Now I Did It
2007-04-24, 10:32 p.m.

Day 975

No, not that. Or that. Yes, Cindy is still alive and well, and no one has visited a lawyer. Yet.

What I did was actually commit to riding in the Tour de Cure. Yep. Signed on the dotted line today. I need to get some publicity photo�s done before I turn my own Tour website loose on the poor, unsuspecting world. Then I need to seriously get my butt in training mode. The Tour is on June 10. Today being day Apr. 24 leaves a whopping 47 days to convert from comfortably busting my ass in a 90 minute indoor cycling class to being able to grind out a grueling, 4+ hour, (very) hilly 100km bike ride. Yeah, I�m thinking I�m nutz too, but it might even be fun.

I�m already looking at maybe getting new pedals - something with a toe cage if not clips. Weird as it sounds, cycling class is starting to teach me the benefits of being able to pull up on the pedals as well as push down. Uses a whole different set of muscles and eases the load on your main drivers. Then there�s an extra water bottle & holder, a tool set, spare tube, small back pack for munchies & more drinks, lordy � I could hit up the Canal Side Bike Shop and go crazy, eh? (Sorry, local joint. You might have guessed that though, huh?)

Took a break from workouts this morning. Legs have been complaining a bit lately, feeling all creaky & rubbery. This morning they actually felt pretty good, so I rewarded them by staying in bed for an extra hour. Tomorrow they get their pay back. Pedaling with Patty. Oh boy!!

Speaking of Patty and training � I signed up to do real live, outdoor, 3D rides with her starting possible as soon as this weekend. She lives a couple towns north west of me (same village where tonight�s Al Anon meeting is actually), so I figure I can bike out to the meeting place, cruise with the group for an hour or two, then bike home. Ought to add up to 2 � 3 hours of serious riding. Maybe, just maybe someone will take pity on my clunky Huffy Durasport 10 speed and sell me their gently used mid range road bike at a reasonable price. I�m willing to bet I could pick up 3 or 4 mph just by riding a better freakin bike � not some 20 year old thing I got when we were cruising around with the kids for fun.

Today�s fun times? Going car shopping with my Mom tonight after work. Now, I like spending time with my mom, but car shopping? Ugh.

Hmmm. Wrote that first part during lunch. Writing this part after car shopping, dinner and a meeting. What an evening.

Car shopping was uneventful. Went to a big-ish dealer, saw lots of pretty cars. My mom wants one a little smaller than her current LeSabre. She�s having a little trouble squeezing her Buick into the garage at her new place. The bumpers and garage door jambs are wearing the scars of her efforts. Mom is also on a semi fixed income and wants her payments to be low & comfy. We�re going to go look at some smaller dealers later this week, try and find some cars that offer a little more cushion on her budget. What we looked at today she could afford, but she wants to see more of the spectrum. Did you know the Chevy Cobalt has no arm rest on the right side of the drivers seat? It�s hard to drive without that! I had no idea what to do with my right elbow. Weird what you get used to.

Got home from car shopping and Zach had dinner fairly well under control. We ate a little later than planned, and time was getting tight to get to the Al Anon meeting. We (the whole fandamily) had pretty much finished clearing the table. Considering the time, I had given up on trying to get to the meeting. Figured it was better to just let tonight go and do better at clearing the way for Thursday�s meeting. I headed down to the basement to retrieve a computer hutch door I was re-gluing (The Bob had a little run in with it). When I got back upstairs with my door, Cindy looked at me and asked �Aren�t you going tonight?�

Coulda knocked me down with a feather. I got the door on the hutch, grabbed my coat and scooted. Seemed like I was meant to be at this meeting after all tonight. In honor of fate, karma, higher powers, or whatever was responsible for getting me there, I shared a bunch o�crap tonight. Last weeks story, with the whole �It�s pointless to argue with a drunk� thing, how tonight�s timing just seemed to open up at the right moment, success in digging up slogans on the web, and now acting as a go liaison between the Thursday and Tuesday groups. Busy night.

Now I�m here relating the whole mess. I really need to get to bed, because I absolutely MUST get to the gym in the morning for pedaling with Patty. After giving my legs the morning off, they�re due for a rousing workout tomorrow. Boy, are they going to get it.

Oh � called my sponsor too. At least left him a message telling him I was having second thoughts about last weeks minor explosion and maybe we needed to dig a little deeper into it. Probably happen tomorrow or Thursday. I may try and go out with the group after Thursday�s meeting and discuss it there, outside the confines of the meetings rules of conduct. The information exchange is likely to be a little more animated there. Just have to clear the way to getting it done.

Later folks.

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