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rebeccmeisterWow. I didn't think I was this addicted to LJ. But I'm guessing many other people out there are thinking the same thing...One thing's for sure--it actually strengthens my resolve to get myself a paid account. Just...not quite yet. I splurged on other things this month.
Anyway, since I couldn't access my account yesterday, I wrote Today is best described as an aesthetically pleasing day. I slept in until 7:30, a reasonable hour. Then I had a leisurely breakfast and got some laundry started. I decided to hang my clean clothing on the clothesline in our back yard. The clothesline has been problematic ever since we moved in. I think that when it was first installed it must have had some sort of spring mechanism to keep the lines tight and strung up high. But for a while now, every time an item is hung on it, the winding mechanism unwinds until the clothesline is a mere two feet above the ground. This is not very useful if one’s goal is to dry clean clothing without dirtying it in the process.
So this morning I finally dragged out a chair to look at the winding mechanism and determine if there was a convenient way to jam it and thwart its plot to make me use the evil, electricity-guzzling dryer. Lo and behold, there was, and after disassembling a clothespin to jam the worn-out winder, I was able to hang up my clothes to dry. A splendid time was had by all.
In the meantime, I also started and finished a small crochet project—a small hair doohickey to create a decorative bun. I don’t know if I’ll ever wear it, but it’s cute!
Once the clothes were hung and the crocheting project was completed, I set out on a bike mission. Today’s mission was to ride my bicycle to Trader Joe’s to buy some groceries. Dear readers, I do not have to ride my bike that long distance—I can see some of you wincing at my modus transportandi. Rest assured, vehicles were offered, but in truth I wanted to see what it would be like if I were to ride my bike there. This, of course, is in direct opposition to the general tendency around these here parts to leap into a car whenever the smallest of distances must be crossed. Why not defy the norm and show that it can be done?
First I established that Trader Joe’s is a mere 5.7 miles away from my house. Then I found my City of Tempe bike maps, which highlight streets with bike lanes and bike routes, and plotted my course. I should note that while many streets in Tempe have bike lanes, some of those streets have traffic traveling at 45 miles an hour as well, which I consider unsafe for bicyclists. On such streets, I ride on sidewalks.
Fortunately, about ninety percent of today’s expedition was streetworthy. I even discovered a pedestrian/bicycle overpass that crosses over the 60—quite a pleasant little ride! I timed the return trip—only thirty minutes!
Somehow or another, I ended up visiting three additional grocery stores after that. First the Indian grocery, to pick up some odds and ends; then Food City, which caters to Latinos, and which had bean sprouts, thank goodness; and lastly to Gentle Strength to pick up a few vegetarian items. But all that made for a nice afternoon on my bicycle, whose chain needs to be oiled NOW.
This evening has been one of coffee and plotting. Hopefully I will have more fun adventures to recount tomorrow!
.
Now I am off for some more coffee.
Anyway, since I couldn't access my account yesterday, I wrote Today is best described as an aesthetically pleasing day. I slept in until 7:30, a reasonable hour. Then I had a leisurely breakfast and got some laundry started. I decided to hang my clean clothing on the clothesline in our back yard. The clothesline has been problematic ever since we moved in. I think that when it was first installed it must have had some sort of spring mechanism to keep the lines tight and strung up high. But for a while now, every time an item is hung on it, the winding mechanism unwinds until the clothesline is a mere two feet above the ground. This is not very useful if one’s goal is to dry clean clothing without dirtying it in the process.
So this morning I finally dragged out a chair to look at the winding mechanism and determine if there was a convenient way to jam it and thwart its plot to make me use the evil, electricity-guzzling dryer. Lo and behold, there was, and after disassembling a clothespin to jam the worn-out winder, I was able to hang up my clothes to dry. A splendid time was had by all.
In the meantime, I also started and finished a small crochet project—a small hair doohickey to create a decorative bun. I don’t know if I’ll ever wear it, but it’s cute!
Once the clothes were hung and the crocheting project was completed, I set out on a bike mission. Today’s mission was to ride my bicycle to Trader Joe’s to buy some groceries. Dear readers, I do not have to ride my bike that long distance—I can see some of you wincing at my modus transportandi. Rest assured, vehicles were offered, but in truth I wanted to see what it would be like if I were to ride my bike there. This, of course, is in direct opposition to the general tendency around these here parts to leap into a car whenever the smallest of distances must be crossed. Why not defy the norm and show that it can be done?
First I established that Trader Joe’s is a mere 5.7 miles away from my house. Then I found my City of Tempe bike maps, which highlight streets with bike lanes and bike routes, and plotted my course. I should note that while many streets in Tempe have bike lanes, some of those streets have traffic traveling at 45 miles an hour as well, which I consider unsafe for bicyclists. On such streets, I ride on sidewalks.
Fortunately, about ninety percent of today’s expedition was streetworthy. I even discovered a pedestrian/bicycle overpass that crosses over the 60—quite a pleasant little ride! I timed the return trip—only thirty minutes!
Somehow or another, I ended up visiting three additional grocery stores after that. First the Indian grocery, to pick up some odds and ends; then Food City, which caters to Latinos, and which had bean sprouts, thank goodness; and lastly to Gentle Strength to pick up a few vegetarian items. But all that made for a nice afternoon on my bicycle, whose chain needs to be oiled NOW.
This evening has been one of coffee and plotting. Hopefully I will have more fun adventures to recount tomorrow!
.
Now I am off for some more coffee.
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no subject
Date: 2005-01-17 02:44 am (UTC)By the way, hi. (:
no subject
Date: 2005-01-17 03:37 am (UTC)It sounds like Tempe is pretty bicycle-friendly.
I suppose that, compared to places that get lots of ice and snow in the winter, Tempe would seem pretty bike-friendly right now. I shouldn't really complain, but how can I resist? ;) Alas, as with things such as espresso and culture, I grew up spoiled. In Seattle, traffic moves slowly and one can use public transportation or a bicycle to get pretty much anywhere. And cars are polite and drive at reasonable speeds! The only troubles I ever had on a bike were the two times when I biked too close to parked cars, and the drivers opened their doors without checking for bikes. Oh, and the time I flipped myself over the handlebars. But all cases were my fault.
In contrast--technically, one can bike year-round in Tempe, AZ. But when it's 115 degrees out, well, I think the temperature speaks for itself. Also, because the entire Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area is laid out in a huge, suburban grid, all of the roads are straight and cars tend to move really, really quickly. Add to that the fact that drivers are generally inept (a carryover from southern California, I'm guessing) and unaccustomed to bicycles, and you get one of the highest biker fatality rates in the country. Oh joy. Not to mention the rampant bike theft!
But enough of that. I have to say it's always fun when biking is faster than public transportation. One summer when I lived in Boston, I worked at a place that was an hour away by subway. I took the T for a week, and then decided to try biking as an experiment. I cut twenty minutes off my commute, and suddenly I was getting exercise and seeing great scenery to boot! Don't get me wrong, good public transportation is great. But commuting by bike is greater. Most people around here think I'm insane because I don't own a car and drive everywhere. But just think how different our society would be if more people hopped on bikes more often.
no subject
Date: 2005-01-18 09:31 pm (UTC)That said, I've made a sort-of resolution to bike to school when it starts in three weeks. Somerville to the North end should make for an interesting commute in the winter, but I think it'll make the spring and summer pretty relaxing and enjoyable. Only problem is that I have to get up so damned early! :P Well, that, and transporting tools will be a challenge. I do have my trailer, which might work, but tools are HEAVY. And my toolbox is pretty nice to be dragging around in weather, if there is any.
Now I just need to find my old Boston bike map.