Resting and Playing

My road bike Amie has, sadly, been sitting idly in the garage for the last week. The time has come for me to give my back a rest. If you've been reading my blog for a while you know I have trouble with my back. It started when I was 15, progressed to 4 herniated discs when I was 20 (which were very painful - I hardly sat at all for a year), and has settled into arthritis in 13 vertebrae, and a sticky SI joint. I'm 34 and after 19 years of this I've learned a lot of tricks which keep me happy and active - the way I like to be. I've had some very good years with my back in the last 19 years, this last year and a half has been moderately good. I finished RAGBRAI and that is awesome. Totally awesome.

But, last week, as I was doing that thing where you try to put your pants on without bending over...you know what I mean if you have back problems...where you almost try to kick the pants on, I was thinking, I never really let my back recover from that ride. I just kept going. My back didn't seize up, but it just got progressively more and more exhausted. Every time I try to stand up I groan like an old lady. No, the rain has started. It's getting cold. I'm going do what I very seldom do...rest.

Of course, rest for me means 45-minute elliptical sessions, 60-minute stationary bike sessions, 40-minute dog walks and riding my bike for errands and transportation. I get all cranky and fidgety if I don't do cardio. I don't sleep well and I have to starve myself because I don't have a naturally fast metabolism. Still, if you knew me well, you'd know that just doing a little cardio 5 or 6 days a week is definitely resting. My husband used to say that I either was moving or sleeping...no in-between. Actually, now that I think about it, blogging has helped me have an in-between.

Which brings me to today's ride. I donned my new favorite, oh so favorite, pink coat and set off to the library and the grocery. It was raining but I skipped the umbrella, wanting to feel the tangible sensation of the rain on my face and my hands. Tat-a-tat-tat, the rain drops patter down, and with the wind blowing I'm reminded of just how alive I am.

I try, with varying results to get a good picture of my new favorite (oh so so SO favorite) coat with my camera. At the library, I run in, grab a book about cycle touring (like the 8th one I've read) and head back out into the pouring rain.


I head over to Fred Meyer for some fruit, coffee, and wine. The coffee I get is Portland Coffee's Mt. Tabor blend. So delicious every morning for my one soy latte.

Riding home, the sun has come out and I get my favorite shot of the day. You can see my butterfly helmet that I bought in Finland, my coat, and my beloved bicycle, Reilly (completely outfitted with every toy you can put on a handlebar including the umbrella attachment that I got in Japan). Well, there probably are more handlebar toys, but Reilly's out of room. :)