Bikes are an afterthought

This morning I heard there was a crash on a highway that had traffic stopped and I was thankful the traffic jam was nowhere near me.

Later I read a post on Consider Biking that said it was a car that crashed into a bike, and the cyclist died. I was very thankful it wasn't me. I felt terrible for the cyclist and his family. And for the driver of the car.

I avoid the roads as much as I can. When I am on the main street, High Street, I ride the sidewalks. I know it is just as dangerous (or even more so if you are not paying attention), but I can't imagine riding on the street itself. I ride on the side streets where necessary but where there's heavy traffic, I am just terrified to be on the road with cars.

Let's face it, roads around here and in most of the country were made for one purpose - cars. Bikes, if considered, are an afterthought. Occasionally you see a bike lane here or there, but accessible roadways are virtually nonexistent. You have to be extra vigilant on the roads, and you can still make a mistake. I read on blogs and in guide books that bikes are to be treated just like cars; we need to obey all traffic laws. But bikes are NOT cars, and roads are not built to be shared.

I do feel sorry for the driver of the car. Bikes are gaining popularity, but there's not really any training for drivers. Should you pass the cyclist? What do those hand signals mean? What about cyclists that cross across three lanes of traffic, or don't stop at red lights or stop signs?

There's some mutual responsibility here, and some responsibility on the part of city planners. If bikes are to be treated the same as cars, then roads must be re-examined as a path to be used by cars AND bikes, sharing the road. And drivers and cyclists need to understand the rules of the road for both forms of transportation.

For now, I think I'll stay on the sidewalks and bike trails. I think there is a bike revolution going on, but I don't know how long it will last, and I don't know if it will go anywhere or if gas prices go down, everyone will return to their gas-guzzling four wheel boxes, consuming far too much nonrenewable energy and getting fatter and fatter all the while.

I'll show you, Wii!

A few days later, and my Wii Fit age is 41. Take that, Wii. Although I realize that the Wii Fit measurements are hardly scientific, I feel vindicated. At the very least, I am a tad competitive so having a goal to reach or achieving the high score really gets me motivated.

The yoga is pretty cool. For the easy poses I was in the "Yoga Trainer" category, and then when I had to balance on one leg, I kept falling off the board. I could get into the yoga, though. There are a lot of poses to learn, and they are challenging.

I have to do it at night when the young 'uns are in bed, because my 6 year old does a mean "Howard Cosell" imitation. His commentary is nonstop. "Mommy, you have to turn to the right. Don't jump on the board. You are going too fast! I can't believe you can't get the ball. You are terrible, Mommy!"

I play a mean game of Tetris. Do they have that for the Wii? Something that takes less coordination, maybe?

Damn that Wii Fit

I was feeling pretty good about being 40 and then I played Wii Fit yesterday evening. You have to do a profile and it gives you some balance tests. When I did the balance test, it asked me if I tripped when I walked. I didn't know Wii Fit was programmed with sarcasm. How did it know I DO trip when I walk?

Then, based on my weight and height and BMI and balance and god knows what else, the Wii Fit proclaimed my Wii Fit age to be...wait for it...57! Fifty frickin seven! I was so mad, I threw that Wii Fit board right in the trash. Well, no I didn't. But I did dwell on it for the rest of the night while my husband (Wii Fit age 47) laughed and laughed.

My soon to be seven year old son's Wii Fit age? 27.

40 - cool and awesome

Yep, the big 4-0! I am 40 today. I don't consider myself old, and I don't consider myself young. I don't feel 40, although I'm not sure what 40 is supposed to feel like. Someone told me you are more mature at 40, but I'm not sure that's the case with me, or with some of the 40 somethings I've been acquainted with!

I'm more athletic than I've ever been, and I think I'm in the best shape. Even though I have weight to lose, I would have never contemplated running a marathon or biking 24 miles even two years ago!

Anyhow, I have had a great birthday. My family and I went out for ice cream yesterday (it was my birthday eve, you know) and I had toffee chip - toffee and great big chocolate chunks in vanilla ice cream. It's the bestest.

I rode my bike into work today. My ankle felt great. I didn't get lost. When I got to my office, it was decorated for my birthday. I expected some decorations about getting older but my friends said they "knew better." I don't know what they are talking about.

They also got me a cake and sang happy birthday. I was very touched. And embarrassed. The cake was delicious. Cool and awesome, as my two year old would say. One of my work friends took me to lunch.

My boss thought I was turning 33. That was cool and awesome too.

My parents emailed me and my brother sent me a tweet.

I arrived home via bike exhausted, but my two year old ran up to me and yelled happy birthday! and gave me a great big hug. And my six year old made me three beautiful cards, and the two year old made one with help from his brother.

My husband made me tacos for dinner yesterday (upon request) and one of my favorite meals today - apple chicken quesadillas. He also wrote a blog post that made tears well up in my eyes, it touched me so. He's cool and awesome too.

I didn't ask for presents, as I considered my new bike a birthday present of sorts. And I didn't need any presents at all, since I have the best presents anyone could ask for - wonderful and thoughtful family and friends. I think this was one of my best birthdays ever. Thank you everyone! You are all cool and awesome.

Back on My Feet

I saw the doctor today. He said my ankle looked very good, despite the fact that it was still swollen and turning yellow (after having been purple). Nothing was broken, nothing was torn, and my ankle seemed really strong. He said to start walking on it, and that I could ride my bike again. Yay!

This was the best news of the day. Before that I quite a morning. Yesterday I used a cane to get around, and I had a ride to and from work. My entire leg hurt last night, and I worried that I overdid it. So I decided I would take the crutches again today. I had to drive because I had a doctor's appointment, but I was worried about parking in my usual spot, which was two blocks from my office building. That was a lot of walking on crutches. (Nobody tells you how much it hurts your arms and the chafing you get under your arms from the crutches!)

So I decided to try to find a parking lot closer to the building. There were two that I knew of. I took the usual route to work, but had to drive around a little to get to the lots. As I made a right turn on one of the streets, a cop waved at me to stop. I wondered if something was going on - someone crossing or something. Then he came to my window. Oh crap.

I opened my window. "What did I do?" I asked in a shaky voice. "You made an illegal turn." I truly had no idea. I didn't see any signs but I was nervous as it was trying to find a place to park. "I didn't see the signs." The cop proceeded to tell me there were 4 different signs I couldn't help but see and that I needed to follow the traffic laws. He took my license and insurance and went back to his car. I don't know if he saw the crutches in the back seat, but I didn't think I'd sound sympathetic enough if I explained what I was doing. I would sound silly, not sympathetic.

He gave me a ticket. Wonderful. I was near tears. After that, I decided I wasn't going to pay to park any closer. I'd be paying enough with the ticket. So I ended up parking in the garage I usually park at. And hobbling to the office on crutches. I sat through a meeting and hobbled to another one across the street.

After all that I decided I would go to the doctor and then go home. I had enough. So the doctor's news was the best part of my day. I've been walking on my ankle, and it feels sore, but he assured me I couldn't hurt it anymore. In fact, he gave me strengthening exercises and told me once I could do those I should try balancing on the foot. Wow.

But the best part was that I could ride again! I don't know when I will be able to run, but at least I can ride!

Thursday - Part 2: A visit to the ER

Note: Read Part 1 first, as it makes part 2 seem even more ironic.

I successfully rode my bike 24 miles to and from work. My stress fracture was healing. I was proud of me and eager to get back on the trail.

After eating dinner, my two year old and I went out to the backyard. We were playing hide and seek. He'd count and I'd hide where he told me to. Sometimes I would trick him by hiding somewhere else. One of the times I was trying to surprise him I ran off the deck and hit the ground. My foot hit the ground and bent at an angle that it really wasn't supposed to. I heard a crack and then I fell on the ground with a moan. My two year old came over and said, "Mommy you go hide. You go hide!"

I tried to explain amidst the pain that Mommy hurt her leg and couldn't get up but he didn't understand. I stopped for a moment and realized my other foot was fine, and that I needed to get up because my husband had just set out to run for 11 miles which would take over an hour. He didn't carry his phone with him. My six year old was at a friend's house.

So I got up and hopped back up on the deck and toward the door. My two year old followed, asking me what happened. I made it to the couch and then I tried to explain to him I needed a bag of frozen peas. He's just tall enough to open the freezer. I explained I needed the bag with the little green balls on it. "Can you get it for Mommy?" "Yeah!" he said. Then he ran to the refrigerator, opened the freezer door and said "Do you want a strawberry fruit pop?" I said, "No, Mommy needs the peas." He didn't understand.

I gave up and he just came over and kept asking what was wrong. Then my six year old came home and asked if he could go on a bike ride with his friend. I said, "No! You have to stay here and help me! I fell and did something to my leg!" At first he wasn't sure what to make of the situation but then he really stepped up and helped out. He got the peas for me. He gave his brother a snack. He even helped his brother get ready for bed. He was cleaning up the toys (!) with his brother (!!) when my husband came home. He took a few glances around the house and then said, "What's going on?" I explained and he said I needed to go to the hospital to get my ankle checked out.

So I did. My boss, who is also my neighbor, was awesome. She came and got me and took me to the hospital while my husband stayed home with the kids. After waiting for a while for a wheelchair out by the valet parking, I was checked in, triaged, x-rayed, diagnosed, wrapped up and sent home with a sprained ankle.

So now I'm off my foot for another week. I'm hobbling around on crutches and my foot is a lovely shade of dark purple. My parents visited this weekend and got to wait on me, and my husband had to put in overtime (weekends are sort of his time off since he stays home with the kids during the week).

And now I get to try to hobble around at work tomorrow, which will make me a different kind of celebrity. The woman who rode her bike 24 miles in a day and then fell off her porch playing hide and seek. Lovely.

I don't know how long this will take but I don't think I can take it anymore. I'm itching to ride my bike. Oddly enough, I'm not really interested in running. Especially in this heat. I think I'll just have to start all over again next year.

I look at it this way: this gives my stress fracture more time to heal. Maybe I can do it right next time. I sure hope so. I don't need any more injuries!

Thursday - Part 1: Bike to Work

Last week I was so excited to get out and start riding my bike to work. After three days of research and putting it off, I finally did it. Thursday I said I would set out on my bike unless it was pouring down rain. It was only a little cloudy, so off I went!

I got lost twice, in the spots I thought I would get lost. The first place was in Clintonville, where the trail ends and you have to take a few side streets to pick it up again. I sort of knew where I was, and I saw High Street in the distance, where I knew I didn't want to go unless I was totally lost. Finally, I saw several other cyclists turning a corner and going up a hill and I followed them, which turned out to be the right decision.

The second place where I got lost was at Ohio State. The Olentangy Bike trail turns into the OSU bike trail, but part of it is on sidewalks and walkways. That alone is confusing, as OSU is huge, and there are sidewalks and walkways everywhere. I had my landmarks, and advice from my fellow commuters, so I again sort of knew where I was. But the bad part was that the trail was closed and there was an incomprehensible map with a detour which did not resemble at all the detour that I found online. I ended up riding in the street in traffic until I got to King Avenue, where I spotted some landscapers on the corner and asked them if they had any idea where the bike trail was. They did! They got me right back on the path and I was good to go.

I was afraid I'd get lost heading downtown but that was a breeze. I felt a chill of excitment as I saw the buildings in the distance. It was quite a different perspective from driving! The signs were plentiful, and after I got to Broad Street I remembered the advice not to take the path that heads down to the Santa Maria, as it was a dead end. I had made it past the Confluence, and North Bank Park, and was headed past the federal courthouse. I had to ride on sidewalks but there were signs with big bikes on them so I figured I was ok.

It took me an hour and a half with all the stops to figure out where I was going. I believe it amounted to 12 miles. When I got to the bike room there was a man behind me who used his ID to swipe open the door while I held it for him. I was so excited I blurted out, "I just rode to work for the first time!"

When I got to my office, I was very sweaty but the ice cold air in the office cooled me off quickly. A baby wipe and Bath and Body Works spray, and a Clif Bar, and I was good to go.

I was a little nervous about heading home that night but I was reassured by other cyclists that the bike trail was even more well-travelled heading north at rush hour. I was sort of a celebrity that day, too, as everyone was eager to hear about the trip and couldn't believe I had traveled so far. I was on an adrenaline high most of the day. I did take time to study my maps and even printed out some directions that I stowed in my shirt on the way back, just in case.

At 5:00 I donned my riding gear and headed out. The ride back was a piece of cake. I figured out how to get out of downtown, got through the detour at OSU with no problem, and even was able to maneuver the maze in Clintonville. By the time I got to Broadmeadows bridge, I was very tired. One mile and mostly up hill to get to High Street, then north a few blocks. I did t!

As soon as I got home (it took about an hour and 15 minutes), my husband showed me my dinner and headed out the door to run. He very thoughtfully made spaghetti so I could replenish my carbs. I was so proud of me and I felt great. I sat on some frozen peas as my "seat" was very sore. Padded shorts were sounding like a great idea!

To be continued.....