Today in Training: .85 miles: mildly concussed.

Woohoo! New helmet day!

Took me a while to get up and going this morning (and bizarrely the cat was acting all affectionate like he didn't want me to leave) but I was determined to use this day off to get some miles in. But a few horrible Irish tourists walking in the bike lane had other plans for me. Despite it being a clearly marked bike lane, these 2 do as NY tourist do and ignore all signs and continued strolling. All it took was clipping the woman's arm and I was down for the count. (You do not get 500 points for winging a tourist, instead you get road rash on your hip, a chunk of meat out of your elbow and a mild concussion. Oh and a chunk of foam out of your helmet.) Thank you to the kind stranger who stopped and held my hand and attempted to get the police officer to summon medical help—I don't think I really needed it, but was willing to be safe rather than sorry, but I'm pretty sure that medical help still hasn't shown up. My PSA for the day is ALWAYS wear your helmet... this was slow speed on an uncrowded bike path and now I'm going to (fortunately) be spending the rest of the day not on the bike and not in the hospital.

Not pictured, my smashed to shit Blackberry screen and wounded pride.

T-Minus: 33 days

Fundraising to go: $455
Total training miles ridden: 1320.54
Total books read since started: 28

Today in Training: Wormtown Tour

I want it known, I had nothing to do with the missing half of this sign.

Had another day to kill in the 'Burn/The Woo, so I did as much of a tour of the Paris of the 80s as I could without hitting one of those famous 7 Hills of Worcester. (which is not easy, let me tell you)

Pride o' the Woo: Miss Worcester diner

T-Minus: 66 days

Fundraising to go: $1215
Total training miles ridden: 909.85
Total books read since started: 25 (Read quite possibly the worst book I've ever read before. Click here to find out what I thought of Miranda Beverly-Whittemore's "Bittersweet")

Today in Training: Working out the kinks

mmmm strawberries...

Looks like I've got another batch of metatarsalgia in my foot which for those of you without WebMD, means it's a big ball of nerves that feels like you're stepping on a marble...every time you take a step. The good news is that it doesn't hurt so much when I'm riding, the bad news is the only way it clears up is if I stop riding for a few days. This is the 2nd batch I've had in a month or so, but I'm noticing the pattern that it happens when I'm in a string of days when I'm riding in sneakers (and not hard soled bike shoes). Gonna have to solve this one soon or else it's gonna be a long painful summer.

Not wanting to overdo it, I stuck to my new favorite loop: Gray->New Gloucester via Mayall Rd which takes you by one of the farms Pineland Farms uses for their produce (they also have pick-your-own strawberries and if you stop and stand on the bridge the air smells like Strawberry Shortcake ...mmmm) It's a nice easy 12 mile loop—FLAT! which I need every once in a while.

T-Minus: 71 days

Fundraising to go: $1215
Total training miles ridden: 862.35
Total books read since started: 23 (finished Walker Percy's "The Moviegoer" today. Didn't love.)

Today in Training: still hot, still too lazy to ride outside

Oh good, 27.56 miles to go.

Another gorgeous 80º+  day, another day when I'm too lazy to saddle up and hit the backroads for my mileage. But I'm still at the gym, pushing pushing pushing to get myself...somewhere.
On the plus side, I FINALLY finished John Irving's "A Prayer for Owen Meany" which I started when I began this training madness (at 640 pages PAPERBACK...  I read on that tiny little iPod that's featured in the photo, well let's just say that's a shitton of swiping.




Picked the Cannondale up at Rainbow today and I should give it a whirl but I'd so just rather be on the dock with a beer. It's 5 o'clock somewhere... thank god it's here.

T-Minus: 72 days

Fundraising to go: $1215
Total training miles ridden: 850.15
Total books read since started: 22

Today In Training: It's too damn hot to be outside.

Okay, it's not *that* hot, but hopefully it won't be 85º with 75% humidity in September when I'm doing this ride. But then again climate-wise all bets are off so I guess I should be preparing for the worst. Instead I opted for another indoor ride while the bike I'm going to be riding for the summer (the trusty old Cannondale) was being tuned up. (turns out, you actually need to service the chain every once in awhile. Duly noted.) It also meant taking my Speedplay pedals off the bike I've been using for training (the perfunctory Marin) but not re-attaching them to the Cannondale, because I can't imagine riding in NYC clipped in. I was really hoping Speedplay was going to come through with the pedal covers I ordered 3 months ago, but alas, they seem eternally on back order.) It means that I can either ride my bike outside and inside with standard pedals or I can can ride it only indoors with the Speedplays. (or I can get a hernia every time I try change the pedals out.) So we'll see.

Been a week of limited training, with the holiday and the heat, but I managed an indoor 30 miles today. Long way to go...but rewarding myself with a Fluffernutter and a dip in the lake. Ahhhhh.....

T-Minus: 73 days

Fundraising to go: $1215 (The see me rollin', they hatin'!)
Total training miles ridden: 820.15
Total books read since started: 21

 

The Simplicity Connection's Top Ten Tips for Simplifying the Holidays

1.   Set limits. Be it monetary, culinary or time management, before the season gets into full swing decide how much you’re willing to put up with (and how much is really worth it!)

2.   Stop. Take some time for yourself and just be without worrying about the societal pressures of the season.

3.   Mute the TV. How many times can you hear “Every kiss begins with Kay” before losing your mind? (for me it was 2.) Why not just remove torturous jingles from the equation?

4.   Reconnect with the joy of handmade. It really is the thought that counts in this season but buying something just to cross a name off your list usually ends up with the giver overspending and the givee politely pretending they really don’t hate it. With a little bit of time and research everyone can find a creative gift project. (Start with the list on p. 76 of The Simplicity Connection!)

5.   Be practical (with gift giving). A book of stamps or a gift certificate to the vet may not be the sexiest gifts, but you know they’re more likely to be used (and appreciated) in the long run and not end up in the junk drawer with the 1990s Furby, the pogs and the Tamagotchi pets.

6.   Order online. If you still want to give capitalism a boost, reconsider the trip to the mall and let your fingers do the walking and ordering. Why truck it to a store, just so you can truck it home? If you can, choose ground shipping instead of air shipping: it’s 6 times more fuel-efficient.

7.   Cut calories. How many years in a row is your New Year’s resolution going to be “lose the 15 pounds I put on over the holidays?” This year, before the trays of food go out on the table, consider donating part of your meal to someone who needs the calories more than you do.

8.   Try the $100 holiday. Consider putting a cap on the amount everyone spends. (That’s not $100 a piece, that’s $100 total!) Read Bill McKibben’s Hundred Dollar Holiday for tips and inspiration on how to make it happen.

9.   Cut the waste. A quarter of American trash is generated between Thanksgiving and New Years’ Day. Why not use reusable gift boxes, bags and wrapping instead of 1-time use paper that heads straight to the landfill :30 after unwrapping?

10.   Rent a living tree. Why not try the ultimate in tree-recycling by not even cutting it down in the first place.

If everyone grabbed a bucket...

 I’ve been reading a book about World War II lately (“December 1941: 31 Days that Changed America and Saved the World by Craig Shirley) and it’s interesting to compare the 1940s mentality of disaster with today’s. In the 40s, Americans were told to ration items (gas, sugar, steel, panty hose…) in order to support the war effort. They were told to participate in black out drills so the enemy couldn’t discern targets (like, what? The Johnson’s lawn jockey? But I digress…). They were told to carpool, plant victory gardens, to ‘use it up, make it do or do without’. They raced to get to recruitment centers and were upset when they were deemed unfit for service because they were too old or too married. These were the hardships of the 40s, but the thing is, Americans did them all. And willingly. Its an interesting comparison to today, where we have all these luxuries that we take for granted and no one asks us to cut back or go without (Could you imagine George W. Bush asking Americans to cut back on sugar after 9/11? LOLOLOLROFLROFLROFL…sorry, I lost the plot there for a minute…I’m back). I just wonder how many Americans will take a moment this week and say ‘no latte for me today, I’m making a donation to the Red Cross instead.’ If everyone grabbed a bucket, the water would be gone from the flood zone. (pick any flood zone you want, it doesn’t have to be the one Sandy caused, because there will be another flood next year. In Iowa, in Nashville, in New Orleans, in Manila…somewhere.) And I can guarantee you that pick 2 flood victims and the one with the more simplified life is coping a lot better than the one who can’t charge their iPhone to play Angry Birds or order take out or watch Netflix.

APATHY IS NOT AN OPTION!

I’ve had a few days to think over the Bill McKibben lecture last week. I wondered what I was going to say that hasn’t been said before, what was I going to take away from this experience that I didn’t already know. McKibben preached to the choir for about 2 hours on Friday night (it’s fair to assume James Inhofe wasn’t in the audience…[sidebar: why does “McKibben show up as being spelled incorrectly in Microsoft Word, but “Inhofe” does not?]) I mean I’m egotistical enough to think if everyone in America lived as I do, we wouldn’t have a problem with climate change. What else can I possibly do to make a difference? As someone who literally got hit over the head by global warming (and yes, I mean literally) I nodded appreciatively when McKibben talked about how Vermont, one of the greenest states (it’s right there in the name, people!) was devastated by rains and flooding from last year’s Hurricane Irene, and how there should be a whole lot more believers out there now. Is that what it’s going to take? A personalized hurricane for every James Inhofe out there? Frustrated at dire statistics and feeling like all I do is just to offset someone else’s emissions, I tried to dig deeper into this lecture and find the kernel that was going to move me from my own apathy into a new level of activism.

And then it dawned on me: McKibben, (who has been a hero of mine since seeing a Dateline interview with him in the 90s about Curitiba Brazil and his book Hope, Human and Wild—a catalyst that made me want to be a writer and an activist) is not by nature an outgoing person. He’s a writer, a college professor, he lives in a small town in Vermont, but by his passion for getting people to believe and act on climate change, he has become a powerful advocate and activist. And that’s what I need to do, what we all need to do. We need to set aside our apathy and move from our comfort zones. We need to stop saying it’s not going to get better—because it WILL NOT get better unless we do something about it and do it now. I see a glimmer of hope with the small but major activism victories of the last year: Occupy Wallstreeters braving winter, stopping SOPA, the President not caving to pressure to green light the Keystone XL pipeline. These are small victories, but they should be celebrated. They should be seen as momentum.

So McKibben’s next action with his grassroots organization 350.org, is to blow the whistle on Congress and the amount of money they receive from the petroleum industry. A good percentage of Americans do believe in climate change but feel powerless to do something about it because the people in charge of legislation are caught in a cycle of too much money. So January 24, 350.org is heading to Washington DC to call out the Senators and Representatives and how much each of them are receiving from Big Oil. And from here on out, I am going to make it my personal mission to get 500 people to join 350.org. And maybe those 500 won’t march in Washington the first week or call their Congressman but maybe they’ll sign an online petition and maybe they’ll think twice about driving somewhere they could easily walk to. And maybe they’ll look closer at their elected official and maybe, just maybe we can keep the momentum of change going. If you've made it to the end of this blog post and it led you to 350.org, let me know and I'll add you to my tally. Even better, pass it on and let's go viral. We're going to start slow, but I'm not going to rest until I hit 500 converts.

Water, Water, (redux)

I often get a lot of flak for not having a toilet tank at my house in Maine. Last year the water in it froze and it cracked the porcelain. The bowl remained intact, but the tank was unsalvageable. So thinking I was lucky that I had a toilet that was 2 pieces and it was a popular and prolific brand (American Standard), I figured finding a replacement for the tank wouldn’t be too difficult to do. But alas, despite web searches and even calling American Standard, they were unable to match up the model numbers on my toilet to anything in their system. So it’s been a year of me having to manually flush my toilet (for those of you squeamish out there: it’s called fill up a bucket, dump it into the bowl quickly, gravity does the rest. I think this is a skill that everyone should have in their back pocket, it will make losing power for those with electric water pumps slightly less obnoxious).

But it seems like the more crap (no pun intended) I get from friends and family, the less I want to actually have this issue fixed. It’s not a hassle for me personally, and well it is my house, right? But there are other reasons: it’s a silent protest against products created to have interchangeable parts, but when one of those parts is impossible to find, it defeats the purpose of having interchangeable parts.

And what I feel is most important, that filling that bucket of water every time is a conscious reminder of the fact that 3 BILLION people on this planet don’t have clean or safe drinking water. I pause and say a little thank you for what I have. I take a moment and remind myself to not take for granted the water that comes out of the tap….that I don’t have to walk 3 miles to get that gallon of water….that wars are not fought so I can drink it…that I don’t have to boil it to make it clean.

DO 1 THING FOR THE PLANET, TODAY.

I love lists. I've been feeling a little depressed lately that I'm not making a difference in the world, even though I feel that I do more than the average person to help the planet. I know that the hardest part of making a difference is getting (and keeping) the motivation to make a change and that's where this year's motto comes in.

Just do ONE thing for the planet today.

Because if everyone could just do one thing from this list every day, a major shift would occur. I tried to make the list as contagious as possible, little steps that are easy and painless to accomplish, and hopefully the little success of little steps will be encouraging enough for people to seek out bigger changes. I also left off the big stuff like slapping solar panels up on your roof and giving up your car permanently because if you're at that step already, you don't need me telling you to recycle your aluminum cans. But on the contrary, I tried to keep this list as a reminder to everyone-from the person who's never heard an organic apple to the person who actually grows the organic apples-that everyone can make a difference, it just takes a spark.

(This is just the tip of the iceberg to start with, just 100 quick tips jotted down in a fit of caffeine today. There will be more. Oh, will there ever be more!)

1. Say 'no' to plastic today.
2. Eat vegetarian instead today.
3. Use a bucket to collect your shower water to flush the toilet.
4. Take the bus to work or errands today.
5. Switch to cloth napkins instead of paper.
6. Eat something organic today.
7. Donate old books gathering dust to a library, school or Good Will.
8. Say 'no' to chemicals today.
9. Donate to a local charity today.
10.
11. Rake instead of leaf-blowing or shovel instead of snow-blowing.
12. Plant a tree today.
13. Walk to do your errands today.
14. Choose sustainable fabrics instead today.
15. Call and opt out of catalogues you don't want.
16. Call and have your address removed from database of junk mail circulars.
17. Take your name off the yellow pages delivery.
18. Switch your print settings to use less toner and ink.
19. Properly recycle old batteries.
20. Skip the clothes dryer and hang clothes outdoors in the sun or indoors on hangers on your door frames.
21. Pick up trash in your neighborhood.
22. Use the back side of scrap paper in your printer.
23. Skip the carwash for the month.
24. If you have to buy, buy for durability.
25. Plug your electronics into a power strip that you can shut off before you go to bed each night.
26. Read an environmentally themed book instead of watching a TV show.
27. Sweep instead of vacuuming.
28. Set your print settings to print 2 or 4 pages to a single page.
29. Reuse glass jars for food storage instead of buying plastic baggies or containers.
30. Visit Terracycle.com for ideas on recycling items you might not have considered.
31. Investigate investing in socially responsible investments.
32. Consider buying used instead of new.
33. Stick a few reusable shopping bags in your trunk or purse so you won't forget them next time you need them.
34. Bring a set of silverware and flatware to the office to replace single use plastic versions.
35. Create rags from old t-shirts to use instead of paper towels.
36. Visit the Salvation Army instead of the mall.
37. Find the people who nurture your spirit and support your dreams.
38. Gift a gift of time or service instead of a material possession.
39. Take a hike outdoors instead of being cooped up at the gym for a few hours.
40. Find the beauty in your public surroundings.
41. Opt for the natural fiber rather than ones made with petrochemicals.
42. Skip a shower for the day; a day of dirty won't offend too much.
43. Switch any remaining incandescent light bulbs to CFLs.
44. Borrow a tool from a friend or neighbor rather than purchasing a new one.
45. Print your documents double-sided.
46. Run a load of laundry without using soap. Chances are if you're washing at the Laundromat, there is plenty of soap already in the machine from the previous wash.
47. Donate old working electronics to those who may need them.
48. Say 'no' to genetically modified ingredients.
49. Too cold? Add a layer of clothing before turning on the heat.
50. Too hot? Remove a layer of clothing before turning on the AC!
51. Leave the computer and cell phone off and go have a conversation, in person, with an old friend!
52. Keep your immune system healthy by taking acidophilus.
53. Reuse plastic silverware at least twice before throwing away.
54. Think twice about whether you actually need to print something out.
55. Take a stand for something you truly believe in.
56. Don't allow yourself to buy something just to solve a problem.
57. Adopt a local area or stretch or road and take care of it.
58. Donate old eyeglasses to Lion's Clubs.
59. Think of mindfulness with all your decisions today.
60. Carry 'waiting to warm up' buckets of shower water to water your plants.
61. Skip the soda for today and have water instead.
62. Ask yourself, 'do I really need this'?
63. Read by candlelight tonight instead of watching TV.
64. Unplug the hairdryer for the day.
65. If you're not composting on your own yet, give your organic waste (fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, egg shells) to someone who is.
66. Buy in bulk.
67. Fix leaky faucets and toilets sooner rather than later.
68. Skip the chips and have a piece of organic fruit instead.
69. Bring your reusable mug to work (or Starbucks!) for your coffee or tea.
70. Leave everything a little neater than you found it.
71. Choose the version of a product packaged in glass over the one packaged in plastic.
72. Do something for someone, "just because."
73. Choose organically grown flowers.
74. Gather all your hazardous waste products for proper disposal.
75. Opt out of deodorant for a day, even a little sweating helps rid the body of toxins.
76. Freecycle things you don't use or need any longer to give them a second chance to those who may need them.
77. Read up on an issue that is near and dear to your heart. Make a decision to actively do something about it today.
78. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
79. Look for a little stress relief today.
80. Say 'no' to greed today.
81. Offset your yearly travel at terrapass.com or myclimate.org.
82. Maximize the daylight. Open the shades on a sunny day and leave the lights off.
83. Support handmade artisans!
84. Take a closer look at the ingredients of what you're eating today.
85. Listen with an open mind today.
86. Before buying something you don't really need, take 24 hours and sleep on it.
87. Before you pop a pain reliever, try a glass of water, a quick walk or a bit of acupressure.
88. Buy refillable products such as razor blades and cleaners.
89. Patronize local businesses to keep money in your community.
90. Skip the make up, perfume or cologne today, give your senses a chance to recharge.
91. Think twice about buying new jewelry and instead consider heirloom pieces.
92. Resist the urge to procrastinate!
93. Introduce a few houseplants into your home to help freshen and clean the air.
94. Call your credit card company and ask to be removed from their marketing list.
95. Say 'no' to water in plastic bottles. Always carry your own refillable glass or aluminum bottle with you.
96. Try a holiday free of 'store bought' presents.
97. Choose fair trade chocolate.
98. Say 'no' to free samples, boredom purchases and souvenirs today.
99. Clean out your closets and donate old clothes, shoes and accessories.
100. Forgive and forget.

1,000 Mile Summer

So in lieu of attending the big cross country rally “Hands Across the Sand” yesterday to protest offshore oil drilling (to attend I would have had to drive approximately 60 miles round trip to stand at the beach for an hour), I decided to continue with my trying not to use my car and did all my errands by bike again. Still on that same tank of gas from May 17^th, though the ‘low fuel’ light is starting to pop on and off. (Great thing about a hybrid is that light can go on and off for 20-30 miles depending on your current gas mileage). But a new realization came to me while I was riding yesterday, that I am now officially addicted to not driving my car. The more I ride my bike, the more I want to ride my bike. I had one of the best rides yesterday and I am realizing that I can do pretty much all my errands using my bike or my feet. I can go to the library (I remember once carrying 10 books home in my CamelBack). I’ve carried a 6 pack of beer and a bag of chips home in that bag too (separate occasion, of course). And this week I rode my bike to work 4 days out of 5 with my brand new computer strapped to my back. It can be done! So during yesterday’s errands (pharmacy, bank, grocery store, 2 libraries) I devised a little challenge for myself: I am naming this the “1,000 mile Summer” to see if I can ride my bike at least 1,000 miles this summer. Including what I’ve ridden this month so far, I’m up to 96, but there are at least 10 weeks to go. The big challenge is that while I would ride my bike to work every day if I could, I have a job with hours that wildly fluctuate (sometimes I’m in as early as 7am, and out as late as midnight, sometimes 6 and 7 days a week), and the summer temps in LA get up over 90º. But that’s why they call it a challenge.