What a Good Idea

Zip car......Too expensive
Taxi.....Where would I find one at 6:00am?
Metro.....Doesn't run that early
Running.....Maybe if I were in shape

Aha! Take that bike out for a spin!

Emulating Story Finder, I unearthed my creaky bicycle.

Well, not quite like Story Finder: hers is a custom racing bike. I forwent my non-custom old-as-heck racing bike for my custom even older-than-heck original Stump Jumper.

I was commuting, you see.

And, yes, I did say 'original Stump Jumper'. The first mass-produced trail bike.

The bike that's older than most of my fellow incoming classmates.

I had a bit too much fun wrestling with the tires, trying to inflate them in low sloping concrete bike room.

Curses were thrown and arms were sore.

But I got it done and headed off to meet the runners in VA.

Riding a bike, when you are not expected to try to go fast, is FUN! I had forgotten!

Staying out in the middle of the lane, I still couldn't help but look back nervously, waiting for a car to run up too fast on my rear tire.

On the way back, I took the shameful route on the sidewalk part of the way.

I know: I'd have yelled at me, too. sidewalks are for predestrians!

But the massive amounts of traffic moving at speeds in excess of 50 mph scared me enough.

I'll try to be more brave next time. Or, I'll just yell at myself!

"Hey, you! Get back on the road where you belong!"

a loop: mainly in Virginia and at least 16 miles. I KNEW I shouldn't do that.

"Best thing, is to do an out-and-back."

"Anyone else going short?"

How embarrassing. Being one of those 'going short'. But there was at least one. I noted him for the way back. I had brought neither my water bottles nor my music, in anticipation of my bike ride there and back.

Out to Mt. Vernon trail, then around Reagan (or, is it 'National' now? I never remember), then off onto the 4-mile trail that, hilariously, has mile markers for miles 7 and 8 on its four miles.

Over to the W and OD. Through this, I had been running with a very chatty woman who was training for the Baltimore marathon and a very quiet woman who mainly just ran right behind us.

The chatty woman stopped to find a bush and the quiet one opened up a bit. She had run NY, as well. And she suggested some weekday runs I could go to.

As long as I remember the name of the shoe store.......Well, that's what Google search is for, right?

I knew I had already passed the 6-mile turn-around mark and was going further than I had planned.

I justified this by thinking, "Well, it will be better to go further and to get some water for the run back."

Plus, at the water station, I got to talk to this one cute little short man again. I have such a weakness for them!

Ah.

ANd, I got to see what all the fuss was about.

Behold: Weenie Beanie!