Not that it matters because I never did get out to Sunshine for May skiing but it's sad all the same that I'm not getting ski reports on my Blackberry every day. I do realize, of course, that summer will be all too short and I won't have to wait long to be bombing down the slopes. I'm already putting in some OT to pay for my RCR Superpass. Having said all that, it would appear that spring has finally arrived. I've had several flights cancelled due to thunder storms, my nose is freckly and my hair is going ginger due to driving with the top down and my Dad is working on the yard. My Dad is working on the yard because I haven't got the foggiest clue what to do with our huge yard. My contribution to the project is doing little tasks that I can't possibly screw up.
Example:
Dad: See those two plants I just rescued from your flower beds?
Me: Wow, you knew the difference between weeds and plants? I thought that all I had was weeds.
Dad (slightly exasperated): Stick with the task at hand, those two plants need to be watered every day with this much water.
Me: Okay, that I can handle.
So every day I now look every inch of the middle-aged wife I am filling up the watering can and watering my two plants. Yay me.
At any rate, the next thing I finally got around to this week was getting my poop in a group to become one of those sickening people who rides their bike to work.
First, I purchased a rack for my bike as well as a pump and a small tool-kit from Canadian Tire using my Canadian Tire money. I needed to save all the cash I could for my next stop. I headed to MEC to pick up the necessary paraphernalia to be uber-cool bike-girl. I already own a helmet that I look ridiculous in and sporty Oakley sunglasses (my latest addiction) to wear, custom made to suit the evening conditions that I ride in on the way to night shift. But what about mountain biking shorts, jerseys, gloves and shoes? This all had to be acquired, obviously, I couldn't ride to work without it. I also picked up panniers, a rack pack and new water bottle.
Evilscientist went to work on attaching all the hardware after a Saturday cook-out in our back yard and I decided that with all my gear together, it was time to ride.
The ride takes about 45 to 60 minutes and winds on the bike paths beside the Zoo and the river so it's a pretty drive. Once I climb the stairs at the Prince's Island pedestrian bridge, my office is straight South. There's nothing more fun than riding through down town on a long-weekend Saturday night watching everybody else sitting on patios having a beer knowing that I'm on my way to work. Yep, that's awesome...anyway, I digress.
I've already come to realize that the only way to ride down town is to pretty much act like a bike courier otherwise you'll never get anywhere. I'm finding that dodging out in front of traffic is really quite exhilarating.
Once at work, I am lucky enough that my company provides a bike lock-up room for its employees. It also has a great locker room that isn't really used that much. Another benefit to night shift is the fact that by the time I arrive, the place is completely uncrowded.
In the morning, I have a the option of either climbing the hill at Max Bell (if I'm feeling energetic) or taking the train past up the hill and still having a pleasant little ride through the subdivisions, back to my house. The scary thing is, riding my bike only adds about 30-45 minutes to my commute either way and I get my daily exercise while saving money on gas and parking.
A co-worker mentioned that I was also being green. I had to 'fess up to her that my motivation has everything to do with my thighs and my waistline and almost nothing to do with commitment to the environment. I know, I'm going to straight to NDP hell.
Well, off to www.mec.ca, I need a new headlight and I should really pick up a tail light too. Maybe a nice light-weight jacket and some pannier covers for when it rains? Yes, this will tide me over nicely until ski season.