On My Minor Absence

Hello everyone!

Let me apologize for my week and a half absence first of all!  I know it must've been tough for you to go more than a few days without your friend updating his poorly designed blog.  I'd love to put more posts on here, but life has been hectic lately!  Between putting in overtime at work, tons of schoolwork, and trying to manage a personal life, this blog was put on the back burner.  Well, fear no more, not tonight!  Not Tuesday night!  I've been meaning to write an update, and it's HERE and NOW!

Many of you might be thinking by my lack of updates here, and only my occasional Strava ride that my road bike phase is done and over with, because that's what I used to do with things like this.  Let me just correct those ideas.  No I haven't been using Strava as much recently, and yes, I still do plan to bike across the country.  I'm here to talk about why I'm not really on Strava anymore.

Commutes are boring.  There, I said it.  Nearly every day I've been riding my bike to work and to classes.  You get to a point though where it all becomes the same.  It's the same path you ride every day, and you take it easy on the way in.  Can't get too sweaty for the work day.  You do your thing, then bike to classes, or bike home.  It's all whatever to you at this point.  It becomes normal.  I've become so used to my daily commutes that I don't even feel like it's noteworthy to mention it, or even record it anymore.  I know the mileage that I did, and that's enough.

Now I will add one exception to this.  Lately I've been trying to haul ass on my way home.  On days I feel particularly good I've been recording.  I'd really love to see the numbers two and zero flash on my phone for an average speed.  Red lights definitely put a stop to my latest attempt.  Damn 18.5!

The only time I really enjoy my commutes are when something out of the ordinary happens.  I now love the rain, simply because drivers think you are plain crazy for being out in such weather and give you extra room.  I had the biggest grin the whole time on my first rain commute, I kind of hope for it more often now. 

I also had a pedal come off with two miles left a few weeks ago.  One legged riding in the rain was certainly new to me.  There was an added bonus of feeling like a complete hard ass when my boss pulled up in his SUV at the same time and simply said "Holy shit!" 

I've had a chain break on my way home.  Wait, I take that back, that was the least enjoyable commute I've had so far.

Can you find what's missing?  (Hint: you use it to move forward)

Anyhow, I'm still out there, I'm still putting in the saddle time and miles.  They're just boring miles.  Any weekend adventure I had planned for last weekend was destroyed by work, and prior Sunday golfing plans.  Yes, golf.  Hell has frozen over.  Steve did that and enjoyed it.  Also the Browns won and are tied for first in the AFC North.  I will leave this post at that to let it all sink in.

Tomorrow you can look forward to a tire review, since I've had them on for nearly two weeks now.  Excitement!