Well it looks like I'm going to make my goal, but only with dramatic drama. I went out on a ride yesterday and later in the afternoon, as I was changing the oil in the Mighty Corolla, I looked across the floor of the garage from under my car and saw that my front tire was totally flat.
Apparently riding through puddles and sandy grime of roadsides sometimes causes flats.
So my bike is now in the basement on my homemade stand awaiting front tire repair. I hope to get to it this evening or tomorrow night.
As I look at the calendar, there are 7 work days left for me this year, and 13 non-work days for bike riding. In a perfect world, I'd be out there riding for 2/3 of those days for 90 minutes or more. But in this world, each ride may end up being a tiny battle of wits between me and my lovely wife.
As we drove to an appointment together yesterday, I mentioned how I needed to change the oil in the Corolla that afternoon, before taking the girls to an event that evening. My wife asked why I didn't change the oil that morning instead of riding my bike. I explained again that I'm THIS CLOSE -----><----- to meeting my goal of riding my bike for more time than I spend commuting to and from work in the car, and that every day counts.
And again she responded in tired frustration. I'm sure she'd rather me be so persistent in other "more important things," such as balancing the checkbook or paying the bills or planning dinners and grocery trips and such.
So I anticipate that my bike rides from here on out will be met with sour antipathy (disclosure: I'm not entirely sure what "antipathy" means, but suspect it fits in this context).
To add to the stress, it's the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, which means I should NOT be riding my bicycle but instead should be squeezing the most out of every moment to spend quality time with the children who are going to be on Christmas break for most of the same days I'll be taking off.
The fact that my plans involve going on my bike rides in the mornings and leaving the house while everyone else is sleeping and returning while some are still in bed and the others are slowly waking up. Those morning hours apparently are the most critical times to spend in harmonious family love and bonding. How selfish of me to go out at dawn in the near-freezing temperatures while the family sleeps!
But you know, even in the early cold hours, riding the bike is fun and I totally enjoy it. I like the challenge of dressing warmly enough so as to not be too hot after I warm up, but not so cold such that my toes go numb. I enjoy the steaming head of sweaty hair when I am done. I like being out in the mornings when car traffic is light. I enjoy the solitude and peace of pedaling in rhythm.
I will ride and not feel guilt. I will be successful in my efforts this year.
And I will probably be the only person who cares, and that's okay, too.
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