Bicycling to the End of Summer

This morning I hopped on my weighted down 1979 Schwinn cruiser, cycling to work along the bike boulevard** that is Going Street. Every time I think “I’m going down Going Street,” it gives me a little laugh inside. The joke never stales. Or maybe I am just easily amused.

I’ve recently upgraded the Schwinn with bilateral back folding chrome metal baskets. Adding an extra ten pounds onto an already sturdy bike means I am getting super exercise by just biking a few blocks. Since I usually never go less than 6-10 miles any given day that I pick up a bike, I should be rapidly improving my cardio health. On a workday, I load up my backback with books and whatnot and two mugs of decaf coffee (must stay awake) and hunker down for a slow ride to work. It’s no wonder I’ve noticed my legs are aching.

The seasons are changing and I can tell by the way my ears ache partway to work. My feeble ears have long been a source of discontent- one of the reasons I’d try not to get my head under the water while swimming in the Minnesota lakes of my youth. I’ve noticed for three days of riding that I needed ear protection but keep forgetting anyway. Maybe it’s a sign of early alzheimers. Or just denial that the seasons are changing.

Regardless, I’m happy it’s cooler and looking forward to sweaters, tights and boots. Although last night we dressed in jeans and sweaters to attend the Portland Symphony, afterward it was so cold (68!) that I had to turn the seat heaters on. Yikes!


**Portland has city streets that are designated as “bike boulevards” which means they’re 20mph mostly and have road bumps and blockades periodically so as to discourage cars from using the streets as thoroughfares. For the most part, I rarely see a car when I’m biking down Going Street. It’s about 40 blocks that I take it.