Bicycling in Phoenix

[Melalvai]

Hopefully I'll be able to add to this thread soon about what bicycling in Phoenix is like because so far, I haven't gotten to bike! This trip has been a struggle.
-My first flight was almost canceled. But then it wasn't.
-The hotel wifi didn't work. They said it was my laptop. I proved it wasn't. It still didn't work. I changed hotels this morning.
-My id badge won't be activated for 48 hours so even to leave the lab to use the bathroom or get a drink of water, I have to borrow someone's badge.
-I walked over to pick up my rental bike yesterday and it wasn't ready yet. It's supposed to be ready this afternoon.

I am so tired. I really hope things improve soon. The change in hotel made me a bit happier. It's of course more expensive, and I'm trying to be frugal with this grant, but it's budgeted for in the grant.

Here's a weird thing. At the light rail station, waiting for the train, a guy with 2 boys struck up a conversation with me. I was polite until he asked "Do you have a boyfriend?" The conversation ended there. Next morning I went to the hotel lobby to check on the internet, and a guy was sitting outside smoking, who struck up a conversation. I wasn't polite, because I wasn't interested in breathing his smoke, but he nonetheless managed to draw the conversation out enough to ask "Are you married?"

I conclude that Phoenix is the city of lonely, kind of creepy men. I made a point of asking a woman where the cafeteria was. She did not inquire about my relationship status.

[Crankin]

Where are you staying? Phx is huge. I can't comment on the riding, since I didn't ride more than casually when I lived there, but I will say this. The valley attracts lots of folks who think life will be better in the land of endless sunshine so they leave all of their supports and bring their problems with them. Except now, they have no family or friends to help. Not dissing anyone who lives there now, but this is one of the reasons I left. It's a pretty common problem in sunbelt states.

[Melalvai]

I'm in downtown Phoenix. UA-College of Med. Near the Chase building.
Life is looking up. I have access to the lab finally (got that about 5 minutes ago) so I can leave to go to the bathroom by myself. And-- I got the bike!

I was worried because it's 52 cm which is 20". I ride a 17"! That's a huge difference. I thought the handlebar reach would be awful and I had him move the seat forward. I was surprised--I actually feel just a little cramped and tomorrow I'll move the seat back a bit (I'm supposed to go pick up a flat kit & multitool).

I've ridden it all of 6 blocks maybe. Even in flat Phoenix, I'm not sure about riding a single speed! Well, it's not horrible, and I'll probably get used to it, and I'm glad I will have had the experience. I think I'd choose a lower gear ratio though. It's weird starting up from a stop and having to push so hard. Then it's comfortable, but on a geared bike I'd still be in a lower gear ratio.

[Melalvai]

I've been riding the bike from hotel to lab and back even though it's a ridiculously short distance (maybe a block or two). :) It's far enough that it's nice in the heat not to have to walk it, especially as I've been feeling so puny and easily worn out.

I also rode it back to the bike shop to pick up a flat kit. I thought it was funny that the only actual ride (hotel to lab not really counting) was to the bike shop. Simply getting the bike created trips.

I intended to go to the grocery store yesterday afternoon and even left the lab a little early. But I was so tired, once again I just couldn't muster up the motivation to leave the hotel room. Or even the bed. I was a little hungry but not hungry enough even to order something because that would involve a) thinking and b) getting up to answer the door! I'd eaten the last of my trail mix the night before.

Today I had a little more time so just now I went to the grocery store. It was a mile away, and easy to get to. I saw another bike there, a nice road bike locked up with the front wheel removed and locked with it. Then when I was in line I saw a guy all fitted up in cycling gear and I started chatting with him. (In retrospect that was a bad idea because my previous experience had been he would inevitably ask about my relationship status. However he did NOT at any point inquire. That's different! lol) He suggested a different route to go back, and when I asked directions said "I live downtown so I'm going that way, I'll just show you." So I rode with him for the mile back.

It's good to have replenished my snack food, so tonight when I'm too exhausted to move, yet a little hungry, I'll have something.

I keep forgetting to take a picture of the bike, and I did try to make note of the make & model but I have since forgotten.

[Dogmama]

I conclude that Phoenix is the city of lonely, kind of creepy men. I made a point of asking a woman where the cafeteria was. She did not inquire about my relationship status.

Sounds like you have other things, in addition to being tired, that contributed to your down mood. I need to say in defense of Phx, or any city, a conversation with one man shouldn't be extrapolated to describe all men.

I hope you're feeling better. I'd be a little concerned about your constant fatigue. Is it the heat?

[Melalvai]

Heat & stress, and I just don't do well with time zones that make me stay up late! I can go east with no problem because I'm a morning person and I can easily fall asleep earlier and wake up earlier. Even when I'm well rested and happy I have trouble staying up late and will still wake up early.

But I do hope to settle in soon.

[Crankin]

It's not normal to ride in 112 degrees.
Really. Even just doing what you're doing, combined with time zone changes, is enough to make you feel crappy. Drink more than you think you need to, all of the time.

[Melalvai]

Ha ha, when I woke up this morning I knew why I'd been feeling so awful, hormonal mood swings. I don't know how I knew, I just do. It's like the sun suddenly breaks through the clouds and the world is an entirely different place.

This is why I need to be better about not eating sugar. A couple months without sugar and that stops happening!

I've checked a couple times to see what kind of single speed I have, but I can't seem to retain the name--it's SE something. If I were clever, I'd have taken a picture of the name of the bike.

http://www.kemenel.org/melalvai/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/100_5621-300x225.jpg

http://www.kemenel.org/melalvai/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/100_5622-225x300.jpg

http://www.kemenel.org/melalvai/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/100_5623-225x300.jpg

http://www.kemenel.org/melalvai/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/100_5624-300x225.jpg

[Dogmama]

Sugar, ugh. Hormones - double ugh. Glad you figured it out! Hope you're drinking lots of water, per Crankin's advice. Be careful out there!

[Melalvai]

Wow, I had a lot more energy today. Plus we figured out something that was really frustrating and I was finally able to make some progress on the experiments. THAT felt good. I had the lab all to myself, too.

I managed to remember the name of the bike, it's an SE Draft.

I might go for a ride this evening.