Nice Day for a Ride

Today dawned clear and cold and it was actually light out by 7:00 in the morning, so I couldn’t hardly stay abed when one could be up and out and not getting wet, so—in spite of the unusual experience of not being the least little bit hungover of a Sunday morning—I rolled out for a chilly ride around Rainier Valley and then, marveling at the how close the light rail station at McClellan looks to being done, up to Beacon Hill before cruising down, then over on 12th (Live, Work, Play) to Capitol Hill and finally 15th Street for my usual coffee and a spinach-feta croissant and three sections—front page, sports, and Styles—of the Times, and all this before 9:30 in the morning.

And then, this afternoon, much warmer, Mimi and I took the tandem down through Pioneer Square and then alongside traffic on First to the Market where she got a caramel apple—a healthy alternative to the box of Nerds she had for breakfast—and we walked around a bit before riding to REI in search of gloves only to be turned off by the prices there--$40 for something that is certain to be lost before the season’s out?—so it was back on the bike and onto the Denny bridge over I-5, steep enough to be some practice for next week’s FHR, which we’re planning on doing, like last year, as a team, then all the way up Pine to Madison Market where a chocolate frozen tofutti bar, in spite of being arguably the least healthy item in the store, failed to satisfy her sweet tooth, but then, at least, we got the fast-flying downhill on Union before returning home for computer games and introspection.

Tonight we’re going to the movies—Persepolis—and I plan to avail myself of Jen’s indulgence and ride even if she and Mimi drive; I realize this is lame, but I can’t bear to pass up pedaling when the weather’s so fine.