A Day of Firsts

I can finally say I have broken in my bike. I went out for a ride yesterday, the first in a while, and went all the way to science world and back. This is the first ride outside since I cut my hair and since I injured my shoulder a few weeks back, so there were a few things I was not expecting. One of which how cold my head would get under my helmet with less hair and due to the fact that there are large vents in my helmet. Second I was not sure how my shoulder would respond to the continuous pressure of leaning over and holding on to the handle bars, let's just say it wasn't the most pleasant experience. I felt every bump in the road and my shoulder kept saying why in the world would you do this to me, you'll regret this later.

As a cyclist when you come up to a pedestrian controlled crossing and you have clip in pedals, you don't normally unclip. Usually you slow down and reach out to this the button and then hold onto the pole until the light changes and then you are on your way again. Well, this process is a little different when your right shoulder hates you at the moment and pain radiates from it whenever an external force is applied to it. So about 30 minutes into my ride I approach the intersection at Boundry on the Frances/Union bike street. I slow down and notice a lot of gravel and the road is kind of uneven. I slow down and then reach out to push the button as more hand comes in contact with the button and then tries to grasp the pole to stabilize myself, the pain again radiates through my shoulder causing  my to lose balance. Of course I am still clipped to my pedals and I am not able to unclip in time so there is nothing I can do but brace myself and wait until I hit the ground. At least it was more embarrassing than painful, as there was another cyclist coming down the hill behind me and I am sure he saw everything. I was up fairly quickly somehow my foot unclipped after I fell, I did a quick check for damage on the bike and then the light turned and then I continued on my way. Wow, even writing about this makes my shoulder ache. Need less to say I started unclipping at every intersection to save my self from more pain and embarrassment.

There was not a lot of damage to report, just a few scratches both on myself and on my bike, thank goodness. But now I can finally stop wondering when the first time will be that 1) I fall while on my bike and 2) when I will not be able to unclip in time and make a fool of myself. Killed two birds with one stone, winning! And my bike doesn't look like I just bought even though I have had it since January.

The second part of firsts is my new hairdo. My roommate can confirm this, that when I got home after and took my helmet off, it looked like I was still wearing it. My hair had taken on the pattern of the vents in my helmet. The picture doesn't do it justice.

Another notable thing from my ride:

It is scary as hell when you are waiting for a light to change so you can go straight. As a cyclist I am on the right side of the lane closest to the curb so I can hit the button. At two separate times, while I was waiting for the light to change, a car would pass me on my left, cut in front of me and make a right turn. both times right before the light was about to change. I must say thank goodness for the motorcycle training engraved in my brain that forces me to shoulder check before I start moving or I may have more than a few scratches to report from this ride. Why are drivers so impatient and feel they can cut cyclists off? I must say that riding a bike on the road is definitely scarier than riding a motorcycle. At least on a motorcycle you can be faster than everything else on the road and you are wearing way more protective gear.

So I am back on track with my training schedule and with school slowing down as I prepare for finals, I don't see why I won't be able to keep pace with my training until I start touring in Europe which I must say is only about 80 days away.

Happy Riding

Recap of Pub Night #2

What a fantastic Friday night, minus the Canucks losing. Thank you to everyone who helped make that night such a success. With the pub ticket and raffle ticket sales as well as little quiz, I was able to raise just under a grand, thats $1000, in just one night. Amazing, and that's thanks to the genorosity of my friends and family, couldnt have done it without you all.

A special thank you to my friend Jenny who helped me organize the games and ensure a smooth flowing evening. I think I still owe you a burger since you didn't get a chance to eat yours.

For now, this caps of my fundraising, until after finals, I need to focus on my classes and get through these last couple of weeks and prepare for final exams. And hopefully ramp up my training as the days left before I leave get less and less.

100 DAYS

There are now 100 days left before I begin the most amazing journey of life. There are still so many things left to do and I am not at all prepared to leave my friends, family, and my country to ride my bicycle for 4.5 weeks in a foreign country on an entirely different continent. 

There is still so much fundraising to do with my pub night coming up, I still have some shirts left, and I have to plan future fundraisers.

I have not yet acquired all my gear for the trip or figured out what I am taking with me or how much I will be able to carry on my bike.

I am more than a month into my training but feel like I have made little or no progress. I am hoping the weather gets a little nicer, so I can actually hit the road instead of riding in my apartment. Being inside is just not the same. 

With the ride itself, there is still a lot of planning to do. Organizing accomadations, planning routes, and even meeting some of the other riders, which I have yet to do. 

And there is always the other factors of school, work, and soccer. Work has been good, it gives me a short break from worrying about school and the ride. School on the other hand has added a whole lot of unwanted stress. I have finished the first round of midterms rather successfully, but now comes presentations, papers, the second round of midterms, and then shortly after final exams. Soccer has always been a good outlet for me to get away from reality and just enjoy a few hours doing something I love and forgetting about everything else.

I am very thankful for all the support I have received from friends and family over the last few months. This all would not be possible without them.

 Photo by Colin Gilliam