After a month of not riding due to my idiotic insistence on pouring hot water onto my leg at work, and the resulting second-degree burns that significantly impacted my mobility for an extended period of time, I enjoyed my first ride in to work again this morning.
Despite the crisp air (Brrr -- when did winter suddenly hit?!) and the mild discomfort from the rubbing on my still-present leg scars as I rode, it felt very good to be on my bike again.
My month of sitting around with my unclothed leg elevated and airing out or covered in various creams had not done much for my physique, and I chugged along at rather a lethargic pace. Nevertheless, I managed to make it to the top of the Sunnyside bridge without having to do the walk of shame, and even stopped to snap a few photos of Kermit overlooking the tracks, expressway and hospital where I was born before continuing on for the second leg of my hour-long ride.
Despite the crisp air (Brrr -- when did winter suddenly hit?!) and the mild discomfort from the rubbing on my still-present leg scars as I rode, it felt very good to be on my bike again.
My month of sitting around with my unclothed leg elevated and airing out or covered in various creams had not done much for my physique, and I chugged along at rather a lethargic pace. Nevertheless, I managed to make it to the top of the Sunnyside bridge without having to do the walk of shame, and even stopped to snap a few photos of Kermit overlooking the tracks, expressway and hospital where I was born before continuing on for the second leg of my hour-long ride.
Further downtown, I managed to avoid the temptious Krispy Kreme at the corner of Bathurst and Harbord by engaging in some fancy side-street cycling to get myself to Queens Park, Wellesly, and eventually, my office building, where I locked Kermit up safely and dragged my sorry ass along with my pannier upstairs to wipe down and change clothes, and eat my morning oatmeal (Confession: Four fifths of a bag of gummy hearts preceded that meal -- they had real fruit in them, though, along with the carnuba wax, pig guts and whatever other horrid ingredients make them slide so smoothly and flavourfully down my gullet and into my eager belly!)
Another advantage of riding my bike over taking public transit or even Uber pool this morning was the control I had over how I began the receptive auditory part of my day: Instead of listening to some moron's horrific electro-pop leaking imposingly out of his headphones and into my sensitive ears on the bus, or suffering through the ubiquitous pop music that the vast majority of Uber drivers insist on playing while driving, I enjoyed my newly downloaded Bach violin sonatas and partitas while pedaling, as performed by the illustrious Lara St. John.
The logistical importance of my return to biking was confirmed for me at the end of the day, when -- after having finally managed to escape the office on time so that I could get home in time to cook dinner for my kids and help one of them practise his instrument as promised -- I found myself on the westbound platform of the Bloor line, waiting while yet another train pulled slowly into the station, pausing briefly to open its doors more as an exercise than anything else (since the subway cars were so packed that not even the most aggressive riders could elbow their way in), and pull s-l-o-w-l-y back out of the station, leaving a miserable crowd that included me on the platform, wondering when, precisely, our $3.25 mission might be fulfilled.
I soooo have to increase the number of rides I make!! (I had left Kermit locked up because I plan to ride home from work another day this week, having wanted to ease back into the cycling routine. Stupid move, as I soon discovered.)
Riding in today reaffirmed for me my belief in cycling as a single solution for multiple problems: Riding increases physical and mental health, reducing a society's collective obesity, depression and stress, and therefore, heart attack risks. It also reduces our carbon footprint by eliminating the need for cars in the daily commuting sense. And plus it's just kick-ass to bike commute, especially in winter.
Really, why wouldn't everyone just get on their bike and RIDE?! Do it -- I challenge you. Ditch the car, and ride your bike. Seriously, it will change your life!
Another advantage of riding my bike over taking public transit or even Uber pool this morning was the control I had over how I began the receptive auditory part of my day: Instead of listening to some moron's horrific electro-pop leaking imposingly out of his headphones and into my sensitive ears on the bus, or suffering through the ubiquitous pop music that the vast majority of Uber drivers insist on playing while driving, I enjoyed my newly downloaded Bach violin sonatas and partitas while pedaling, as performed by the illustrious Lara St. John.
The logistical importance of my return to biking was confirmed for me at the end of the day, when -- after having finally managed to escape the office on time so that I could get home in time to cook dinner for my kids and help one of them practise his instrument as promised -- I found myself on the westbound platform of the Bloor line, waiting while yet another train pulled slowly into the station, pausing briefly to open its doors more as an exercise than anything else (since the subway cars were so packed that not even the most aggressive riders could elbow their way in), and pull s-l-o-w-l-y back out of the station, leaving a miserable crowd that included me on the platform, wondering when, precisely, our $3.25 mission might be fulfilled.
I soooo have to increase the number of rides I make!! (I had left Kermit locked up because I plan to ride home from work another day this week, having wanted to ease back into the cycling routine. Stupid move, as I soon discovered.)
Riding in today reaffirmed for me my belief in cycling as a single solution for multiple problems: Riding increases physical and mental health, reducing a society's collective obesity, depression and stress, and therefore, heart attack risks. It also reduces our carbon footprint by eliminating the need for cars in the daily commuting sense. And plus it's just kick-ass to bike commute, especially in winter.
Really, why wouldn't everyone just get on their bike and RIDE?! Do it -- I challenge you. Ditch the car, and ride your bike. Seriously, it will change your life!
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