Stupid Hurts

The past week has been kicking my tail. Between lying in bed battling [tag]disease[/tag] and roaming the [tag]streets[/tag] trying to figure out new and inventive ways to kill myself I have been keeping pretty busy.
[thumb:538:c]
[tag]May[/tag] is ride your [tag]bicycle[/tag] to work month aparently, So Thursday found me at health conference trying to promote bicycle as a safe and healthy form of [tag]transportation[/tag]. Unfortunately about everyone has come and gone before noon, so about one in the afternoon it turned into a gossip session and meet and greet between the vendors. Luckily I thought to bring the [tag]Tour[/tag] De [tag]France[/tag] highlights movie with me.
[thumb:537:c]
Ironically Friday found me taking to the streets with the [tag]Stillwater[/tag] Critical mass group to engage in some really unsafe riding in the streets downtown. A group of about 20 cyclist invaded traffic during rush hour and rode around on some of the busiest streets in town. Most of the time I was herding the slow riders in the back and running messages to the front of the pack. Not really my scene but I did meet some really nice people.

Saturday Sarah, Liz and I rode our bikes out to [tag]Boomer[/tag] lake. The scenery was awesome and made a great end for a really interesting week.

Oh and I found out I may have Mono!

I heart my new arm warmers. That’s all

Cycling at night is sublime. The world seems like a completely different place at 2 am. I prefer the back roads and the neighborhood streets, chasing my shadow from each cone of light to the next. I like to ride slowly at night, and just listen to the sounds. The darkness gives me ample chance to reflect on current events and organize my thoughts, or even better a chance to clear my mind and listen to my tires buzz on the pavement.

Next week looks to be busy cycling wise for me. I am supposed to be helping to support May as “ride you bike to work month” as well as attending a Critical Mass ride and at some point attending one of the Tuesday night 20 mile rides my shop will be putting on for the rest of the summer. I managed to talk my way out of the 8am Saturday morning rides. I don’t think I could bring myself to wake my poor bicycle up that time of morning.

Oddly enough I just realized this is blog post 113, which means I missed the milestone of post 100. Thanks everyone who reads this thing month after months!

Not that I have forgotten about [tag]StupidHurts[/tag] lately or anything, but I have been battling with a massive case of writer’s block coupled with a foolishly [tag]busy[/tag] schedule. Most of my time [tag]online[/tag] lately has been doing research and planning for my trip to [tag]Europe[/tag] as well as studying the things I need to know for my job at the bike shop. On a really cool note I recently found out about a discount airline operating out of [tag]Canada[/tag] which might pose and interesting option for crossing the pond really cheaply. Plus it would be an excuse to hang out in [tag]Toronto[/tag] for a few days. I have been a bit curious about the [tag]bicycling[/tag] [tag]culture[/tag] there for some time.

Lastly after four months and lots of people telling me I should give up, I finally finished [tag]Steinbeck[/tag]’s novel “[tag]The Grapes of Wrath[/tag]” I hadn’t realized until the end just how much of an emotional toll that book can take on you. Even if you are an outside and casual observer of the events in the beginning, by the end you feel like you should have been there shovel in hand fighting the flood waters along with everyone else. It isn’t to often you can have a book abuse you and feel better for it afterward.

Oh and my camera finally took its final shit on me, so no new pictures for a bit

When I reach the rack my bike is chained to I take a moment to tilt my head up and feel the rain run down my face. After I shake the water out of my lock and my hair I look at the slick racing tires I have on my bike, I look at the rain falling from the sky, and then I look back at my bike. I say out loud , “this should be an interesting trip.” The lightning arcs across the sky in the distance, and the following thunder sounds like a deep friendly challenging laugh. I throw a leg over my bicycle look at the sky and ask, “so you think this is funny do you?”

And then I laugh back, and enjoy my ride home.

Starting today I have roughly 6 weeks left before I leave to fly to Europe for the summer. And the anticipation has finally started to really set in. Looking through the notebook I keep re-reading packing list after packing list and every other errant note I have written I am getting really excited.

Since I don’t really like to plan details I have mostly just compiled a list of goals I want to accomplish. While in Rome of course I want to do things like see the Vatican, Acropolis and some of the ruins. But I really want to spend time exploring the back streets as well. Before heading south to explore the coast line . There are lots of places in northern Italy I want to see before I head east. One of my goals is to cycle from Milan Italy to the coastal city of Nice. From there I want to follow the coast for a few days till I get ot Barcelona, Spain where I intend to catch a train to Pamplona. For San Fermin and the running of the Bulls. After a week in Pamplona I am probably going to need to get away from the crowds for a bit. Portugal sounds really good.

Now here is where my plans get just a little hazy. I am still not sure what I want to do after Portugal. Flying from Portugal to Berlin and traveling south to Greece. Or I am going to head to London and cycle in the rain for a few weeks.

So many options.

It is a simple rule of thumb and one I usually try to stick to. I am going to let my special guest blogger Sarah tell this one. I was just along for the ride.

“I called my dad and step mom in California to wish them a Happy Easter. After a few minutes of chatting I ask them if they got the pictures I sent them of Court and I camping. They say yes and ask if I’ve sent that email to anyone else. I tell them no, was something wrong with it? Well come to find out, where I had thought that I sent 3 very clean pictures of us sitting around the campfire, I had actually sent some 160 or so pictures of our camping trip…… most of those being the naughty ones. All I could say was “Oh my god” over and over again. Thank god they were cool enough to say “shit happens don’t worry about it.” But I’m still mortified.“

(more…)

Sarah and I had snuck off during Easter dinner with our friends when we decide to have a little fun. [newline]
[newline]

Happy Easter from StupidHurts!

Tomorrow is Easter dinner with her parents. I am just a little nervous on this one.

It has been [tag]cold[/tag] the past few days here in [tag]Oklahoma[/tag]. One of the running jokes around the house has been the fact when I came out I only brought [tag]summer[/tag] clothing with me. Luckily no one knows I really only own summer clothes.

Earlier today while I was elbow deep in a small pink bicycle my boss comes around the corner to tell me, “look it’s [tag]snowing[/tag] outside.” To which I responded, “you know the travel agent didn’t mention that.” “Does this mean I still have to test ride that other [tag]bicycle[/tag]?” Unfortunately I still had to. I don’t think anyone has ever seen a women’s comfort bicycle kicked down the road that fast before.

A bit later I decided to brave the cold and try to take some new pictures. While setting up downtown I realized my [tag]camera[/tag] batteries were dead. Feeling just a bit impotent I rolled over to the coffee shop for hot [tag]chocolate[/tag].

So I finally got around to getting myself a new bicycle. It is a steel framed Specialized Allez Elite. It seems a lot more comfortable than my last aluminum bike and not really much heavier. I do have a bit of fear of it rusting one day, but I intend to sew myself up a set of bicycle cozies before that happens. 40 some odd miles in and I am really satisfied with it so far.
[thumb:532:c]
Sarah has been riding around town with me on her bicycle. It has been really nice to be able to share the quiet nights and dark roads with her.
[thumb:533:c]
While we are on bicycles I am also really excited about my new job. I got hired on as a technician at a local bicycle shop. Since I am working semi-decent hours I almost don’t know what to do with myself. Well except for ride my bicycle.