- I skipped bike commuting for two days this week. One was freakishly warm, of course. The other was about 10 degrees warmer than normal.
- One of those days I went to a happy hour for a departing co-worker, a volunteer event at my kids’ high school, and a happy hour for my local bike association.
- I gave a friend a ride home. As he was warning me about a red light camera, I idiotically rolled into the crosswalk and set off the camera. Doh! Car driving is hard. I’m going to ride a bike instead.
- Last night I went to a happy hour for Ultrarunnergirl. Today is her birthday. She somehow turned 28. Again. We met either on Twitter or at Friday Coffee Club. I haven’t seen her ages so it was great to see her and her husband Tom, and a gaggle of chatty friends. Many of them had drinks that were red and bubbled and steamed. I had one beer and two club sodas. I am too old for drinking these days, I guess.
- I am happy to report that Washington’s much maligned subway system worked just fine last night. There were no fires, no breakdowns, and no derailments.
- Pretty soon I am going to buy a Capital Bikeshare membership. This is our local bike sharing system that I have never used. Their bikes rarely burn up, breakdown, or derail.
- Right now the weather is looking very good for inauguration day. I don’t plan on watching let alone going. (I haven’t gone to one yet and this is my ninth since I moved to DC.) I hope to either do a hike or ride my bike a long way.
- Today was cold and rainy. So I rode in the basement. I am still reading “The Arm.” It’s about the epidemic of Tommy John surgeries in baseball. I will have to close my eyes to watch Nats pitchers next year. It sure is strange that you don’t hear much about torn rotator cuffs anymore, except for Ultrarunnergirl’s Tom who is rehabbing his. I am afraid his days as a long reliever are over. My father had two torn rotator cuffs. His doctor said this is not uncommon among the elderly. I think I tore my right rotator cuff a few summers ago when throwing a kick ball. My upper right arm exploded in pain. It felt like someone had stuck me with a knife.
- I could throw pretty hard in grade school but I was terrified of hurting someone. I pitched to one batter in little league. I walked him on four pitches. I was banished to the outfield for life.
- I am watching (sort of) the NFL playoffs. Mostly to keep track of my friends’ teams. My team is the Patriots because I lived withing 30 miles of Foxboro for 11 years. Of course, they were mediocre when I lived there. Here’s the rest of the affiliations.
- My wife is pulling for the Steelers because one of the players played with my son in high school.
- The Steelers beat the Dolphins who are the team of my friend Rocky.
- My 50 States Ride buddy Emilia is rooting for Seattle. She’s a bit of fanatic. She has a number 12 jersey.
- My grad school friend Rich roots for Detroit. His team is eliminated.
- My friend Klarence is a rabid Packers fan. Which is weird because as a vegan she hate cheese.
- My friend Kristen roots for Ed Hochuli because she thinks he has a hot bod. (I am not making this up.) She can be excused because she is from Buffalo and well their football history is rather sad.
- I plan on watching the Patriots game for at least the first two concussions and debilitating knee injuries.
A Few Spokes Shy of a Wheel 