Bike To Work Day 2012 was yesterday...

Things I learned on the commute ride to my BART Station:

1. My haircut does NOT work well with a bike helmet.  Especially after I went to bed with it still damp. I've been wearing a baseball cap all day.  Must come up with a more bike friendly coiffure - that's still sassy.
2. It's still nice and cool at 6am.  If I could only be so lucky at 6pm.
3. Gnats love swarming round my head - had an unexpected second breakfast.  Blech.
4. Trail Maintenance cut the weeds recently.  The wind was blowing.  Very bad combination for someone with allergies.  Not looking forward to that on the ride home.  Ack.
5. Really need to get over my apprehension about wearing spandex compression shorts.  They really are the best thing to wear when riding.  I just hate feeling (and looking) like an overstuffed sausage.  And what if all the seams simultaneously burst?!?
6. My new bra passed the riding-the-bike-down-a-bumpy-trail-and-not-getting-black-eyes test.  Thank you Playtex.
7. Not too many Energizer Stations were open at 6:25am.  I decided to wait a few minutes while the nice ladies and gentlemen set up things at the trail crossroads for their 6:30am opening.  I wasn't the only biker there waiting so didn't feel so bad about it.  The yummies, bike bell/compass, latest trail maps, and other assorted goodies packed in the free tote were worth the 5 minutes I "rested".
8. Clif Bar has a bar aimed at kids - "Kidz Bar".  It's just as nasty as the ones for adults. The smiling REI reps at the BART station assured me they tasted better than the adult ones.  They don't.  Guess it's just me, I never have liked those energy bar things.
9. Even though I forgot my lip balm, the smiling REI reps did have some to give away.  They are forgiven for the Clif Bar thing.

Things I learned on the ride home:

1. Gnats have no time boundaries.  They swarm all day, every day.  Yes, there was also a snack on the way home. Gah.
2. People want to talk about my bike.  It took me 55 min to make a usually 30 min trip.  I had too much fun socializing.
3. Little girls under 5 LOVE. MY. BIKE.
4. The later in the day it gets, the more free stuff you can get.  Yes, Honey, I have a bag each for you and your Mum, and Spencer has lots of snacks and a mini bottle of Gatorade.  I loaded up on "Cuties", and 100 calorie snacks.
5. I have my best ideas while riding along.  Going to cut quite a bit of length off an old broomstick skirt I used to wear to dance class and see how it looks over the compression pants.  In my head it looks very cool and bohemian.  In reality, hmmm...  These things don't usually go very well for me, but I'm always willing to try!
6. It wasn't as hot as I thought it would be - but it was still quite toasty.
7. I need to ride more.  I miss riding my totally awesome bike.  I LOVE my bike.
8. Allergies suck.
9. Not enough of a good thing leads to too much of a good thing.  Someday I will find the happy medium where anti-chafing lotion is concerned.

I sure do hope I sleep well tonight.  I worked HARD, and I definitely need some sleep.  Haven't had a decent night since I ran off to Texas to be with Mom and Sis...

Happy Thursday! ***

***This post is being re-posted because Blogger LOST the original I wrote yesterday. Thank God I have things setup so that EVERY post is emailed to me because there is no way in Hell I could have redone this and been so damn clever a second time round. :)

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Good things today so far:

Bike to Work Day!

It's like my own personal Halloween. My costume is my biking getup (which needs it's own blog post) and I go from Energizing Station to Energizing Station holding open my bag and getting loads of free stuff dumped in... Haul this morning, large size of the official Bike to Work tote bag, tangerines, fig newtons, juice, various maps of trails in the Bay Area (very handy!), reflectors, lip balm, reflective ankle thingy to rein in your pants leg, a recyclable pen, a water bottle, Clif bars, and various coupons to local sports shops. Ooh, and this really cool magnetic blinky light which I still haven't figured out quite how it works. Ms Cow got herself a wee little box of raisins for being a brave bicycle passenger (the trail is rather bumpy lately). All that was only from 2 stations. They LOVE to shower you with stuff - the list of goodies I turned down is even longer.







I hurds it trew da grapesvyn... Kalifornya waisins, nomity nom nom nom...








Paperback Swap

I LOVE this site. I've mailed off lots of books to good homes and just ordered 5 more for myself. Another Terry Pratchett book (Tiffany Aching, bk 3) and the first four books of the Stephen King "Dark Tower" series. Can't wait to get them!


More Energy

This doesn't really need an explanation, does it? Biking two days in a row and I feel great. Really should have started doing this a lot sooner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Can't wait to see what the "Energizer Station" sponsors have on the ride home. I'm really hoping for a new dingy-ding bell. The East Bay Park folks were giving them out last year, so I hope to get another this year. The poor thing is all worn out. It dingity-dings on it's own now. Every time I hit a bump. Even a small bump. So I'm pretty much dingity-ding-dinging my way down the trail.

It's like it's saying:

"Look at the awesome outfit this woman is wearing! Here she comes wearing an awesome outfit! Look at her wearing that awesome outfit! She's riding a bike! And wearing an awesome outfit while she rides! Make way for the biking chick with the awesome outfit! You want an outfit like hers, you KNOW you do! Cos it's AWESOME!"

~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~*********

Update!


I originally wanted to write this update last night, but Blogger has been having some issues, so here it is on Friday. It's also not going to be so clever and funny as it was last night - in my mind.


Final list of "treats" from Bike to Work Day gathered up along the way home: more maps (I'm pretty sure I've got a complete set for the East Bay now), a chocolate chip cookie for Spencer (and yes I did give it to him), Red Vines for Spencer, cheese sticks, various and sundry juice boxes and mini-Gatorade bottles, various and sundry chips and fruit snack bags, mandarin oranges (YUM), Clif bars, Fig Newtons, more raisins for Ms Cow, and lots of bags. About 4 more bags than I really wanted. They were begging us to take extras though, so I did and they will go this weekend to the charity thrift shop with the rest of my donations.


I was very careful this year to only take what Spence and I would use/eat - no need to be greedy. Do I REALLY need more pens when I have a drawerful at home? Didn't think so. There were quite a few snacks because, well, Spencer is 16, quite tall and has entered his "bottomless pit of a stomach with two hollow legs" stage. Any food brought home is DEFINITELY consumed. So no waste there. The extra bags go away tomorrow and the maps I will keep in my "map box".

At the last stop before leaving the trail, I decided now would be a good time to have a drink of some refreshing water since it was quite warm and hauling all those snacks was causing me to break out into a pretty good sweat. Well, being the graceful dove I am, I managed to dribble half the bottle down my shirt. It was actually quite refreshing since I was indeed rather toasty.

Indeed.

Not quite so refreshing was the small swarm of gnats I swallowed on the last leg of the trip.

Updated List: Minus one bottle of Gatorade used to wash out my mouth...

I really need to keep my mouth SHUT when I'm riding.

Thursday is a Special Day

It's "Bike to Work Day"!!

I'll be in the saddle bright and early and heading out to the train station.

I've been wanting to start riding every day but have been making excuse after excuse.

For inspiration, I've started reading "Fatty" again. I love his logo and catch-phrase. A big draft horse and "Heavyweight horsepower". If you're into biking - and I mean hardcore long rides - give him a look-see. He also has ride-alongs, give-aways, charity stuff, etc. On top of that he's a great writer with a good sense of humor.

I'm going to try and get motivated enough to do some charity rides.

And if that all fails to get me motivated and in the saddle more , I just need to go here.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

A great day out on the bikes with the boy.

Damn, I'm getting shorter every year...

(Mother's Day 2010)

Gee...almost a month between posts!

Hey, I'm on a roll...

Sorry no postie. I've been really busy at work. On a computer and sitting all day equals total aversion to sitting down in front of a computer at night.

I've been sitting, but not with the computer.

I've done a few rows of knitting here and there. I've been reading. I've been listening to someone else read (books on CD anyone?). I've been playing Xbox (yes, I do). Mostly tho, I've been collapsing on the couch after dinner and falling asleep.

I've started a Pilates class on Wednesdays at noon. Unfortunately I'll have to stop that after this month. I just can't keep up with it financially. I am going to get 2 good months out of it, so hopefully can continue on my own.

Been on the bike a few times.

I voted. Ms Cow wrote in Cow for Parks and Grasses Boss. Wonder what the vote counters thought of that. :)

Found a great hairdresser. Got great new color, went bold on a new, shorter cut. Lost a great hairdresser. Went back for great new color and to maintain cut. Color worked, cut, not so much.

Growing out hair...and will most likely go back to coloring my own hair again. I can color my own hair in an hour as opposed to 3 hours at the salon. And will still save money over getting it done at a school. As for cuts, I can go to the corner and get a quick trim for $10 with a coupon. Bim bam, I'm outta there! No more wasting an entire Saturday morning or afternoon sitting in a chair smelling chemicals for 4 hours.

It was good while it lasted. The salon folks were very friendly and really listened to what I wanted to do with my hair. I just can't do it any more. Sigh.

I really do like my new cut, but it's a pain. It grows out way too quickly. I can't pull it back and still look nice - it takes about 8 clips to hold it back cos it's so thick. I look like I was having something done at the salon and had to leave in a hurry.

If I leave it down, I get hot. Really hot. Especially when riding my bike. It's like wearing a really really thick woolly hat that dips down over the back of my neck. All the time.

No thanks. I like the option of either putting it up or wearing it down or wearing it half up or whatever.

So I'm going to let it grow back. I miss my biking braids too. :)

Went thru an episode of Kitty not sleeping and MEOWING all night long. Is why I've been so damn tired. No sleep will do that to you. She's sleeping again now, but I'm still not. Sigh. I'm getting better but I swear I still hear her MEOWING even tho she's sound asleep at the end of the bed.

I've been trying to organize and get rid of about half of what I've got in this place before Honey and Cow arrive. Less than 40 days now and the place is not quite where I'd like it to be. I've got lots of things that need to go away and now need to find a way to get them away.

Getting a few items from a very generous friend that need new homes and I really could use here, so need to get back to work. They are arriving tomorrow.

Before I forget again...

Happy Biking Anniversary to me and my pretty pretty bike. Three years last month (Oct 16th) and still going strong. Really wish I could get myself in your saddle a lot more often.

Time to sort, organize and pack up give-aways!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Can't believe it's already October again! Was going to make some awareness jewelry and accessories and donate the profits (I say this every year), and I've gone and missed my opportunity once again...

Sigh.

However....

Today, Trek Bicycle Dealers all over the US and Canada (eh!) sponsored 10-mile Awareness Rides.

There were no rides in my area, so I've decided to dedicate my ride with Spencer today as an Awareness Ride in my own way. :)

We just got back from riding round trip to downtown Walnut Creek, with a short break for cold refreshments, rest and some window shopping.

It's just under 10-miles round trip, so there you go. My quasi-10 mile Awareness Ride.

If you have the time, are so inclined, and are feeling charitable, please donate to your favorite Breast Cancer Charity...or ANY charity. I'm sure whatever you give today will be appreciated.

Thanks!!!

...and now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to rest on the couch. (aka "nap")

Sorting thru the Chaos

Today Spence and I used a friend's car to haul a bunch of stuff off to the Thrift Store.

A b.u.n.c.h. of stuff!

We filled up the car...boxes, baskets, little shelves, bags. It felt absolutely wondermos to get rid of it all.

After, we headed off to IKEA to pick up a few things to organize Spencer's closet. We're doing a major rearrange and clear out in his room. We actually just walked out of that place with just a few items - and some hot dogs after at the snack bar. :)

A quick stop at work to pick up some more boxes (for packing up stuff for donation of course) and then it was home.

Last trip of the day was back to my friend's place to drop off the car and here we sit. Tired out, but full on artichoke ravioli.

Tomorrow, we're off on the bikes for a training ride. We're doing this in a few weekends. I've done 5 mile rides and 10 mile rides...I should be able to do this ride. I'll find out soon enough. If I can't make the training rides, I won't push myself to do the full ride. I really want to do it tho and Spence wants to come along too. Maybe even get his riding buddies to come along as well.

It really looks like fun and I hope the weather cooperates. Hope Summer doesn't decide to settle in the valley on that particular weekend. :)

Spencer's new bikebikebike

Almost forgot...this needs its own post!

Spencer has finished building his "dream bike". Except for a smaller sized wheel on the back, he's got all the bits and pieces he wanted and has them all assembled.

Behold.....




And here he is, Proud Papa with his "baby"....



He says it rides like a DREEEEAMMMMMMM.

So very proud of him and all his hard work. He worked his butt off doing odd jobs to earn the money to buy all this on his own. Along with some gift money, it was all him. And then he used his bike mechanic skills and put it all together - with some final adjustments at the bike shop (for safety reasons).

Girl Crush

Today is our first anniversary! Happy Anniversary Sgt Puff (Puff for short).

I've had my beautiful bike for a year now and I love her! We've gone on many adventures and covered many miles together. I've been keeping track (sort of) of all our rides and have a sort of mileage tally for you. Keep in mind that I'm about 3 months behind on entering our rides, so the numbers are actually a bit higher*.

Distance Traveled: 429.12 mi.
Carbon Offset: 461.5 lbs. of CO2

Isn't she gorgeous?




And here's a photo of the happy couple taken this past Saturday on their way out. It was a great day for riding.



To celebrate, we're off riding today with Spencer and his bikebikebike when he gets home from school. And the BIG GIFT is a trip to the Bike Kitchen tomorrow for a tune-up. She DEFINITELY deserves a bit of TLC for taking me everywhere I want to go and for getting thru Thorn Season.

This next year, I think we should increase our mileage! I'm not going to set a concrete number, cos then I only get myself in trouble. Just promising to get out and ride more is enough for me. The numbers will tell the story next year!

Oooh, final count for the entire thorn season (incl original tires):

Puff 6 Thorns 2

*I promise to post the final numbers once I'm finished entering in all of our rides...

2 years today!

It's been two years since my car stopped working and I couldn't decide what to do with it. Eventually I donated my "Scooter" and I've been car-free since.

I've become buddies with the local car rental agency and they give me deals whenever I really need a car - visitors from out of town, KublaCon and so on. Various friends ask me every so often to "babysit" their cars when they are out of town.

All-in-all, I have not missed not having a car but for the few inconvenient times I was in a hurry, or it was HOT out or I had just missed the bus. Not really any occassions that would warrant buying a car.

That being said, I will buy another car eventually...most likely when I get another job. But it will be a small fuel efficient puddle jumper (as my Dad used to call small cars).

In the meantime, we have our awesome bikes, our transit passes and our feet to get us to where we need to go.

Happy 2 years without a car!!!!

Stay tuned - in two weeks, it's my first anniversary with my Bike. :)

Kevlar Tyres* 6 - Evil Thorns 0

....just in case anyone was wondering....

And that storm that is not supposed to roll in until 1opm? I think it's going to hit a bit sooner. I was just out on Puff the Bike when the wind got stronger and the clouds got thicker, and a few drops fell. If the wind keeps up like this, it'll be here sooner than expected.

I'm home and chillaxin' with a book on the couch. Bring it Mother Nature!

*that's for you Honey, smooch!!

Kevlar Tires 1 Puncture Vine 0

So...Spence and I head out for our test drive. We rode about 6 minutes down the trail to a business park where Spence did some tricks and I just hung out while he did his thing.



Isn't she gorgeous?!?

Why, yes, she is...


On the way home, I picked up this in my front tire...



Son-of-a-bitch...I'm an evil thorn thingy magnet.

Tire held up tho! I'm so very happy. I panicked when I saw it, but I pulled it out, and new tire didn't even notice it. BOOYAH!

This one episode alone is worth the $80 I just spent today getting all this...3 months left of thorn season.... GO KEVLAR TIRES!!!!

Prepare for Battle! *

*Gandalf to the Gondorian Soldiers in LOTR Return of the King...

It begins... Spence and I take a trip to the bike shop.



Let's see what she bought....

Feelin' lucky punk? (from Dirty Harry)



Why, yes...with you on my bike, I do feel a bit luckier than before. Kevlar. Lined. Tires.

What's next...oooh...you need tubes to go in those tires girlfriend...will these do?



Read the box carefully...Thorn Resistant. Why yes, those will do nicely.

Here's what the thorn resistant tubes (left) look like compared to the regular tubes (right).



They are pretty much like a water hose. Why yes, those will be just fine. Thank you very muchly.

They are a bit bigger than my regular tires and Spence had to adjust my fenders. I'm sure glad I waited for his help.

They were also hard to get on and his muscles came in very handy. Here's Sgt Puff all kitted out and ready for battle.



No more wobbly tires - the original tires were very inexpensive tires that totally went wonky after all the on and off of these recent flat tire changing episodes. They did last a good 10 months tho, which is pretty good for the low end of the tire range. Stupid cheap showroom tires. No wonder I couldn't get them to sit right on the rims anymore - which is why they were wobbly and which is also why I haven't been riding my bike. Didn't want to take the chance of doing damage to the rims (expensive and time consuming to fix!) or any other part of my beautiful Bike.

Anyway, I've SOOOO missed riding my pretty blue bike. And I've been paranoid riding Honey's bike. Not only is it too big, but I was so afraid of getting flat tires! But ride it I did, and it was very awesome that we have it for an extra. I love his bike!

Spencer is changing the tire on his - he does a lot of skidding and so on with his fixed gear bike, so his tire issues are about running down the tread, not getting flat tires. BUT...I have convinced him that he needs to keep an extra tube, patch kit, and pump on him...just in case. Soon, we'll be ready for a test ride.

We'll be going off to the bike shop again after our test ride to get him an extra tube and a pump he can strap to his frame.

Punture Vine (tribulus terrestris)? I'm ready.

Just click on the link to read a bit about this non-native weed and to see photos of its thorny bits. Evil looking, aren't they?

If you walk, run, or ride on the trails around here, please be careful of these things, they are very sharp and I'm sure could hurt if they got in your shoes or on the paws of your puppy pals. We all know what they do to tires...sigh.

Rites of Passage...

Today has been a good day.

Spencer and I have entered into new phases of our lives.

He is with his Father in Texas visiting family. I got a mysterious text from Dad this morning to "Check your email. :)"

I open his email and what do I find? A photo of my son shaving. I won't post it here, even tho it is the most adorable photo of him I've seen in a long time. Although that statement alone is probably embarrassing enough. (My work is done.)

I cried when I saw it. And I've got a bit of welling up going on now as I type this too. Can't help it. The "growing up train" is charging full steam ahead. I can either jump on and enjoy the ride or stand by on the platform and watch it pass.

Wow, that was deep.

My friend Antonella was over today. Yes, I had a visitor in the Chaos. I haven't had anyone over to visit since Honey came over the winter Holidays. Spencer has had friends over and stuff, but I haven't had any visitors.

This is a big step for me. The place is still a wreck, but it was clean. As is the usual. I wish I had a magic storage closet. A closet where I could put all this stuff that came out of my old storage unit and the closet itself would just be a small space. Sigh. A Tardis of a closet if you will - "Bigger on the inside."

Anyway, I've accepted my Chaos. Not to say I won't still keep working on it, but I've accepted that I like company, and I really do like having friends over to visit. And that if I ever want friends over to visit before I'm too old to care, I need to accept that the Chaos is there and have friends over 'around' it, so to speak, until it is gone.

So, early this morning, I rode out to Antonella's place, where she was waiting with her shiny new bike, and we pedaled over to my place. I showed her how to navigate the trails, how to bypass the hills (that's important for a rider who needs to get used to her bike) and where to turn off for shops restaurants and what nots.

It was a wonderful ride and when we got to my place, I had my daily chat with Honey, we headed across the road for some groceries and I cooked up some home made turkey burgers.

It was a wonderful ride, visit and meal with my first visitor in too long.

Gah! Ack! Argh! and GRRRRRRRRRRR!

Today was Jewelry Class day. Yay!!!

We seem to have lost quite a few people, which is good because there were WAAYYY too many that first day. I am actually socializing and having a good time sharing tips and tricks with my fellow classmates. It's amazing how there can be just one design and 20 different interpretations! I love it!!! And I was actually able to contribute a tip of my own! Very fun.

I made a pretty necklace using some of the new curved metal beads and flexible wire I got from online - and used some really pretty green glass beads I've had forever. No two of the beads are alike, but they are all the same green. It is awesome...

...except...well...5 min after I finished, I broke the damn clasp. Gah.

...and while I was just inspecting it, I noticed that I left out a few essential spacer beads in the middle of it.

So...even if I hadn't broken the damn clasp, I would have had to redo it anyway. Oh, and I've decided it is a bit on the heavy side (large solid glass beads will do that) so while I have to take it all apart anyways...I'm going to switch out some of the main beads for some a bit smaller (and lighter).

Sigh.

Anyway, sometime this weekend I will redo it and I'll probably redo the bracelet I did in the first class - broke that clasp too. (Don't know what it is with me and breaking clasps!!!)

And I'll head out to the pool for some outdoor drawing. We are supposed to draw a tree for homework...and there is this really cool Weeping Willow just outside the pool area. It is half branches (no leaves) and half graceful (full leaves). Spence and I spotted it last night when we went out for a swim - we decided it is "Cool" and deserves to be drawn. :) It is right outside the covered table area which is perfect. I can go sit in the shade while I artificate.

Even tho I have to redo my jewelry projects, that is not what has me upset.

On the way to class, I got a flat tire!!! I was on the same path that gave me a flat tire on Saturday. Don't think I told you that...

First flat tire story....Spencer and I rode "the back path" all the way to a friends house this past Saturday. I call it the "back path" because it goes along the foothills back behind our complex. Anyway, cue fun and yummy dinner visit with friends, a ride home - in the rain!!!! - and I'm wiping down my bike when we get home and I spot something on my front tire. It looks like a tiny leaf, so I brush my fingers over it and PFFFFFFFFFFFT! Front tire goes flat. Somewhere along the "back path" I picked up some sort of VERY sharp spikey naturally occurring nasty thing. Sunday, Spencer and I are having to stop off at bike shop for repair kit and extra tubes. Tire is fixed Sunday night by yours truly, riding bike all this week, everything is hunky dory.

Good thing I got extras...

Today, I am riding "back path" to Jewelry class...I'm almost to the end of the path and PFFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTTT!!! Thwumpa thwumpa thwumpa...

ETA: It was the same spikey naturally occurring piece of tire death that got me the first time.

SHITTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!

I slam on brakes and hop off...back tire is flat as a pancake. SIGH! I am almost to the end of path and close to class - thankfully - so I walk rest of way to class. I'm sure I've totally shredded the tube from walking for about 10 min with a flat and then another ten min to the bus stop after class, but I didn't have my repair kit on me and really didn't want to sit in middle of path with no shade and do the whole 'repair and hope it works' thing even if I did. Back tires are not easy to change - especially when you've never done it before. :(

Now I'm sitting here looking at my poor bicycle with the flat back tire. Spencer is at his Dad's today and they are leaving at the ass crack of dawn tomorrow morning to catch their flight to Dallas - gone until the 26th. I've never taken off my back tire before and I'm not sure if I'll be able to do this on my own - all that gear stuff happening back there and all you know. But I will definitely give it a go - not afraid to try! Good thing we have Honey's Bike! If I can't get my wheel back on, I'll be riding that one for the next week until Spencer comes back from Texas. It's a bit big for me and there is no rack for my removable paniers, but I can deal. Will just need to take it easy and use a backpack.

Oh, and there will be no more riding on the 'back path'. I will, however ride back to the path "crossroads" and go to the right into Walnut Creek, but will not ever be going left again into Concord!!!! The trail towards Concord hates me and my pretty blue bike. Stupid trail!

I'll be taking the bus to Jewelry Class from now on. The bus schedule is a lot more agreeable in that direction, so it's no big deal. I'd rather ride my pretty bike, but no way am I taking her that way again. Such abuse she's taken from that trail. Both tires puntured in less than a week.

Jewelry Class

OK, so we've got a class full of chattering and eating seniors for drawing...and an oversold class full for jewelry...the class was designed for 25 students and there are about 35-40 of us in the class. The teacher ran out of handouts, seats, you name it. I think the next 5 classes will be much better tho as she'll be much better prepared - and she's bringing more assistants to help her out. She only had one today.

But I still like both classes as I am learning quite a bit!

Today in Jewelry Class, I made a very pretty bracelet. I immediately came home and ordered the supplies from my fav online jewelry supply store for next week's class. What I don't use for class, I'll definitely use to make more pieces for my "jewelry collection" to sell online. I am glad that I don't have to buy any beads right now as I have quite the collection! Have all the tools I need as well. I have most of the findings I need, I just needed some clasps (as I have yet to make any bracelets or necklaces) and some stringing wire and some curved tube metal beads. Oh, is that all?!? hee hee. Actually, it's not that much at all. And I am uber excited to use some of my larger beads that aren't quite right for stitch markers or earrings. YAY!!!!

Time to do homework. This weekend I will do some drawing. For jewelry class, all I really need to do is go thru what I have now and break it down into a smaller kit for class - and then find something clever around here to put it all in that will survive an hour round trip on the bike. And then wait for my online order to arrive. YAY!!!!

I'm very excited to finally understand some techniques that I've known and read about but could not really get my head around. Seeing others do it and then trying it myself immediately after really helps.

And at some point this weekend, I will post a photo of the bracelet and scan in my first drawings. I was quite excited about it all and showed Spencer what I've done so far. He of course said it was all awesome...but he's biased...and was waiting on me to cook dinner...so he could have just been telling me that so he wouldn't starve! hahahahahahaha

In other news...I'm back on the creating wagon - and not just for class! I've finally picked up the knitting again and am working a little bit every night on the Stitches on the Bridge scarf I'm making. You know, the double knit scarf with a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge on it. Yeah, I frakking crazy!!!

And in the "awwwwwwwww" category...Sammie is sleeping on the bed with me again and sitting close by purring while I knit away. I can't tell you how happy I am about that. I've missed her so much!!!

Getting ready for Friday...

Last night, as I entered in months worth of bike rides and swimming to MapMyFitness.com, I remembered to check the trails and see what was available to get me across to the other side of town to my Jewelry Class on Friday. With all this entering, I still have a few weeks of entering to do...I REALLY need to keep up with that - gah.

Lo and behold...the trail that goes in that direction just happens to go *almost* right past the school where my Jewelry Class is!!! I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was to see that. Now I don't have to leave uber early to get there and then sit and wait for 45 min after class to catch the bus home. Stupid bus schedules totally suck when it comes to being convenient for anyone but the bus company. grrr.

Today I packed up Ms Cow and the bag of supplies I will be taking, along with my locks and cables and headed out to try out the route. Was mostly looking for how hilly it would be, as it goes round the foothills and even a part way up into them. I was also looking for a travel time.

I am happy to say that the trail is totally doable for me, some slight hills, but nothing I can't handle. The trail pops out at a main street that has a marked bike lane - one block later, I'm in the parking lot. Time? 25 minutes. Only 5 min longer than my trip to Drawing Class. This is indeed good news as I don't do well with hills - altho it would technically help me get better if I had to ride up one at least once a week. Oh darn. Another good thing about this route is that it's not all windy. Only the first part is windy, the rest is nice and calm. Heaven.

No bus! Hardly any wind! *Almost* door-to-door trail. YAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!

I'm all set...just need to give Sgt Puff a mini-checkup and make sure she's all set. I've been riding her a lot lately. Think Spence and I should probably go back to the Bike Kitchen on Saturday and give her a really good look-see.

I know, I've been absent...

I have enjoyed being semi-unplugged since I officially stopped working on May 15th.

Have been very busy as well.

There was finishing the Dress.




Really wish I had a dress form....this hanger does NOT do this dress justice...at all!

There was mad, crazy, almost all night gaming at KublaCon...

There was bike fixing, switching out of various and sundry bike bits and pieces.

There has been bike riding almost EVERY day! I've dropped 5 pounds so far... YAY!

And there was not much knitting or other crafting...except for Mom's birthday earrings.





I've been in a sort of a 'crafter's block' situation. My head is bursting with crafty ideas for knitting, sewing, crocheting, embroidery, combinations of all of the above...lots of prototypes for stuff to put out on my shop need to be made...the crafty list is endless.

Yet...I could do nothing.

Enter the craft palette cleanser...








Remember the "birthday balls" from last summer?

Well those 45, plus about 5-10 more, along with random balls found here and there round the Chaos, make up this BIG, HUGE, bad boy of a blankie (big enough to cover a twin size bed and then some - in the photos, it's on my double bed). Enter Size S extended Tunisian Crochet Hook, 3 strands held together, and Voila! Check out Stitch Diva for an easy Tunisian Tutorial - I also bought my S hook from them at Stitches West back in February. They also have a pattern for a stash buster blanket, but I just did my own thing.

The dominant colors in my acrylic stash were black and various shades of dark blue. I held one strand of black, one strand of blue and then just grabbed for colors. The balls were stacked nicely in the container according to color, so I attached one color, used it til it ran out, then started on the next and so on and so on. The photos don't do it justice as it's rather cool looking and flows pretty well from one section to another. Using the black and blue as the "glue" was a very good idea. Eventually I ran out of black and blue and then started in with the other base colors of green and dark red...and then found some more black, so added it back in... It was a fun project!

I started this sucker on the evening of June 1st...worked on it every night that week for about an hour or two, one or two hours over the busy weekend, left it alone until last night...DONE!

Insta-warm blankie, and the acrylic stash is G-O-N-E. At least I think it is....I'm sure more of that stuff will pop up...I swear, it breeeeds.

It's BIG, it's HEAVY, and it's Spencer's. He likes lots of weight and warmth on him in the winter while he sleeps. This should do it.

Craft palette cleansed.

Had an interesting last few days, but will save that for another post. I'll try not to stay away from the computer so much. :)

A love affair renewed...

Today Spencer and I met up at the BK to do some bike work. He switched out his center pull brake for a side pull one, then found a Fixie back wheel and switched that out. I had to work on my brakes and my front wheel.

Last Monday while Spence and I were out riding, well, we didn't get very far at first, because one of my bungee cords slipped down thru my front basket, wrapped itself around the wheel thingy and there you go. Headed back to the apartment, left Sgt Puff and headed out instead on Honey's bike.

Anywho, I haven't ridden my bike all week - I've been on Honey's - and Oooh...his saddle is so uncomfortable. Spencer said the front wheel was a bit wobbly and since we had the extra bike, it hasn't been that big of a deal. I packed Sgt Puff up on the bus rack this morning and we headed over to meet Spence at the BK.

Several hours later, brake cables lubed and adjusted, front wheel worked on and true once again and chain lubed. I did all the work myself!!! Before I trekked out to BK, I took off the front basket and hardware and one of the back baskets. I'm going tomorrow after Sock Club to get a fabric pannier. I'll eventually get two, but one will do for now. It'll be good to have something lighter weight that can be removed easily if I don't need it.

Now that she's all lean and mean and lubed and adjusted...don't we all wish we were - ahem - I've got a girl crush on her all over again. We just flew down the trail...and most importantly, I can carry her again. :)

Can't wait until tomorrow morning when we can ride again to BART. It's SF Sock Club first Sunday meetup! wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Sammie Sunday...Not the damn bike again...

Look!!! She's AWAKE!!!!

Let's see what's happening in my kingdom...



Ack...it's that damn bicycle again...



It's NOT that exciting...



REALLY, it's NOT...



Ooh...an itch...much more exciting...



So NOT worthy of our attention...



Scary big truck going past our balcony!!! Run away!!! Run away!!!



And there you have it. Sammie on Sunday...awake and alert and not amused by the bikebikebike.