Tuesday, March 31, 2009
I must say, it was a good way to go.
I was supposed to semi-retire from frisbee about a month ago to give me time to train for the bike trip, plan the wedding, complete my thesis, and recover from or, just maybe, avoid the injuries that I seem to get about once an ultimate season. Several people are very concerned that I will be going down the aisle on crutches. There may or may not be a betting pool somewhere. In any case, all those plans for personal health and safety were put aside when I found out that Sheila would be flying in from Spain to play. Sheila was my co-captain and co-creator of the Gettysburg women's team and just generally my frisbee soulmate. You also don't really say no to Sheila, so I instantly got on board. When we realized it was a split gender tournament we scrambled to recruit enough women for a team since we only had five alumni. I brought along Ducky, my summer and winter league captain, and Devon or Devo, a UVA freshman with frisbee in her blood, camera knowledge at her fingertips, and the same nickname as Kyle, which was only slightly confusing. I was very excited to bring my ultimate worlds together and to hang out with Dave and Kyle whenever we weren't playing. Those two were truly superb hosts and made us really scrumptious dinners and breakfasts.
Our first game of the tournament (after I ran across the field with outstretched arms calling Sheila's name and tackled her, of course) was against The Ferocious Chick Peas, the current Gettysburg team. (Our name on the schedule, by the way, was "Sheila and Friends," which I think could be a hit children's television show. We also called ourselves "Funklums" since our coed years were as the Pan Fried Funk.) The Chick Peas made me really proud and excited that the women's team Sheila and I struggled to put together three years ago has survived and thrived so much. I mean, they have subs and jerseys and plays and everything! They also came out ready and raring to play. My all-grown-up frisbee daughter Pie had her game face on and her picture perfect hucks ready to go (definitely not something she learned from her frisbee mother) and the whole team was heads up, fighting hard and laying out. In the end, however, we won 13-5; we may be old and rusty and thrown together but there's definitely something to be said for experience. The rest of our games were much less exciting, as in no one else scored more than two points on us all tournament. We all had a lot of fun on the field though. I got in some nice layouts and caught a huck score from Sheila (though sadly it wasn't a vintage blade) which was really all I wanted.
And then this happened:
It may look like I'm laughing. And actually I probably am, since I couldn't believe that Kyle had turned paparazzi on me. But a few seconds earlier I was saying "OH! Oh it popped back in. It might be okay." And a few seconds before that I was screaming and writhing in pain because my left shoulder had just been dislocated. It happened as I was running forward on defense in step with my mark. As I reached out to D the disc she caught it with both hands and wrenched it away. Unfortunately my arm was in between hers and got wrenched back right along with it. It was disturbingly reminiscent of breaking my ankle actually; I really need to learn to keep limbs disentangled when I'm running to the disc. It was also painful, though getting the shoulder back in its proper place changed the pain from insane to manageable. One of the Chick Peas, aptly nicknamed Joints, dislocated her shoulder a few weeks ago and had to wait almost 3 hours before the ER people popped it back in for her. I can't imagine how much that must have sucked. Well, I guess I can imagine now, but I'm very thankful that I didn't have to go through it.
To be safe, Kyle did take me to an Urgent Care Facility when we returned to Frederick. (Never go to the Gettysburg Hospital. Ever. Trust me.) Everything was as expected and they gave me a sling to wear for a week or so. I was a bit disappointed that my sling was much less impressive than the one Joints got, and only a step above the one that Girl-Scout-trained-MacGyver Ducky fashioned for me out of a tshirt and headband. 
Then again, if I had received a less flimsy sling Joints would have been able to convince me to play against her the next day, which could have been a very bad plan. That's right, the girl was playing with her dominant arm in a sling. I felt kind of lame about refusing her challenge but I'll pretend it means I'm old and wise now. It would have been a good photo op though.
Speaking of photos... While not playing on Sunday I got to try out Devo's snazzy digital SLR. It was a bit challenging to wield with one hand since you need a second hand to zoom, but I managed to get a few good shots (some are on Flickr) and it was something to do other than heckling the boy hecklers. I did have a few moments of all out cheering insanity while watching the Chick Peas play F&M (one of their rivals and also the shoulder dislocators) and WIN on universe point to make it to the championship. Pie referred to it as the College Championship and it was definitely the most badass game of the tournament. We then beat the exhausted Chick Peas 15-5 to win the Bubble Wand Trophy of Awesome. Bubble making and giggling ensued. It was awesome. Also congrats to the Gettysburg guys for winning the wand on the men's side, though I'll admit I was hoping for an alumni sweep.
Seeing so many of my old friends and being part of such a fun and talented team helped take the edge off of the shoulder injury. Of course I was really disappointed that I couldn't play the second day and none too pleased about the shooting pains all over my arm, but overall I was surprisingly upbeat. I really think that I was subconsciously expecting to get injured, because that's what I do, and was therefore glad that it wasn't any worse. I don't think I could handle crutches one more time, and I've already sworn off casts forever no matter what the doctors say. Plus this was going to be my last tournament for a while anyway, so all I'll miss are a few scrimmages. I don't look forward to finishing my thesis with one hand, but overall I'm almost preoccupied with the silver linings. I'm glad I guess...but also kind of disturbed that frisbee has brought me down to the point where I can be relieved about a painful and inconvenient dislocated shoulder. Oh cruel mistress Disc, how I love you so...
And you know I'll be there for the next Sheila & Friends appearance. Bring It On.
| posted at: 20:20 |
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Saturday, March 21, 2009
Am I allowed to spell 'honour' that way, as if I'm British? All of the invite examples seem to do so. In any case, according to my mother and all the Martha Stewart types it's high time we send out invitations for our late May wedding. It took two days and a ridiculous number of emails and phone calls and my eyes are still exhausted from scrolling through pages and pages of examples online, but my mother and I finally settled on an invitation design. (Kyle gave me permission to not ask his permission very early on. I did show him the final design to approve, but he probably realized that there would be no vetoing at that point.) The invite we chose is clean and classic - white linen-type paper with 'doors' that open up to reveal the traditional invite and a pocket for rsvp cards and directions - with just enough punch and personality in the font, motif, and ribbons. Thankfully my mom and two of her friends are going to take care of tying and addressing the invites once they're printed. I'm glad we decided to have someone do the rest of the work; we had planned to design and print our own to save money but I see now it would have been too much work to be worth it, and we don't have access to a great printer anyway. We lucked out because my mother has a friend who sells the Candlelight Collection from Carlson Craft, so she walked through everything with my mom who then walked through everything with me over the phone. It was occasionally an ordeal but I'm optimistic and excited about the final product. They should have the mock-up done soon, and then the batch printing should take about a week. As far as it concerns me, however, invites can be checked off of the list. Excellent.
| posted at: 08:29 |
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Friday, March 20, 2009
A week ago Kyle took me out for my 1000 Mile Challenge Victory Dinner. We went to Cracker Barrel, of course. We fought to a draw at giant checkers, ate far too much food, and pondered the mystery of why Cracker Barrel servers are always nice and normal but the people running the cash register are always surly, sketchy, or both.
Since winning the challenge, however, I've been rather sedentary. I've been busy with other things, certainly, which include a new tutoring gig, but a large part of the problem is that I don't have a highly visible and motivating reason to make the time to ride. Occasionally the thought of the wedding gown gets me to work out but those times are few and far between. I'm also incredibly psyched about playing in the Gettysburg Tournament with SHEILA, some Hydra special guests, and a bunch of other old friends. Yet I've still only jogged once, lifted once, and played ultimate once in the past week and a half. Apparently I lack intrinsic motivation and need a new challenge, preferably involving cartoons. Any suggestions?
In the meantime I'll watch other people compete while I type lounged on my couch. No matter how much my bracket is currently struggling, I love March Madness.
| posted at: 22:02 |
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Tuesday, March 17, 2009
I was getting concerned; or, rather, other people were reminding me that I should be concerned. The bridal shop had promised to phone me in February about a second gown fitting, but here it was the first week in March with no call. I decided to check in with them, then promptly forgot about it for a few days, and finally called on Thursday. I was greeted by the lovely British woman who informed me that they were just about to call (of course) as the gown had arrived a day or two before. I went in the next day to try it on and was astonished and relieved to discover how well it fit. Unlike some designers, Maggie Sottero doesn't tailor gowns to exact measurements, she makes them to a size. My original measurements had fallen in between sizes, so I was rather surprised when the length and fit were nearly perfect. But while I didn't need alterations I will need to watch myself: I didn't quite need to be poured into the gown, but it was certainly a snug fit. More motivation to stay on the bike and in the gym I suppose.
Since the gown didn't need to be altered I was able to take it home...along with a plastic-protected certificate of congratulations and authenticity, which was amusing. It worked out perfectly because I had decided the night before to drive up north to see Kyle and my family, who could take the gown to Lancaster for me and store it there.
Initially I was looking forward to a weekend off from driving, but then too many stars aligned around Gettysburg: my brother had a volleyball game against Gettysburg that my parents and his girlfriend Jenny were planning to attend,
Kyle was already planning to travel there to see his former professor and his brother, who was touring the battlefields with friends, and the library had books that I needed for a class. So when my Saturday plans got canceled I decided to pack up my car and drive north for yet another weekend. It was a hectic one and Kyle got sick on Sunday, but I'm still glad that I went. I had a great time listening to John Green on audio book during the drive with Kyle, savoring colorful smoothies at The Ragged Edge, taking advantage of the nearly empty Gettysburg library (it was Spring Break for them), bothering Tammy in the econ lab, watching my brother and his team crush Gettysburg (and being literally the only fans there), running into a former professor and a new statue on a walk around campus, and going out to eat twice: appetizers with Kyle's brother and friends followed by dinner with my family, Kyle, and Jenny after the game. On the whole it made for an excellent impromptu vacation.
As we bid each other farewell on Sunday afternoon, Kyle made the most wonderful observation: No more goodbyes in 70 days.
| posted at: 01:30 |
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Tuesday, March 10, 2009
I did it! Haha! I did it after all. I completed the 1000 mile challenge in 100 days, after I had almost given up on it. Here's how it happened:
Day 94: I decided I wasn't going to go down without a fight. I changed my bike tire with a lot of help from Kyle, hopped on the trainer, set up Hulu, and rode for 36 miles. I rode until it got too late to be making so much noise, and I felt really invigorated and still fairly fresh by the end.
Day 95: On the trainer again, this time for 35 miles. This time it was my knee that gave my ride an endpoint. It started to hurt around mile 30. It never got so bad that I had to stop, but it hurt enough that I thought I should.
Day 96: From the very beginning my knee reminded me that I've been pushing too hard too fast. I wanted to ride anyway but I only went 7 miles before I had to stop. I grimaced as I walked around the apartment, in pain and completely discouraged. I didn't see how I could complete the challenge now.
Day 97: I put the challenge out of my mind, because today we got to test ride the Pino again. My knee complained a little, especially since the boom (the front of the bike) was too short, but we only went 4 miles so it wasn't a big deal. Besides, riding the Pino was amazing.
Day 98: The epic Gettysburg ride - see the previous entry. An enjoyable 67 miles that suddenly put me back in the game.
Day 99: I now had two days to ride 54 miles - entirely doable as long as my knee didn't betray me. It didn't. I got in 34 miles on the good old recumbent in UVA's gym. The only time I had available to ride that day was from after 10pm until midnight, but that was ok; it meant less people were around to want the bike. Plus I got to watch two intramural basketball games through the window.
Day 100: I really wanted to finish the challenge outside, if only because people look at you funny if you raise your arms in victory at the gym. In the morning it was much too cold, but just before 5:00 the sun came out, the wind died down, and it seemed just nice enough to ride. I was on my way to the gym at the time but I rushed home instead, hoping I would have enough time to get ready, get out, and get in 20 outdoor miles before I needed to drive to 7:00 tutoring.
The ride wasn't overly rigorous in terms of route or performance, but it certainly challenged me in other ways. First a suicidal rabbit dashed across my path and almost caused me to veer into a passing car. Then I made the mistake of turning around to head home...on a hill...without shifting down. As I started to climb I shifted too soon and the chain came off, leaving with no way to pedal, no momentum, and no time to clip out. I gave a jaded "really?" as the bike tipped over and we clattered to the ground. At least the absurdly high socks that I decided to try out protected my shins from scrapes. After brushing myself off and absolutely coating my hand in grease trying to fix the chain, I started the ride home. On the way I stopped to take a photo of my friends the donkeys. I've been meaning to take a photo since I first saw them, and this time they were enjoying dinner near the fence so I couldn't resist.
Apparently I wasn't paying enough attention when I went to start pedaling again, because I clipped in too soon and suddenly found myself sprawled in the middle of the road with a painful wrist and shoulder. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I always wait until there are no cars in the road before I get back on it.
I managed to make it home without any further incidents after that, thank goodness. I had to book it though, because I was running out of time. I didn't realize how close I was cutting it, however, until I checked the clock at home - after snapping a victory photo of course - and discovered I would have to rush off to tutoring immediately: no dinner, no shower, just time to trade my bike shorts for jeans. When I made it back from tutoring around 9:30 I was starving, exhausted, run down...and it felt oh so good. Victory at last!
| posted at: 23:23 |
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Sunday, March 08, 2009
Today it was finally time for our first real ride on the Pino, and we were ridiculously excited. As always Kyle was in charge of navigational concerns, and he thought we should first drive to the nearby Utica Park so that we didn't have to navigate downtown Frederick on the tandem, and from there head towards Gettysburg. 
It turned out to be almost as difficult to navigate downtown Frederick while driving a car that was considerably smaller than the tandem strapped to its backend, but it was probably still the best plan.
First we stopped off at Frederick Coffee Co. to pick up food - a toasted bagel, two giant apple crumble muffins, and two Snickers bars. We breakfasted at the park and then headed off towards Gettysburg, not sure whether we would ride the whole way there or turn back earlier when our knees began to protest. We ended up surprising ourselves: our knees protested plenty, but we still made it to Gettysburg...the looooong way. Turns out my captain only sort of looked at the map and didn't bring it along, and his creative back road navigating added about 25 miles to the trip. Major kudos to Emily - Kyle's former roommate and a middle school geography bee champion - for guiding us back to main roads over the phone. 
Our ride ended up being 67 miles all told, which is less than most of our days will be during the trip (80-100) but much farther than I had ever ridden before (36). I was actually happy about the added miles; my right knee screamed every once and a while but otherwise I felt great riding in the front and wanted to go as far as possible. Kyle started out just as energized but gradually became less pleased since he was stuck on the unyielding saddle and without any back support. I offered to switch, but he decided that being more comfortable wasn't worth the effort required to swap our pedals (our cycling shoes currently clip into different kinds but we'll fix that before the cross-country ride). Overall, however, we both had a fantastic time. I have truly never been that happy on a bicycle before. Singing and giggling may have occurred repeatedly. We also saw and learned quite a lot...
What we saw:
Covered bridges - two of the three in Frederick.
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A ton of farms, farm animals, and hay bales. Kyle couldn't understand why I needed so many photos of horses and fields, but I took them without slowing down so he couldn't really complain. They aren't fantastic - see Flickr for a few - but it was a good experiment in panning and shooting while pedaling. I used Kyle's small digital camera and was pleased with how well it dealt with movement.
Several agitated dogs. More on them later.
A group of friendly bikers (of the motorcycle variety) at Sheetz. I totally fail for not taking a picture with them.
A half dozen bathrooms, ranging in sketchiness. I have a very demanding bladder, something I suppose I'll have to get used to.
Taneytown, which I found rather awful. Everything seemed rundown and depressing except for four nice houses flanking the Fire Company. And the best part of town, the large park, inexplicably had no bathrooms anywhere, which was my primary focus at the time (surprise surprise).
A Welcome to Pennsylvania sign that looked equally depressing.
Tammy! Tammy is a Funkster friend who was stuck in Gettysburg over spring break finishing her thesis, so we took her out for milkshakes at the local diner and a brief ride on the Pino before heading homeward. It was a fantastic way to break up the ride.
Mount St. Mary and its cool tunnel under the highway. It came in handy since we decided to take a more direct way home on main roads.
What we learned:
The art of starting and stopping. We're still working on coordinating our pedaling and clipping in/out whenever we start or stop the bike, but it's getting smoother every time.
Our cycling styles are not as different as I thought. We actually had very little trouble setting and maintaining a pace and effort level that worked well for both of us, and our climbs and descents went just fine. Our ability to match each other was one of my major concerns, but after this ride I'm no longer worried at all.
Still, we probably want pedals that aren't slaved together. Right now if one of us pedals the other person also needs to pedal and at the same speed. While our paces generally matched, there were many times when Kyle had to coast and stand to give his sit bones a break but I would have been happy to continue pedaling. We also both experienced knee pain but at different times; having a little more flexibility could really help with minor injuries. We're not entirely sure how unslaved pedaling works on the Pino, but we know that it's an option, and one that the Mt. Airy shop owner has used.
Pedaling and sharp turns don't mix. Currently any sharp turn brings my heel into contact with the front wheel unless I really contort myself. Hopefully the problem will be ameliorated when we extend the boom.
I am still really, really, really terrified of dogs. I knew this, of course, but it's worse than I suspected. We saw a number of riled up dogs on our ride and I felt in real danger three times. The first was a loud, shaggy mutt that barked insanely at us from the side of the road. It wasn't especially scary as barking dogs go, but nonetheless I froze entirely. I forgot to pedal. I forgot about the Halt at my side. I forgot about everything except for my fear of dogs and my memory of being attacked a few years ago. Thankfully Kyle's yelling snapped me out of it and I started to pedal and fumble for the Halt. The dog didn't come after us but my heart was racing and lodged in my throat for several minutes after we passed it. The worst experience of the ride, however, was when an absolutely terrifying rottweiler charged across the lawn towards us. Kyle yelled at me to pedal and to grab the Halt, and while I was faster this time it still made me an emotional wreck. I spent the next two or three miles still clutching the Halt, breathing heavily as my heart raced, and trying not to cry. The third encounter was at what I dubbed The Halloween House because it was still decorated for it. There were three dogs this time, medium sized and hyperactive. I managed to avoid paralysis and but found myself muttering "I'm scared, Kyle" two or three times. Man am I pathetic. I'm upset that I'm still so vulnerable to dogs. But I just have to hope that I'll get better about it, and that when a dog finally attacks the Halt and I will be quicker than it is.
Well that was a downer last note; sorry about that. Let's remember that we weren't actually attacked by any dogs, but had an amazing and accidentally epic ride. We saw a lot, learned a lot, and really and truly enjoyed ourselves. I really can't describe how happy I am about the ride, and I'm even happier that it was the first of many more to come.
| posted at: 19:19 |
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Saturday, March 07, 2009
Well, we did it. We got the Hase Pino, the dream tandem bike that is going to take us across the country. We got it from the bicycle shop in Mt. Airy, one of the few American vendors of the German bike. The shop only keeps one in stock and it works as a major draw for them, so we couldn't take it home permanently until the owner brought in its replacement. Instead, we made a downpayment and were allowed to take it home for a weekend, promising to bring it back before their next convention on Capitol Hill.
Before leaving the shop we rode it around the nearby rural loop so that we could have the owners make any needed minor adjustments. Like last time we both took a turn in the captain position, steering from the back. It was much less awkward this time for both of us. I think I only had one false start and one moment of panic - a vast improvement on my first experience with the bike in August - and Kyle seemed completely comfortable and natural back there. After finishing one loop we ventured off the path a bit so that we could out some hills. I definitely yelled "wooohooo" an inordinate amount of times today.
We also stopped to say hello to a curious horse and a couple on adult trikes who were kind enough to take our photo. Aside from a short boom (the frontmost section) that made our knees a bit cramped - and which can be easily fixed by lengthening the chain - the bike felt great. The riding experience is like no other bicycle, and once you settle in that becomes a great thing. No buyer's remorse here!
It's really hard to express how excited we both are. The pino is currently leaning against the couch in the dining room that is also my office (don't think too hard about the decorating scheme in Kyle's apartment; it will just make your head hurt) and I keep sneaking a glance every once and a while, patting the mesh seat to make sure it's real, it's ours, it's what will somehow carry us across the country... It's truly a beautiful thing.
Tomorrow we're going to take it out for a longer ride and I have to say, it feels a lot like Christmas Eve...
| posted at: 22:06 |
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Wednesday, March 04, 2009
I spent the first weekend of spring break up north with Kyle's family, who threw us a Jack and Jill shower Saturday evening. Kyle's father is one of eight so there were a lot of guests. I only have 3 aunts, 4 uncles, and 5 first cousins on both sides TOTAL, so I'm really not used to anything but small family gatherings! During the party I lived in fear that someone would follow through on threats to quiz me on everyone's name, but I'm fairly certain that I know all of them now. Too bad I still need to meet and memorize the two thirds of that side of the family who weren't able to attend!
Regardless, we would have needed an absurd number of guests to finish all of the delicious food. Kyle and I got to take a good deal of it home; I was warned that we would have no choice in the matter, and I'm not complaining. Highlights included speedies, a Binghamton specialty that has its own festival, and the bicycle shaped cookies that Kyle's father made. (The party favors were bicycle shaped cookie cutters.) I need to add that I don't care what Kyle says, he definitely ate more than his fair share of the leftover cookies :-P.
We also received wonderful gifts. We got a posh picnic basket loaded with goodies, a poster of the (only) mountains we've hiked that is apparently a family favorite, a scrapbook with supplies, and a glass pitcher and salad bowl. We also received generous financial support that will help us put a downpayment on the bicycle very, very soon. (Look for news soon; I'm so excited!!!)
First, though, we had to earn our keep in the requisite shower games. For the first contest of the evening we tried to match up movies and their romantic quotes. Even though I hate chick flicks I recognized more than most, but Kyle's sister Katelyn and her fiance Kevin teamed up for the win. (As you might have guessed, my Hollywood-challenged significant other was not much help). Then came the real main event: The Newly-Wed Game. It was a good time, despite the unavoidable awkwardness of answering the racier questions while sitting next to Kyle's mother. I laughed a ton and discovered that according to Kyle I consider competitiveness my best non-physical feature. Most prominent, perhaps... Speaking of competition, Kyle and I came in second, but we may be subjected -- I mean, treated -- to another go at the family's next bridal shower: Kyle and Katelyn were already trash-talking about it.
Everyone seemed to like our freshly printed save-the-date cards, and responded to our cross-country bike plans with the usual mixture of sentiments, ranging from excitement and awe to serious doubts about our sanity. I definitely felt welcome if occasionally overwhelmed, and they seem like a fun and tight-knit bunch. I really look forward to the next family gathering, though maybe I should request a family tree with pictures this time...
| posted at: 05:03 |
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Tuesday, March 03, 2009
I have a new goal: to stop making cycling goals.
My most recent goal -- to complete the 1000 mile challenge by March 10, which would be 100 days in -- seemed challenging but entirely attainable. But then I was bombarded by several impediments (or excuses, take your pick):
You know what makes it difficult to train, especially on a recumbent bicycle? A painful tailbone injury. Last weekend was the Charlottesville Ultimate Winter League tournament. In the first point of the first game, before I even had the chance to cut out of the stack, a guy on the other team sprinted right into my back and sent me sprawling. I'm still not entirely sure what happened since I definitely didn't see it coming -- I believe my first words from the ground were "What was that?" -- but it felt like someone had misaligned most of my body and taken a hammer to my tailbone. Pushing off to sprint or jump was especially painful. Unfortunately we didn't have any female subs so I had to keep playing. I grabbed a handful of advil off the sidelines after the point and made it through three long games, even though my cleat split open halfway through and had to be duct-taped back together. But it was all worth it: We won the tournament as a huge underdog: during the season we finished 6th of 10 and every team we beat during the tournament had trounced us in earlier games, including the previously undefeated power house that we faced for the championship. Needless to say, it was awesome! I don't even mind so much that my tailbone still hurts more than a week later...
I can't blame my cycling hiatus entirely on the pain of ultimate victory, however, since my schedule couldn't afford much cycling time anyway. I had a thesis draft due on Friday and only two weeks notice about it. I mean, yes, I should have started the writing process over winter break, but who does that, really? Thanks to the late warning and my procrastination I really had to buckle down. I did practically nothing all week but put in hours and hours and hours at my desk. (Which, by the by, is also highly inconvenient with a tailbone injury). I wrote 25 slightly-above-mediocre pages though, which is a good start and will make my life easier come April.
After barely surviving a dark and stormy night drive to Maryland followed by a trip to New York the next day (look for an entry coming above!) I was all ready to get back to training. Snow and the accompanying freezing temperatures precluded any outdoor riding but I looked forward to using Kyle's trainer in conjunction with Dave's huge TV. Unfortunately, I need to change the back tire (to protect it from the wear of the trainer), reattach the front wheel (which had to be removed to force the bike into my car), and possibly take the bike into the shop to fix a strange fluctuation around the back cassette (gears). And so my riding gets put off again and again.
The goal is to finish fixing my bike and get in a ride tomorrow. My tailbone will just have to endure. Still, I don't know that I can cover 200 miles in 6 days. I know that on the trip I'll need to cover that distance in 2 days, but then I'll be (1) better trained (2) outside (3) with Kyle and (4) without any other responsibilities or excuses. Wedding planning, cover letters, homework, and the next chapter of my thesis are all calling my name rather insistently this week. Buggers.
I'll keep everyone updated of course, but I fear disappointing yet again. But hey, what ultimately matters is that I make it across the country, right? Setbacks now are simply learning experiences, small blows to the ego, and motivation to become better.
| posted at: 11:43 |
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