Adulting. Riding. Aching.

After yesterday’s non-storm, we has some minor melting and refreezing. Since the local trails were not treated, I decided to wait until late morning to go for a ride.

First, I drove my car to a mechanic to have its annual physical. Suffice it to say, sometime tomorrow I will be out about $1,000. I expect this will be the last money I spend on the car until 2021. Knock wood.

I brought the CrossCheck with me to the mechanic and rode off to the pharmacy to pick up my asthma medicine. As it turns out, the $10 per month deal I had been getting on this medicine expired on New Year’s Eve. The non-discounted price is $72.

I rode home to get a new discount coupon from the manufacturer. I messed up the data form and the website would not allow me to make a correction without which I would not get the discount. Off I rode to the doctor’s office to get a new coupon. Then I rode back to the pharmacy and got my $10 medicine.

Having now blown an hour of my day, I headed up the Mount Vernon Trail for a relaxing roll. Some of the wooden bridges on the trail still had icy spots. There were no such icy spots on the George Washington Memorial Parkway just 30 yards away. Bicycles are not allowed on the parkway. And you wonder why bicyclists get angry and frustrated.

I ended up about ten miles north in Crystal City where I used streets to return home. The weatherman was nice enough to provide me with a strong tailwind. On the way I swung by my local bike shop which has been closed since a fire broke out in an adjacent business. I rode through the parking lot in the rear. It appeared that the roof has been replaced. As I came close to the shop’s rear door, I saw one of the shop’s bike mechanics wheeling some debris to a dumpster. I waved and said hello. Next I swung around the front of the store. The door was open but the place clearly was not ready for prime time. And the sign saying the store was”closed until further notice” remained in the shop window. Sad face.

At home, I did my stenosis exercises. By the time I was done my leg was aching. (It ain’t working.) In the spirit of Feldenkrais, I tried a 25-minute guided meditation while lying down. When the instructor said, “Pay attention to your left shin and calf,” I thought “I’d rather not!” The meditation didn’t do much good.

While I was enjoying the pain party, I washed some of my holey sweaters and a load of laundry.

So despite my pain, I had a productive day.

Tomorrow promises to be similarly productive. In the evening, I go to the re-scheduled Feldenkrais class.