First bike ride of the year!

[aedifica]

Wheeeeee!

I've been wanting to bike for about the last two weeks, but for the first week I never got my act together and for the next week it was rainy. Today it was sunny, I had a free afternoon, and I had a nearby errand to run. So I pumped up my hybrid's tires a little bit using my old squeaky & inefficient footpump, biked to one of my LBSs where I used one of their pumps to air up my tires the rest of the way (and bought a stand pump I've been eyeing, because I discovered it cost a lot less than I thought it did), and then continued on to my local yarn shop to pick up the umbrella I'd left there on Thursday. It's wonderful weather out--it's been in the 40s F lately, which would be warm enough for a ride, but today it jumped up to 62°! And I was happy to be on my bike.

I reaccustomed myself to my bike seat faster than I expected. Now all that remains is to build my leg strength back up--today's ride was only about 3 miles and I could definitely tell I haven't been riding for a while!


Cross-posted (but modified) from my own journal.

Comments

[sara]

I am totally jealous -- we've been cleaning house, and I've got to do a big grocery-shopping run later. My mudroom looks great but my bike is sad and lonely....;>

[aedifica]

But I've been envious of your rides through the winter when my bike was languishing in the garage, so I think it comes out even. :-)

[sara]

True, true -- we've had a remarkably warm winter here.

[darkemeralds]

Yay for the first spring ride of the year! You remind me that I really need to get my own floor pump, rather than continuing to borrow my sister's.

I ride to and from work every day, but there's something extra-good about taking a long errand-ride on a fine weekend, isn't there?

[aedifica]

There is! Last year I biked all or partway to work most days through the spring, summer, and fall, and I expect to do the same this year--and being back on the bike today was wonderful. The beautiful weather only added to it!

[uhhuhlex]

The weather here is mild enough that I can cycle to campus except on the really icy days. It is getting much more pleasant though!

I sometimes think I must be real lazy though - I rarely go beyond a 3 mile radius...

[aedifica]

When I bike to work, I bike 1.5, 3, or 4.5 miles (the whole trip is 4.5, but I have the option of putting my bike on a bus for part of the trip). But sometimes I go farther. One instigation is that I sold my car (I wasn't using it enough to justify keeping it) and sometimes biking is more convenient (and more fun!) than taking the bus to wherever it is I'm going.