This post is one of multiple posts (click here for all posts) on the 2014 Winter Errandonnee Challenge which is being hosted by the bike blog chasing mailboxes d.c..
OK here it is the first day of the 2014 Winter Errandonnee Challenge.
So this morning I sat down to take a look at the checklist of categories to see what I might knock off today…
Bike Shop. I do need to pick up an inner-tube. This would probably be the longest ride of any of the errands. The temperature is decent but the wind is 20mph. I’ll save this for another day.
Breakfast or Lunch. Already had breakfast and have a fridge full of leftovers I should eat for lunch.
Coffee or Dessert. I’m already drinking coffee as I type this. Not sure what I’d do for dessert around here. Apple pie from McDonald’s I suppose. Oh wait I was planing on making a cobbler to use up some blueberries before they go bad.
Community Meeting (e.g., church, parent-teacher conference, board meeting). I don’t see any of these happening. One of my main goals in retirement was to rid myself of appointments, commitments, meetings and as much responsibility as possible.
Dinner. We already have dinner plans tonight with someone else and we won’t be riding.
Grocery Store. Not aware of any groceries we need at this time.
Any store that is not the grocery store. Not aware of anything non grocery we need at this time.
Personal Care and Health (e.g., doctor, haircut, massage, gym, manicure, riding to the start of a bike ride). Fortunately I’m not in need of a Doctor. I do need a haircut but I am my own barber. The thought of a massage gives me the ooogies and I don’t do gyms or manicures.
Library (also includes book reading). Ahh man I have to read?
Work. What’s that?
Wild Card. This one should be do-able but I’d hate to use up my wildcard so soon.
Hmm this may be harder than I thought. I had just about talked myself out of doing the challenge all together when this happened.. I stepped into the kitchen to get a 2nd cup of coffee. I pulled down the lever on the coffee machine and it just sputtered. I looked at the coffee gauge and it was on E. That’s when I remembered hearing Nova’s panicked scream last night “we’re almost out of coffee!” as she was setting the machine up for auto-come-on-in-the-morning.
Out of coffee!
Yes! I thought to myself. The Errandonnee challenge is on! First up a bike ride to get coffee. Hold on, not that simple. Will this count as a errand to the grocery store or an errand for coffee? It’s only shortly after 8:00am and I’ve already done way more thinking than I would normally do on any other day. I’ll figure that out later.
I grab a coat and bag and go to the garage to pick a bike. I chose (for no particular reason) the Limited Edition 2005 Electra New Belgium Brewery Bike. As I’m rolling the bike out the door I notice the neighbor kid’s car is in front of their house. This tells me school is out today. I go back in to the garage and grab a lock. Normally I don’t lock my bike on a school day but I don’t trust the kids. They may not steal my bike for thefts sake but just for fun or a prank. Lock in hand, off to the grocery store I went where I locked my bike to itself while I picked up 2lbs of Folgers Classic Roast.
My Bike and bargain coffee in front of the grocery store.
Upon check-out the cashier informed me by using my loyalty card that I had saved $4 on my purchase. $4? Wow! I pity the fool who is in desperate need of coffee like I was but isn’t loyal like I am (or so they think) and pays full price.
Score card…
Errand: To get coffee for coffee maker.
Destination: Grocery store.
What I learned/observation: Our grocery store needs a bike rack. 2lb Can of coffee doesn’t fit all that well in a messenger bag and is a little unconformable to carry. I should stick to taking a bike with rack and panniers to the store.
Miles: 1.3
Date: 03-07-2014
By now I’m low on caffeine and energy and wondering if I’ll be able to get home, make coffee and consume it before I bonk. I decide to get a quick fix of caffeine on the way home by stopping at the c-store. This would also count towards another errand on the list! I take a slight detour in a round-about way to the c-store to get in a little extra distance.
Once I got my coffee I hopped on the bike to head on home but then thought in order for this to count as the “coffee” errand I should probably consume it on site so I dismounted the bike and had a seat on the patio where I finished my Brazilian Roast or whatever it was. The temperature was in the mid 40s.
Coffee on the c-store patio.
Errand: To get cup of coffee.
Destination: C-store.
What I learned/observation: The c-store store also needs a bike rack.
Miles: 2.2
Date: 03-07-2014
By the time I finished editing the photos and writing all of the above it was lunchtime. I opened the fridge to fetch the leftovers I spoke of and they weren’t there. After some investigation it appears someone smarter than me had the idea to freeze them so I wouldn’t be ranting about eating them before they spoil. Good. I was getting tired of left overs. I fill up a bottle of water, grab my coat and bag and go to the garage to pick a bike. I chose the Monark rat (again for no particular reason) and off to the Mexican restaurant I went.
As I’m riding down the path a goose, at the last second, realizes I’m calling his bluff and takes flight but directly into the hard South wind. He just hung there, mid air, right smack in front of me long enough that I ducked (is there a pun there?) thinking we were going to collide. He overcame the wind and we narrowly avoided a collision.
Farther down the path this happened…
My shoe(boot)lace caught in pedal.
Shortly after untangling my shoelace I arrive safely at the restaurant.
I chose a little Mexican carry-out/restaurant for lunch.
I had decided prior to leaving home that instead of eating there I would ride a little farther and make it a picnic. This will count as the Breakfast or Lunch category.
My picnic spot partially out of the wind.
With a bean & rice burrito and chips stuffed in my bag I rode off and found a shelter partly out of the wind right off the bike path. The temperature was now in the mid 50s. As I sat and ate my lunch a teen-age boy walks by and greets me with a “hey” and a smile before I even have a chance to speak. Meanwhile a young girl who lives near by entertains me prancing and dancing around in her blanket cape, occasionally looking my way to make sure she had my attention. I then felt bad for my earlier thinking that one of these kids might steal my bike.
Returning home I was riding one handed with my left hand when my right foot slipped off the pedal. Somehow I managed to not fall which would have been in such an awkward way I wouldn’t even be able to describe it. It did really tweak my right arm and shoulder which were already bothering me. Something I attribute to too much time spent right here. I think it’s time to retire my old work boots from being my winter cycling shoes.
Errand: To get lunch.
Destination: Mexican restaurant.
What I learned/observation: My work boots need retired. Not all kids are juvenile delinquents. The Brooks B66 is a good looking saddle..
Miles: 5.7
Date: 03-07-2014