Commute Thursday 08/13/2009

Pretty hot day. I didn't need any arm warmers or leg warmers in the morning. It ws nice and mildlly warm on the way in.

It was warm on the way home. But I was prepared and I've acclimated. I had plenty of water and didn't even really think about stopping at any of the three Dairy Queen's on my commute route.

I did get pretty angry at the plus sized woman in the Mercury SUV (like a Ford Escapee) parked the middle of the cross walk near the DQ by the intersection of Hwy 49 and Hwy 96. She was busy shoveling down a Blizzard and was clueless to her vehicle position. Then she topped it off by briefly letting off her brake and stomping on it again while I was passing. Nothing like a vehicle lurching toward you briefly to piss me off. So I let her verbally have it. I think it was "Jackass". When the light was green she came after me yelling four letter terms and showing her ability to count to one. Gratefully I didn't catch her at the next light to escalate nor see where she lived along the route.

I did imagine Yehuda style retribution using four ball bearings as I rode the uneventful rest of the ride home.

Yes, I'm a Hypocrite

So most folks know I own a car, er vehicle, ah, cage. I don't use it much. Last fall through a series of situations, I ended up selling my perfectly fine Accord. I miss it. It got great mileage, it was paid for, and it suited me, mostly. It was hard to get bicycles inside when I wanted to drive somewhere for a ride. So, I learned a friend was selling a vehicle that I lusted after (always a bad thing). He had taken wonderful care of it, it was near new, and looked spectacular. He is very trustworthy and soon a deal was struck.

The drag? Its what most would call an SUV. Yes, I've become one of the people I hated. It even has all wheel drive, something I don't consider needed in this land of very little snow. Fifty inches a year is nothing people, nothing! Yeah, once a year we get fifteen or something, but still. In the first photo above you can see the previous owner and my 2004 Honda Element. Fondly referred to as the Elephant (he started it). The mileage is quite a bit less than the Accord and it seems like a gigantic behemoth, but it actually leaves more room inside the garage then the Accord did. I've go to admit, I love its abilities. You can slip the back seats up against the window on the side and roll a bike in standing up, fully assembled. Awesome, simply awesome. It, is exactly what I wanted. Just like a van without that suburban image. Still I feel like a stupid hypocrite. I try not to drive it much, I still ride the bike or take the bus. So far, in six months I've put less than 4,000 miles on it. I'm proud of that. Go ahead, rip me. I'm guilty as hell and admit it. The next photo is of me and the former owner shaking hands on the transaction.