomorrow morning I'll do it again (before the heat sets in!) and try to get even farther along in my 30 minute window.

Have I mentioned how glad I am to have bought my bike?

Summertime

2005-07-24T21:13:00.000-07:00

We finally have summer, and I'm loving it. It's not too hot - just blue-sky-puffy-cloud-sunshiny warm. Yesterday we drove the Turtle up to Parksville (about 40 minutes north of Nanaimo), parked at the beach, and spent the day cycling, lying on a blanket in the sun, reading, chatting with passersby, and generally appreciating the day. Today R had to work, so I cycled to the pool, did a water pilates class, and cycled home. I figured that if Lance Armstrong could win seven Tours de France, the least I could do was ride my bike for a few minutes.

The only negative part of the morning was the presence at the class of a woman who made me feel as if I'd been spirited back to fifth grade. She complained loudly about everything, especially about the use of the word "pilates" to describe the class, which she said did not conform to the True.Pilates.Rules. She insisted on instructing the instructor in the Correct Procedure. Afterwards, one of the other women asked me whether I had any problem with the way the class was run. I assured her that I loved it, just the way it was, and I made a point of leaving a note to that effect at the front desk. One of the other women in the dressing room apparently knows the complainer, and said she'll probably make a great fuss and try to have the class stopped (or insist that the name be changed). Some people shouldn't be allowed out in public. I think that if she'd said one more word, all we little old ladies would have ganged up and drowned her.

When R came home, we took the dog south of town to another beachside park. We spent a little while there, enjoying the cool ocean breeze; then R rode away on his bicycle. The dog and I followed, and when R had had enough cycling, we picked him up and came home. I have to work tomorrow, but I have Tuesday off. I hope this weather holds! Even tomorrow, I don't start work until 10:15am, so I have time to get in a little cycling first thing in the morning.

All Grown Up

2005-07-21T17:30:00.000-07:00

When I picked up my mail today. I saw that an old friend in Ontario had sent me a page from the local paper in which a young (36) woman named C was profiled. The article included photos. My first reaction was shock.

I met C when she was three. My daughter and she were toddlers together. I must have seen C when she was a teenager, but somehow I remember her as about an 8 year old. I haven't seen any of the family members for about twenty years, so of course they've all been frozen in time, still young - even though I've grown old.

Now I read that C has had a hard life, but she's a fighter, and things seem to be coming together for her. Great news. I also read that her brother owns his own restaurant. Oops. Shock #2. I remember when he was born. He owns his own restaurant?

I'm still shaking my head. When I finish gaping at the article, I'll forward it to my daughter. I can hear her reaction now!

The Turtle's Journey

2005-07-16T10:04:00.000-07:00

<------- This is the Turtle. The photo was taken in Victoria, when we were on our way to the Olympic Peninsula some months ago. That was before we bought our bicycles, and the rack for carrying them on the Turtle's back. We evolve.

I've just come back from my walk -combining a trip to feed my absent friend's cat* with a 15-minute walk uphill to her house and a 15-minute walk downhill, bloody and annoyed, to get home. Reading Charlie's posts about his fitness programme has got me thinking very seriously about my lifestyle. I drive all day - usually four days a week, of late - and on the days when I work, I get virtually no exercise. I'm 58 years old. If I don't take care of myself, I may die in the saddle, as it were - and that prospect has no appeal for me.

So here I am, jumping on the blogwagon with Charlie. ( http://roadtochicago.blogspot.com/ )

*( I have a hard time judging her patience level. When she's finished wanting to be petted, she draws blood. The petting window is anywhere from 20 seconds to 5 minutes. Other than that, we get along fine.)