Our First (And Probably Last) Bike Ride at the Mall
October 26, 2010 at 3:37 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 1 CommentTags: baby, biking, photos, washington dc
Ambitious, I know. Taking Liam WITH the bike ON the train TO the Mall. But it’s something I’ve been wanting to do since we got the child seat, and it seemed doable. We were supposed to go on Sunday, but I came down with a cold. Feeling much better today, I figured I’d give it a try. I looked up the rules of taking a bike on the metro, and it looked like as long as I avoided rush hour and boarded the first or last car, I was good to go. So we arrived just in time for the 10:02 train headed to DC. Liam sat comfortably in his bike seat for the ride, and I wedged ourselves in the back of the car and stayed relatively clear of passengers. He got lots of smiles and waves, like always. We changed trains at Metro Center lickity split, even catching an earlier connection that I’d expected. We easily found the elevator at the Smithsonian stop. A lady in the elevator commented that I’d gone to a lot of trouble. But, really, it was nothing!
From the Smithsonian stop Liam and I headed toward the tidal basin. I enjoyed the view along the waterfront, and Liam enjoyed all of the cranes and bulldozers parked currently parked in front of the Jefferson Memorial. The trail wasn’t very crowded (probably because of the construction), so we had a nice, leisurely ride. I got us a little lost around the Lincoln Memorial, but a helpful construction worker set us on the right path. We biked in front of the memorial, which had a surprisingly sparse crowd. But Liam seemed to enjoy watching the planes taking off and landing from nearby National Airport. Whatever makes him happy!
Next stop, the carousel at the Mall, where we disembarked and had a snack. We sat on a bench and watched the horses spin. All the while Liam pointed and neighed. There was actually much neighing on this ride – first at the golden horses at Arlington Bridge, then at the carousel, and then at Grant’s Memorial.
For lunch we parked the bike at the Museum of the American Indian (they even had designated bike racks!), and dined on pulled bison sandwiches and fries. I got us a sweet potato tart, thinking Liam would devour it, but he didn’t want anything to do with it. Thankfully I brought enough cookies for him to chow on.
Back on the bike by 1:00, we headed toward the L’Enfant station. I wanted to try an alternate route home to see if it was faster. First obstacle, the sidewalk was closed and I had to negotiate some square curbs to get around it. The bike came dangerously close to tipping over as I walked us down a curb, but I caught it just in time. We found the elevator easily enough, but once in the station, a station manager confronted me, claiming I wasn’t supposed to leave Liam in the seat. He tried to convince me that Liam would be safer walking next to me on the platform with the oncoming trains. What?! Apparently it’s some unwritten rule that kids can’t ride in the bike seat in case there’s a fire on the train and I’ve got to get him out in a hurry. But, seriously, in any other situation he’s much safer in the seat! We had a bit of a heated argument, but I could see he wasn’t going to let it slide. So I unbuckled Liam, let him down, and coaxed him to the elevator. Once the doors opened on the platform, he saw the train and started jogging over there in front of me. Aaaaa! This lady grabbed him, thankfully. I didn’t care what sort of “rule” I was breaking, Liam was much safer in the seat. I figured I’d leave him unbuckled, which was in accordance with the spirit of the rule. Right?
Of course we hit another obstacle. Our train broke down at the Columbia Heights station, and we had to wait for them to clear it out and next train to come through. By the time we made our connection at Fort Totten, it was clear Liam was in need of a nap. Riding the elevator up to the Red Line, he did that pissed off arch his back thing and just about fell out of the seat! Wonderful.
Finally, we made it to Forest Glen, and then home by 2:30. Liam managed to keep his eyes open long enough to make it home, and he was down for the count before his head even hit the mattress.
This turned into a long and arduous adventure, but it was still mostly fun. Next time (if there ever IS a next time), I guess I’ll have to bring the Boba and wear Liam while on the train. Assuming I’ve got enough room in my backpack to stow it once we’re back on the bike, I think that could work. Though it still seems like an unnecessary pain in the ass.
James becomes “The Man” and Liam continues to amaze me
September 17, 2010 at 2:13 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 1 CommentTags: baby, biking, james, washington dc
It’s nearly official – James got the job! He’s just waiting to hear what his start date will be. What a relief that we don’t have to move with this job! He’ll be working from a different office, but it shouldn’t add that much to his commute. He’ll be a supervisor, which is something he hasn’t done before, and will help round out is already pretty extensive resume. Well, extensive within the Immigration branch, anyway. He’ll also be wearing a suit everyday. Thank god I talked him out of buying those Lumburg-style shirts with the white collars. Can I get an “M, kay?”
I am loving this fall weather! Now that I’ve got the kiddo his own perch on the back of the bike, I’ve been going out in the mornings to ride the trail, and I usually go a mile or two and then head back. But Wednesday I felt adventuresome, so I rode about as far as I could comfortably go, all the way to New Hampshire Ave and Sligo Creek Parkway. Almost 5 miles. Liam was snug as a bug back there, not a peep. What I didn’t consider – and this always happens to me – is that the ride was almost entirely up hill on the way back. I was definitely feeling it around mile 2, so we stopped to play for awhile at a playground. I wisely brought snacks, so he was content on the exhausting ride all the way home. We were out for almost 3 hours, and he loved it. I remember when I first put that helmet on him at the bike shop and how much he protested. Now, when I have the bike all set up outside, he marches down the steps, stands next to the bike, and flings his arms up at the seat. Helmet goes on without protest. He sits back there and points to trucks on the road, barks at dogs on the trail, and talks to himself. How is it I got such a cool kid?
My friends with older kids tell me those days are numbered. That soon after he really starts talking, he’ll start having Opinions. Now I decide everything we’re going to do that day, and he pretty much does it. So, because Liam did so well on our 3-hour jaunt, I’m going to take Liam for a ride at the National Mall. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, even before Liam was born, but I figured now it would be too much of a hassle. But as much as he loves riding the train and riding the bike, I think we could do it. And now’s the time, before he starts deciding for himself!
A Very Hot Ride
July 6, 2010 at 3:34 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: amusing, baby, biking
Last week Liam and I popped into the bike shop to inquire about baby bike seats. I know I talked about doing this months ago, but it’s taken awhile to get up the motivation to look into it. I was still trying to decide if I was going to spend big money on a new one, or try to find one used. Good thing I stopped in to the shop to talk to them first. Turns out you have to have a matching rack to go with the seat, something I’ve never seen in the consignment shops. And because my bike frame is so small (midget size, you might say), we weren’t even sure a baby seat would attach properly. They were out of stock, but ordered me one and expected it in at the end of the week. The weather was so cool last week, low 80s, perfect biking weather.
But, of course, the seat didn’t come in until the weekend. And with the holiday and my schedule, the soonest I could pick it up was today. Today, when Washington was expecting a record-setting high of 100 degrees. Undeterred, I strapped Liam onto my back, then walked my bike about a mile down a very hot and busy Georgia Avenue to the shop. We left at 10 AM when it was a mere 92 degrees. My face just poured sweat, and Liam remained dazedly silent. Thankfully the guys at the shop got the seat on there just fine, and we fitted Liam with a bike helmet (quite an ordeal, though still not as bad as the doctor’s office). We even got a bell, something I’ve been wanting so I can stop shouting, “On your left!” every time we pass someone on the trail. Liam looked so super cute in his helmet, even though he was screaming the whole time I made him wear it. His seat looks absolutely gargantuan on my bike, but with our dorky helmets, I’m not too concerned about how we look.
To help calm him down for our hot ride home, we stopped in the Tropical Ice Cream shop next door. This was my first time, and I have a feeling I’ll be coming back. We tried a scoop of Guanabana Soursop flavor, mostly because I’d never heard of it, and it had a mellow, creamy flavor. It dried up those tears fast enough, for sure. At least until we got back to the shop and strapped Liam into his seat with his helmet on. He wailed for about a block until we got up a little speed. Then he rather enjoyed it. It took me a bit to get used to the balance – I chose to walk the bike along the road until we got to the pedestrian bridge, then waited until we were facing downhill before mounting the bike. Then I discovered it’s actually much easier to balance while riding than while pushing and walking. Getting on and off the bike is the trickiest – I’m used to leaning the bike toward me and swinging my right foot around the back of the seat, but with Liam there, I have to hook my foot up over the bar. I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it soon enough. We got home around noon, when the high was 99 degrees. Ugh. Needless to say we got right into the house, and have no plans for going outdoors again today.
They’re calling for more blistering heat tomorrow, but I’m hoping if Liam and I get going right after breakfast, we can take a short jaunt up and down the trail before it hits 90. Most of the path is shaded, but it’s all sun from my house to the trail. Thankfully it looks like the heat will abate by the weekend. I’m so happy to be back on my bike again. And I hope Liam grows to love riding with me…though I doubt he’ll ever love the helmet.
Bikeriding: A History
July 14, 2008 at 3:51 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 2 CommentsTags: biking, family
I didn’t learn to ride a bike until I was 11 years old. Which is pretty old, I’ll admit. But I have a few excuses: 1) I was small for my age and my parents didn’t have much money, so when my mom found a reasonably-priced garage sale bike that was entirely too big for me, she went ahead and bought it. I was 8 at the time, and once the bike was affixed with training wheels, I practically had to mount it like a horse. My feet barely reached the pedals, much less the ground. 2) My teacher (mom) didn’t actually know how to ride a bike herself, so she consulted Parents magazine, which said if you start to fall to your right, steer right. And if you start to fall to your left, steer left. Which is exactly the right way you ride a bike, but to my eight-year-old logic, that sounded like suicide.
So picture me on what in retrospect was a pretty awesome bike (it was hot pink with a faded floral banana seat, long handlebars, and a white wicker basket affixed to the front, much like
this bike) wobbling left and right onto my training wheels, going about 2-inches per second, terrified I’m going to skin something on the concrete. And I did. A couple times. After about a week, I was done with bike riding. The bike went into the garage for 3 long years. And due to the increased popularity of scooters, I adeptly hid the fact that by age 11, I still couldn’t actually ride a bike.
Enter serendipity. Our neighbor gave us a bike the summer between fifth and sixth grade. It was a small, red dirt bike, one both my sister and I could fit easily. This time, remembering all my skinned knees on the sidewalk, I insisted we learn by riding down a grassy hill at my elementary school. My dad took us this time, and within an afternoon both my sister and I were ready to take our bikes on the road. This time I could actually touch the ground on my supercool banana seat bike, and I rode it with confidence from that day forth.
Eventually I upgraded to a 10-speed with the curly handlebars (oh-so-cool at the time) that got stolen right before I went to college. My junior year, all my housemates rode bikes, and one of them, who worked at Kmart, managed to hook me up with a huffy freestyle that was perfect for my size. It had pegs on the wheels and handlebars that could turn all the way around because the brake lines ran inside the frame. Really, it was a kids bike, but it was perfect. I rode that bike about a mile and a half to and from school for two years. Then one day, on my way home, I spied a little boy riding toward me down the street, and he was riding the same damn bike I was. He even yelled it out, “We gots the same bike!” Yes, little 10-year-old boy, we do. Needless to say, after graduation, I decided it was time for another upgrade.
I managed to snag an 18-speed women’s street bike at a garage sale for $15, and that’s the bike I started riding to work. It fared well on speed, but precarious in the mud that often collected under the overpasses. Upon hearing we were moving to NYC, I regretfully added that bike to our giveaway pile. But by some miracle, we had more money in NY than I had anticipated, so I was able to pimp my ride substantially, upgrading to a titanium, 21-speed Trek hybrid. I did lots of exploring in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Silver Spring, Georgetown, Kansas City, and Johnson County on that bike. It’s still serving me well.
So when it came time to buy my sister a birthday present this year, I decided what better gift than a bike! I hunted craigslist and garage sales to no avail — I think that $15 gem I found seven years ago was a fluke. Plus these days bikes are more popular. So I settled on a seven-speed Schwinn Cruiser I found at Target. I took it for a test drive, and what do you know, it brought back all of these memories about my first bike. I brought it over to Jill’s on Saturday, and she loved it. It felt like old times, Jill and I cruisin’ down the street on our bikes. And once Evie’s old enough, we’ll have her in tow, too. Doug brought home one of those kid trailers for Jill’s new bike, and we immediately tested Evie out in it. We got her all harnessed in, but when we towed her around briefly in the driveway, she started sliding, and sliding, and whoops! Yeah, she’s gonna have to grow into this one.
OMG, buying gas sucks!
June 9, 2008 at 9:31 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 1 CommentTags: biking, rant
$3.99. Gas is $3.99 here in KS. That’s a lot. And it’s threatening to rise. I swear it wasn’t long ago I could fill up for less than $10! Well, i was a poor college student, so I guess maybe it was awhile ago. But time flies when you’re paying out the ass to drive! It’s been raining pretty much non-stop the last couple of weeks, so I’ve been bad about the biking-to-work plan. I’m hoping to remedy that tomorrow — I’ve got to get in all the rides I can before it gets impossibly hot.
Enough Excuses!
May 9, 2008 at 5:11 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: biking, family
First it was too cold. Then it was too wet. Then I got sick. But now, with record-breaking gas prices already upon us, I have got to start riding the ol’ bike to work. That first 20-mile round-trip trek is always the hardest, and since I haven’t biked that far since about last September, it’s liable to about kill me. But my wallet and my fat butt will both benefit from it.
In other news, my parents are off to OH this week to help my poor grandma seek out assisted living places, so I’m going to be baby-sitting Evie all day Tuesday. Here’s how I’m expecting the day to go…
NOON: Arrive to a smiling, happy baby. Jill goes over the basics.
1 PM: After lunch of strained peaches and carrots, and diaper change, we start the photo shoot.
1:30 PM: Wardrobe change!
2 PM: More photo shoot. Sensing the need for a nap, she promptly falls asleep.
4 PM: Refreshed from her nap, we resume the crawling, putting things in mouth, and other cute, photographable activities.
4:30 PM: Wardrobe change!
5 PM: Dinner time. Evie eats everything I give her with no fuss whatsoever.
6:30 PM: Dad’s home!
Yeah, I’m sure that’s rosier than reality, but one can hope.
Dinner with Art, The Darjeeling Limited, Death by Bike Ride, and the New Space Bed
October 21, 2007 at 11:41 am | Posted in Uncategorized | 2 CommentsTags: biking, kansas city, movies, museums, nights out, restaurants
Dinner with Toast Friday at Pangea was outstanding. I had the house salad with garlic balsamic vinaigrette dressing and a small plate of gnocchi, shrimp and artichokes that, while small and little pricey, really hit the spot. I couldn’t resist dessert–I had the flourless chocolate torte, and Toast had the mango spongecake. Mine was a bit heavy, so Toast graciously shared hers, which was definitely the better of the two. Afterward we headed to the new Bloch building at the Nelson, ethereal at dusk in a modren sort of way. Will have to come back with my camera sometime. Then we headed to the Tivoli to see The Darjeeling Limited. Surreal in the usual Wes Anderson style, I preferred it his past works (though, Rushmore was pretty damn funny, this movie spoke to me more). The trio of misfit brothers (played by Owen Wilson, Adrian Brody, and Jason Schwartzman) find themselves on a soul-searching train ride through India, and hilarity ensues. But not your average-everyday-slapstick variety. A little more dark, a little more quirky. I heard on NPR that you either “get” Andereson’s comedy, or you don’t. I’m not sure I “got” Steve Zizzou, but I got this one.
I went for my own soul-searching ride on Saturday via bicycle on the Mill Creek trail, a few miles west of my house in Olathe. I’m not in the best of shape right now, having slacked on the bike riding and yoga in favor of freelance work and dinners out, but I thought I could handle a 20-mile ride, which usually takes a couple hours on the trail by my house. Instead, it took me almost 3 hours to complete 14 miles of treacherous hills with a 30 MPH headwind–gusts of 50, I’m sure. Around mile 11 I ran out of water. At mile 12, my cracked, chapped lips felt like two blistered, swollen bubbles, and I cursed myself for leaving my chapstick at home. I had to stop several times those last 5 miles to rest and attempt to conserve energy and water. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so thankful when I finally saw my car up ahead. Man, that sucked. Note to self: Mill Creek Trail is not for the faint of heart.
Our new bed arrived shortly after I stumbled my way into a shower, and I gratefully spread out on it’s memory-foam goodness. I’m a little disappointed with the motion transfer aspect–although it cuts down quite a bit, there’s still some jiggle. We took it off the frame, which helped quite a bit. But it’s still not perfect. There’s probably a way to further stabilize it, but I’m an artist, not an engineer. As for sleeping on it, James and I both woke up with achy backs this morning. But we were warned that this type of mattress takes some getting used to, and we’ve got 30 days to test it out. I have a bad habit of crossing my feet and laying my arms over my head as I sleep, and I think if I can train myself to just lie flat, it’ll feel better. Just like the seats on my Honda, I’m sure I’ll get used to it. Let’s hope.
Dressing up the ol’ walls, Louis and Clark by bike, and the TV madness begins
September 23, 2007 at 7:14 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 2 CommentsTags: biking, kansas city, television
I spent Saturday morning with Jill, Evie and mom at the Un-plaza Art Fair admiring artwork, photography and pottery. I didn’t buy anything, but I took away some inspiration. I spent most of Saturday night going through all my photos and ordering prints at Walgreens. I picked them up today along with some frames at Michaels. It’s amazing how a little color on the walls makes a place feel more homey. I’ve still got tons of white space to fill up, and I’m hoping to get out there with the camera once the leaves start turning. I went on a bike ride this morning in search of the Westport Trolley Trail, but instead discovered that the Indian Creek Trail runs all the way to 99th and Holmes. Despite a few wrong turns, I managed to find my way there and back to Roe Park in a couple of hours. Along the way I passed Leawood City Park and a connection to Tomahawk Creek trail–I followed it for about a mile and came across this dazzlingly blue body of water. The bright aqua blue made me think it might be a spring. I’m definitely going back there to explore with my camera when it gets cooler and more colorful. Also along my path on State Line was the old Watts Mill. Or at least the historical marker where it used to stand. The creek widens out and cascades in waterfalls over large flat rocks here, and I stopped to admire the view and read some of the signs. Amazing I’ve lived here most of my life and never saw this before. I can’t wait to hit the trails again next weekend, perhaps this time finding the actual trail I’m looking for, heh. Although, the exploring is half the fun. This might sound silly, but as I ride I imagine myself as Louis and Clark, or Sam and Frodo, exploring uncharted lands. And they are sort of uncharted, by me anyway.
So tonight kicks off prime time TV week, and the show to watch is Family Guy–an hour-long epi spoofing Star Wars, sweet! Last week I caught Kelsey Grammar’s new show Back to You, about a TV anchor who made it big, gets fired, and has to go back to his roots in Pittsburgh. Also starring Patricia Heaton, both actors I really like. I wasn’t that enamored with the pilot, but an unexpected twist at the end intrigued me enough to get me to tune in again next week. Despite that, I would still categorize it as the poor man’s Murphy Brown (incidentally one of my fav shows of all time). Hmmm…I might be cooking up a new top 10 list 
The best show of the summer in my opinion is Glen Close’s Damages on FX. Lots of twists and turns in this corporate law murder mystery, and sophisticated weaving of present events and flashback make for a compelling show. Throw in a surprisingly awesome Ted Danson as the antagonist Frobisher, and I’m hooked. Only a couple more epis left in the season, and I already can’t wait for next season. Big Love came in a close second for me–it seemed like this season went by too quickly. No cliff hanger on the season finale, which made me happy. USA’s Burn Notice was highly entertaining this summer, and one of those rare shows that James will watch with me. Rescue Me was mostly disappointing this season–the plot has gotten confusing and weird. Funny enough, I’ve spent the last couple weeks watching Battlestar Galactica on the advice of my sister, Charissa, Tori, and Whitney Mattheson from Pop Candy. This show is totally awesome! I’m almost finished with Season 2.5, and I’m going to have to wait patiently as my DVR fills with repeats from Season 3. Season 4 won’t be starting until January, so I hope to be all caught up by then. If you’re at all into this genre, definitely check out this series!
Hooray for unassisted sleep!
September 9, 2007 at 7:13 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: biking, television, yoga
I did a lot more than sleep this weekend, but sometimes it’s the small accomplishments that make you happy. And tired. Saturday I decided to attend two yoga sessions–one Hatha Flow and one Restorative, so a nice mix of challenge and relaxation. For dinner we fried up some okra (probably the last of the season, boo hoo) and grilled some incredible hamburgers made from the beef my dad bought from the Amish. And by 10 PM it was lights out for me, no need for sleep aids. Surprisingly, I didn’t notice much pain, which is the whole reason I can’t sleep in the first place. I’m hoping for a repeat of that tonight–though, I’m not going to count on it. Today dad came over and we did a 22-mile bike ride down the trail from my house all the way to Roe and back. We made a delightful discovery–the Indian Creek trail now hooks up to the Westport Trolley trail at State Line. We’ve decided next weekend we’re going to drive the bikes over to Roe and ride East from there. See where that takes us. Anyway, you’d think after that I’d sleep like a baby, but James, Travis and I decided to go to Thai Place for dinner, and I couldn’t resist ordering the sweet sticky rice with coconut custard for dessert. And, man oh man, was that delicious!! So worth it…course, I may not say that at bedtime 
One of our yoga instructors just opened a massage therapy place on Antioch and 110th in OP, called Wellness Works. James, Travis and I checked it out this afternoon during her open house–she had free paraffin waxes, healthy snacks, and chair massages. After my marathon bike-ride, I thought that’d do the trick to work the kinks out, but unfortunately there was quite a line, and the massages didn’t last very long. Her rates weren’t too bad, so we’re thinking of trying it out sometime. We’re also signed up for cheaper table massages at the BMSI Institute in October. Figure we’ll do a comparison–after all the hotel massages James got in Cairo and Africa, he’s the expert, heh.
Tonight I’m gonna geek out to season one of Battlestar Galactica. Heard a lot about this show from several people, and now I’m hooked. Starbuck rules!
Labor Day Gumbo
September 3, 2007 at 7:21 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: biking, cooking, family
Glad I wore my elastic pants today. James and I decided to make some Labor Day Seafood Gumbo, and I think I’ve eaten myself into incapacitation. We made so much, I suspect we’ll be eating it every day for a week. I can’t wait.
In fact, we’ve eaten very well this weekend–steaks and asparagus on the grill Saturday, and pork chops with summer veggies on the grill Sunday. Money well-spent on that grill. And I had a very heavy and very delicious meal at Carmen’s Cafe in Brookside with my aunt and uncle from Chicago. I had the Steak Oscar, and out of the handful of times I’ve eaten at Carmen’s, I think this was my best meal. Which says a lot, because I’ve always had a good meal there.
To make up for all this heavy eating, I went on a bike ride with my dad on Sunday. We biked along the Little Blue River in Independence–a trail we last biked together over 3 years ago. I bought him a new bike seat (kind of an early birthday present), and his rear end was much obliged We probably only went 10 miles round trip, but the heat was really getting to me and I ran out of water, so I’m glad we turned back when we did. I’m hoping we can go on another bike outing in a couple of weeks.
September is already here, and my niece remains stubbornly in my sister’s belly. Jill had some labor pains on Friday, but it turned out to be a false alarm. The whole family was waiting by the phone all weekend, but no word. I guess there’s a still a chance she’ll be born on James’s birthday, which is this Friday, but I have a feeling she’ll come sooner than that. She’s technically due on the 11th, but as uncomfortably big as Jill has gotten, I hope she’s born early.
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