Ness Likes to Review Things

I am very sleepy, and my allergies are really bad today, but the coffee at Urbanistar has really helped so hopefully the day will go better. Went for massage therapy yesterday and nearly died from the headache and nausea after. I need to reflect on this for the future.

In cycling news, something else that I have touched on that is awful about spring is bugs. And they are multiplying. Mark came home from a ride this morning with bugs in his eyes and eyebrows and everywhere. Poor thing. So I put on sunglasses for my ride to the coffee shop and I STILL got a bug in my eye. They are crafty and they disintegrate so all you can really feel after is the reminants of like, bug legs and things. Disgusting. And there are flies now. SO MANY FLIES. And it's not even summer yet. Wait til it's summer. It'll be unfathomable.

I feel like I haven't got anything much else to report.

Wait, I do have some pearls of wisdom. Number 1; if you are going to make a mistake at a stop sign, do it in front of a ute full of Irish men. They are happy to tell you it's their mistake and wait for you to head on your way while cheering you on. Number 2; when your boyfriend is complimenting you on how well you dealt with a car at a round about that was doing something stupid, and how you held your line, when your foot comes of the pedal and you start speeding down the hill, just don't spaz out, be calm, stay steady and get your pedalling foot back on. He'll never know.

I saw Deanne on the way home yesterday. She happened upon me as I was crossing the intersection. She said "Really? We're walking across intersections now?" to which I replied "I cannot go up a hill and turn a tight corner at the same time". She responded as if she had gotten it in one; "Ah. No gears". Oh the joys of no gears. It's the worst and it's why the fixi craze will die soon.

My bike is still rattling up a storm and I am scared something will break. Mark checked it and apparently, even though I can feel it in the pedals, it's not the pedals; he thinks it's the chain hitting the chain guard. Must be loose. I don't know if he is going to fix it or if I need to take it in for a service.

I have selected a Star Lady Pin Up for today, but because the Cycle Instead site crashed my photo album and isn't letting me add another that is functional, it seems pointless to even talk about it. Today's pin up is another lovely lady, Miss Drew Barrymore, in a cute stripe dress against a really colourful background on a little maroon bike. I have been saving this one. Also as I missed yesterday I am going to nominate yesterday's lady as, in view of all the Buffy I have been reading and watching lately, Mrs Sarah-Michelle Gellar. This photo looks like she just hopped off her pink ladies bike on the way into the shops, but I have got to say, those heels are ferocious. I wouldn't want to be riding in those. I think in actual fact it's an ad for Maybelline or something. Also, what is with all these celebrities and their pink bikes? I've seen so many pictures of people on pink bikes.



Last week of the challenge next week. I should really register for ride to work day. But I don't want to go where the free breakfast is and I might have law business to attend to. Life is hard.


[EDIT] - Fixed it! You can now see the second volume of Pin Ups in the associated folder.

I just wish I could stop sneezing. Riding home from the lecture last night (which BTW was amazing!) all I could do was smell tree pollen and avoid bottle brush in an attempt to not get more sick than I was already going to get. I enjoy riding, but riding through flying pollen attacks is less than optimal. I also enjoyed riding into work this morning and I have reached my initial goal of riding 50kms this challenge. Low I know it seems, given my boyfriend can smash out 90kms in an afternoon without working up a sweat (that last bit was a lie), but I don't live very far away from things and my bike is really really hard to ride. It's like when the website tells you that a 15km ride will be very plesant and not take long and I'm like, DUDE have you ever ridden my bike? It's awful. You'll get sweaty after a couple of K's. And it's hard and I have to keep reminding myself to pedal and that I can get up that small incline because I did it yesterday or the day before that. I once lost a broccoli on a street pedalling up a hill, and I didn't realise til I got home and wanted to cook it. At any rate, I'm proud of my achievement and I have another few weeks to see if I can get to 100kms. I doubt this will happen, I think I will fall just short. If I hadn't been in Melbourne the first week I would have gotten there. Maybe this means more cycling, I don't know if I can rise to that challenge. Between the pollen and the working it just doesn't seem like it's going to happen. I am not spiralling into depression, becoming unenthused or giving up. Not at all... I'm just, respecting my boundaries and being realistic. I need to do my tax.

Speaking of all those things, pollen, tax and goals that dangle above us, I would like to talk about something very similar; lycra. To many of us who are confused by people who wear this material and who have had bad encounters with those who are clad as such, it can be like the above. Irritating, infuriating and intimidating. There is an important story in this; for every lycra wearing and super fast cyclist who nearly knocks you off your little push bike, there is another who wears lyrca when racing or riding for sport and who would gladly wear normal clothes and ride with you, look stylish and even, lord forbid, help you if you are in trouble. Knowing how to take care of yourself on a bike is important, but it's also important to remember that if you did get into a pickle, these are the people most likely to be able to help. These are the people most likely to have a spare tube or patching equipment, to know the nearest cycle shop and to be able to give you some help. It might be awful to think we might have to ask, but at the same time, it's important not to fear them. I'd like to think some of them are, after all, human beings. I know a few of them who are; my boyfriend for one. He's seen crazy cyclists speed past me and nearly knock me off my bike and he's raised his fist to the heavens and cursed after them, and I am sure he would do the same for you. I'm sure he's nearly been hit himself by some and likewise, he's probably ridden along with people he doesn't know just for the joy of riding. Maybe we'll never be fast enough to do that, and that's fine, but I think it's nice to believe that there are some people who you'd be able to catch on their bikes, complete strangers, and be able to ride with. I wonder if I can do that.

Also, lycra (I am told) is easier to cycle in. Now, I have thought about this scientifically and it seems sound. I for one know how annoying it is when your skirt blows up in the head wind on the way to work, lycra doesn't blow up, but it also means they can ride in more comfort and faster. If you are anything like me, the prospect of going faster is enough to make you want to ride in 3 woolen jumpers to weigh you down, but I guess some people like that feeling. And helmets seem to be built on similar premises. Again, if you are like me, the rounder skate helmet looks cooler and so I wear that instead, but I have seen some sleek helmets on ladies that looked very cool. I have also seen Andy Schleck be cheated out of a Tour Win (subjective opinion) and do some CRAZY stunts to catch up. It was AMAZING and the aerodynamics of that technology are very interesting to me. Plus I totally roll down my street making myself as small and bullet like as possible to emulate that ride in some small way. Seriously, I did it this morning. It might be sad, but it WAS also a little fun.

So be kind you your fellow cyclist even if he's awful to you. We are better than that. And maybe if they stop thinking the world hates them, they'll have no need to hate the world.

And now, to press onto things that are in no way shape or form lycra, please see today's Star Lady Pin Up, Kate Hudson. I love this picture because she looks so business dressed and it would be really cool to see more ladies dressed such and riding into work. It's a very good look. There has to be a mindset change; that you CAN ride in everyday and even stylish clothes, that you don't have to ride far to be a cyclist and that sport and going to the local pub (or comic book store) in a singlet and jeans (or a huge Alice dress) can coexist.

The internet keeps telling me to get outdoors and get active in spring and to that I say, "No. Go away". Why you ask? Well because I have horrendously bad allergies and let me tell you first hand a sneezing fit with itchy watery eyes is not fun, let alone when you get one on your bike. I can barely get outside before I get an attack, let alone in Kings Park amongst the Wildflowers! I am sorry, I just cannot enjoy you spring, you make me not want to cycle, but given the name of this whole challenge, I am forced to ignore you and try anyway.

Yesterday I saw the lovely Felicity get on her bike and roll off to an art gallery. I think that's something I am loving about this challenge. Seeing people use their bikes for everything and seeing them do it in really cool clothes. She rode in when I did this morning and looked stunning again, I would have taken photos of this, but then the whole blog would have been about her.

Another person I saw being very daper this week was my young man in a suit on his bike. I wish I had photos of that, it was very Don Draper, except I think Don Draper wouldn't ride a bike. But he should, he'd turn heads. I just did a quick search and apparently Jon Hamm does triathlon's as well, so maybe Don Draper DOES ride a bike, I just cannot find a picture. At anyrate, the internet also tells me there are people in Britain who ride with Don Draper's style. I saw pictures of that. It's good.

Speaking of style, I have been waiting all night to post today's Star Cycle Pin Up Lady. Jo tells me that kids are supposed to ride bikes, and to that I say, yes Jo, but kids don't normally do it in style. Yesterday Anneke drew my attention to something, something great that turned into something fantastic. Everyone knows Will Smith is cool. Like super cool. The thing no body realised was that his daughter Willow is super cool too. Willow is apparently about 7 or 8 and as Anneke says, she doesn't normally condone children dressing older than their age, but this little ladies style is awesome. I hunted and discovered an adorable picture of Willow in Cookie magazine riding her bike in front of her mother Jada, in the COOLEST tights and hip hop style clothes. It makes me happy.



I have hoola hooping tonight and I would ride there if I could just work out how to safely ride whilst also carrying hoola hoops. Hmmmm...