Four and a quarter miles, baby

I wanted to get to the Route 28 bridge and achieved that goal, although I was a panting, quivering mess when we got to the top. Scott let me catch my breath and sailed down the far side of the bridge to explore a bit. After I'd regained my composure, I too sailed down the far side and biked almost to the bridge over the creek before Loudoun County Parkway. I turned around when I couldn't find Scott ; maybe he explored the parking lot for that jumping on place for the trail? Nope, he'd zipped down another little dead-end trail and had gone back up the Rte 28 bridge and then came looking for me. Happily, we found each other again and I walked my bike up the bridge -- it's REALLY steep -- while he slowly pedalled next to me.

I needed another breather on the bridge and we watched traffic for a little while. I managed to bike most of the way home, with another couple of rest stops, and then walked the bike up the last hill to the house. I'm glad that I wore my walking shoes tonight.

I'll get up those hills eventually, but right now I'm just proud of myself for getting out there. I'm saddle-sore and spazzy from the endorphins and very, very happy.

Movin' right along (diggy dum diggy dum)

When Scott and I chatted a little while ago, he hemmed and hawed about either going to the gym or going home and working on his bike. I said that unless it's raining when I get home, I'm going for another bike ride. He's decided to skip the gym, head straight home for bike repair, and going for another ride with me. Yay! Exercise Play and Scott time!

I want to ride my bicycle. I want to ride my bike.

A month ago Bossman gave me an Ovation Award which I turned into $300 worth of Target gift cards. I've been hemming and hawing over how to use those cards -- a self-cleaning catbox, a small HDTV plus DVD/VCR for the craft room, yet another iPod -- for a couple of weeks, and this morning inspiration finally struck. I was complaining to Scott about how out of shape and unhappy I am and he told me about how he'd been "playing" at the gym, rather than slogging along on machine after machine. I flashed back to something a friend posted a while ago about framing exercise as "play". And so, I used that $300 for a new bicycle.

It's a multi-speed, sea green Schwinn I've named C.C. Because the afternoon was so gorgeous, I told Scott I was go bike riding when we got home from running errands. He pulled his bike out of the basement, cleaned it up and rode with me. Now, I'm terribly out of shape and haven't been on a real bike in over ten years. The going on the W&OD trail was slow (and pretty tedious for Scott) and I begged for a rest break at the Church Road overpass, which is also where we turned around. So, I guess we got about a mile and a half for our first ride together.

We're going to take the bikes back out again this week so they're hanging out in the kitchen. Scott tells me this now makes us poster children for REI.