Friday, August 13, 2010

Day 90: the long way home

Dear Blog, I've been wretched the last two days. The punishment simply wasn't enough to get my ass in gear. I did not visit the gym nor ride my bicycle. And I most definitely did eat french fries and donuts and other things that I shudder to think about.

I decided enough was enough. Today was absolutely the most beautiful day I have seen / felt / enjoyed this summer. Perfect. One of my friends had mentioned that he takes a right out of campus and goes up Chase Rd and down Fisher - a path I had never taken. Due to the way I generally refer to the route (as "going up" Chase Road), I was under the impression that Chase road literally went up.

Prior to the bike ride, I drove my route because I was already driving and because I wanted to see what I was in for. I realized that if I got tired at any point, I had a few options. I could opt for a much shorter route and cut down Lucy Little back to Old Westport. If I made it to the end of Chase, I could go down Woodcock and up Old Westport and, my intended route, to go up Chase, across Russel Mills, down Fisher and up Old Westport to Lucy Little, where I would cut through the woods and avoid the huge hill on Old Westport up near the school. The wooded path leads to the back of the Dell, eliminating a good 3 miles of tough biking.

The ride was SO pleasant. My left hip joint started feeling sore while I was on Fisher Road, but Chase Road was WONDERFUL! The whole time I was biking "up" it, I thought to myself Damn, girl, why didn't you ever venture this way before?? I definitely plan on doing this route again! It was all so glorious. Though the weather might have had a hand in the gloriousness of it.

As I biked, I started thinking about a lot of things: I was running through interview scenarious in my head, thinking about starting up a YRUU newsletter called "Where are they now?" and doing an update on everyone who was in it around the time I started, about life in general and what I want to do with it. Daunting things to think about, I tell you! But certainly it helped clear my head and keep me focused more on my internal struggle than my external struggle - which was more than I'd like it to be! Damn those sneaky inclines!

When I reached Old Westport, I remembered that to get through the shortcut from Lucy Little, we'd had to hop a minor fence. I realized this wouldn't be fun with my bicycle. And while it might be doable, I decided that I really needed to stop being a lazy asshole and just conquer the Old Westport Road hill. Especially since I'd spent the last two days literally being a lazy asshole and eating everything in sight. So, ladies and gentlemen, I pwned that hill. I rode up it and then rode up it some more.

I end up slowing down to a crawl when I'm on hills. It's like the hill saps all of the energy out of me. I must look like a moron going 1 mile an hour and panting my lungs out. But whatever. I'm still biking and they're still driving, so I automatically win by default.

After I turned back onto my beloved campus, I decided to extend the ride just a little bit more and go down to the Dell for a lap. I briefly considered doing the whole loop over again since it was brilliant outside, but my left hip doth protest. And I'm sure it wouldn't have ended well (ie, me dragging my bike up the hill). But whatever. I still did a hefty 14 miles today. Not bad for a girl who ate Wendy's at midnight...

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