Christina Perri - A Thousand Years

Saddle, Squirrel, Club and Bike

Today I was supposed to do an epic 43miles ride in the mountains. But there was 'severe' weather warning stating that there is snow above 4500ft. I'm scared of slipping by just walking on ice, let alone cycling on ice. So I went to Rose Bowl (again) instead. I'm not very happy about it but given my track record, I may have avoided another accident.

I've been gradually raising my saddle, and now it has come to the point where I'm leaning forward so much that the most sensitive part is hurting. It's true that the saddle is now level, so I think it might help if I point the nose slightly downwards. This is so unfair. Men have greater physical strength and stamina than women, they don't have annoying periods, don't need to go through painful child birth and now, even cycling doesn't hurt as much for them! In the olden days, men are the bread winner and had to hunt food and be hunted. But now they no longer need to risk their lives to support their family. And with machinery to do most of the labor, with raise in jobs which only involve mental work, women are equally capable in the outside world as men. Yet, it's unfortunate that the physical inequalities defined by nature remain.

As I was cycling, I saw a squirrel who was crossing the road as me and a car were approaching. It stopped in the middle of the road upon seeing or hearing the car and was debating whether to turn back or finish the crossing. The car saw it and slowed down, the front tire avoided it but the rear tire run it over with the squirrel flying a feet or so into the air - it died instantly. With a snap of a finger, a life is gone. If the squirrel had not decided to cross the road, if the car did not come, if the car did not slow down, then it may have lived. Such are the unpredictable consequences of the conscious and subconscious choices we make in life.

I was also invited to join a cycling club (which was free to join). I actually enjoy cycling by myself now, going at my own pace and choosing to talk to or not talk to other cyclists. If I'm to join a club then I have to talk to everyone. One thing that I'm not fond about America is the general low standard of sense of humor. People laugh at the most trivial thing and they also try hard to be funny. I find this to be quite contrived and it's tiring to fake smiles in order to be polite. I'd much prefer to talk to someone who is classified as boring than to someone who is a try hard. Yet them trying to get me join their club reminds me of when I was super excited in organizing rides myself (but without much success). So I'll probably join this club for some of their Rose Bowl rides after I get back from my holiday.

I finally convinced my mum to let me rent a bike instead of buying one during my time home. If I was to buy a bike, I will also need to get pedals, pumps and maintain it. I only go home about 2 weeks per year so the rest of the year it would be sitting there collecting dust. As well, a year later after I graduate, I'd have money to buy a better bike. Then I'd have in total 3 bikes, 2 with me and 1 at home - this would be quite wasteful and unnecessary. For some reason, my mum has assumed that I'd be just cycling around the neighborhood instead of going to further places, and even so she is going to buy my little brother a mountain bike and has assigned him to protect me when I go out cycling. I couldn't help but lol when I heard this plan but it's very sweet and flattering at the same time :)

Pressure, Ego and Holiday Spirits

I'm a little embarrassed to report that for the past couple of weeks, I've only been to Rose Bowl. And even more so since I've been driving instead of cycling there. The reasons being I'm getting a little lazy in the cold weather as well as the fact that I want to avoid cycling on the road since I want to live till my golden years (still in the bronze stage).

Anyway, I changed my saddle to my new Selle Italia one. At 240g, it's so much lighter and is slim and sleek - aka pro looking. Initially I set the nose pointed too high. Hence it was pretty uncomfortable, or shall I say very uncomfortable. Yesterday I made it level and went for a ride at Rose Bowl. It was much better phew...but I can still feel the pressure. I will play with it a bit more. It would be a shame if the saddle that has saved thousands of women cannot fully save me :(

As I was cycling, 2 cyclists turned into the Bowl and rode to my left. Then a car came and they squeezed in front of me. I was quite annoyed at them for cutting me off and for assuming that I'd be slower than them. I could have told them off, but actions speak louder than words. So I simply effortlessly overtook them, leaving them behind eating my dust :)

It's quite funny when cyclists overtake me and then couldn't keep up with the speed. So I end up slowing down and tailgating them feeling bad to overtake knowing that their ego would be bruised. But most often they are at their optimum pace already, so I had to overtake. And of course, a couple of times they had to prove a point by overtaking me again before quickly leaving the Bowl exhausted - so stupid. I'm thinking that if I'm averaging 20mph now, then I'd be about 25mph if I'm drafting (very rough uneducated guess). Hence, before soon I could join the peloton at Rose Bowl....:D I think that'd at least a year from now.

I'm looking forward to going back home and giving out presents. I'll wrap them up before my flight since I arrive on Christmas day. The wrapping would most likely be battered by the time I arrive but then again, they are all the way from the other side of the world! I love the holiday season and I'm high on holiday spirits now - perhaps more so than I have ever been.