Biciclista
07-15-2011, 07:26 PM
This morning at 0 dark 30 we headed off to work on our bikes. It would have been my 3rd bike commute of the week. And I was dragging. DH says to me "you're awfully slow, what's wrong?"
I whined "I don't want to go to work" The Raleighdon knows when there is an opening; and his face lit up. "wanna go to the Point Defiance Zoo???"
I did a double take.. "Uh, the zoo?... actually YES!"
so since we were 1 mile from my office, i went in, put my lunch in the fridge for Monday and dropped my work pants off at my desk and left the building to rejoin my sweety who was outside chatting with the guard at the gate..
and we were off.
It was about 60 degrees and overcast; a splendid summer day ! Perfect for bicycling, very little danger of overheating or getting frostbite!
http://mimitabby.com/bike/alki.jpg
We rode our bikes about 12 miles to the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal in West Seattle, and waited about 1/2 hour for a ferry to take us to Vashon Island.
Vashon Island is known for its hills, but I had done part of the island before so surely I could do it again.
http://mimitabby.com/bike/ferryd.jpg
DH on the ferry with our bikes
After you get off the ferry, the first mile is the hardest, as we climbed from the harbor to the top of a killer hill. Although it was spitting rain and 60, I got warmed up fast on that climb. We went up and down and up and down, and when we got to Downtown Vashon, we stopped for breakfast and bought some fresh produce for later. Washington RIPE strawberries, peas and greenbeans)
We continued up and down hills down to the south end of the island where we took the next ferry to Tacoma. No waiting,... SWEET. The ferry dumped us off right next to Point Defiance state park, where the zoo and its baby clouded leopards awaited, but sadly the zoo was closed, tomorrow is Zootopia or zubelee or something, they are closed 3 days a year and this was one of them. So we went to the rose garden instead. I smelled as many rose varieties as I could.
Earlier, while we were still on the ferry, Dh asked a guy about getting around in Tacoma, where we had to go after we left the park. The man informed us that there was a big detour. Uhoh... Does that mean we're not going to go along the waterfront? . that is correct. I thought I was done with hills for the day, but had to just keep on going. up and up and up.
We climbed to the top of one of Tacoma's hills... And then back down a screaming descent. right after that is when I started hearing my bottom bracket making noises. A week earlier the guy at the bike shop gave it a month... The part was ordered.
http://mimitabby.com/bike/mbus.jpg
Mimi waiting for the EXPRESS bus
We took the bus back to Seattle, I had a PT appointment at 330pm! we got on a bus that was completely full and got back to Seattle with plenty of time to climb capital hill to my appointment which I was really ready for!
Instead of being concerned with my frozen shoulder, my PT guy noticed that my quads were REALLY tight (gee, do you think that might have been from all the hill climbing??). He got right on it and after an hour's workout, I felt brand new.
I went back to my waiting spouse and our bikes and it was RAINING! I donned my raincoat and we rode another 6 miles or so to the bikeshop where my new bottom bracket was waiting for me. Got the bottom bracket installed and finished our day by going back up the hill to home.
57 miles total with 2700 feet of climbing.
I whined "I don't want to go to work" The Raleighdon knows when there is an opening; and his face lit up. "wanna go to the Point Defiance Zoo???"
I did a double take.. "Uh, the zoo?... actually YES!"
so since we were 1 mile from my office, i went in, put my lunch in the fridge for Monday and dropped my work pants off at my desk and left the building to rejoin my sweety who was outside chatting with the guard at the gate..
and we were off.
It was about 60 degrees and overcast; a splendid summer day ! Perfect for bicycling, very little danger of overheating or getting frostbite!
http://mimitabby.com/bike/alki.jpg
We rode our bikes about 12 miles to the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal in West Seattle, and waited about 1/2 hour for a ferry to take us to Vashon Island.
Vashon Island is known for its hills, but I had done part of the island before so surely I could do it again.
http://mimitabby.com/bike/ferryd.jpg
DH on the ferry with our bikes
After you get off the ferry, the first mile is the hardest, as we climbed from the harbor to the top of a killer hill. Although it was spitting rain and 60, I got warmed up fast on that climb. We went up and down and up and down, and when we got to Downtown Vashon, we stopped for breakfast and bought some fresh produce for later. Washington RIPE strawberries, peas and greenbeans)
We continued up and down hills down to the south end of the island where we took the next ferry to Tacoma. No waiting,... SWEET. The ferry dumped us off right next to Point Defiance state park, where the zoo and its baby clouded leopards awaited, but sadly the zoo was closed, tomorrow is Zootopia or zubelee or something, they are closed 3 days a year and this was one of them. So we went to the rose garden instead. I smelled as many rose varieties as I could.
Earlier, while we were still on the ferry, Dh asked a guy about getting around in Tacoma, where we had to go after we left the park. The man informed us that there was a big detour. Uhoh... Does that mean we're not going to go along the waterfront? . that is correct. I thought I was done with hills for the day, but had to just keep on going. up and up and up.
We climbed to the top of one of Tacoma's hills... And then back down a screaming descent. right after that is when I started hearing my bottom bracket making noises. A week earlier the guy at the bike shop gave it a month... The part was ordered.
http://mimitabby.com/bike/mbus.jpg
Mimi waiting for the EXPRESS bus
We took the bus back to Seattle, I had a PT appointment at 330pm! we got on a bus that was completely full and got back to Seattle with plenty of time to climb capital hill to my appointment which I was really ready for!
Instead of being concerned with my frozen shoulder, my PT guy noticed that my quads were REALLY tight (gee, do you think that might have been from all the hill climbing??). He got right on it and after an hour's workout, I felt brand new.
I went back to my waiting spouse and our bikes and it was RAINING! I donned my raincoat and we rode another 6 miles or so to the bikeshop where my new bottom bracket was waiting for me. Got the bottom bracket installed and finished our day by going back up the hill to home.
57 miles total with 2700 feet of climbing.