Sunday, December 11, 2011

What to do

It's officially that time of year. The time when I find myself desperately searching for something to do. The short days seem to trigger a desire to do stuff besides watch tv. Not that I have anything against tv, and I watch it often, but when I sit in front of the tube lately I think about all that conditioning from a spring, summer, and fall of riding leaking away.

I don't have a bike trainer, but I did put in a request to Santa for an inexpensive one. I had a trainer in my triathlon days, 25 years ago, and I've almost forgotten the misery those things induce.

I brought in a box off the porch the other day from Bike Nashbar, but it had Alex's name on it. What on earth is she buying now?

For exercise, I've got disc golf on Saturdays, which is great. And I still bike commute occasionally to my new office but it takes maybe 15 minutes one-way, if I ride slowly. But during the evenings when it gets dark, I get rammy when we're done with supper and it's only 6:30, but feels like 10:30pm. This morning, I picked up this brochure at the hardware store, and it re-kindled my desire to make something.


The last time I carved, I ended up with this:


That was back in my duck-hunting days. I was going to carve a whole raft of ducks, but that's the only one I completed. It took a little longer to carve than I thought it would (by a factor of 10).

Anyway, we'll see what develops. It's all a mystery to me.

Happy riding!

15 comments:

TrevorW�� said...

I hope that Santa brings you that trainer.....
I know it's nowhere close to the enjoyment you can get riding the bike- but during the bad weather it can go quite some way in helping you maintain your fitness and target your training in specific areas.

-Trevor

Anonymous said...

A good winter thing to do.

limom said...

Nice duck!

You know we have openings in the I Think I Can Build a Bicycle Club(ITICBABC).
If you can make a duck, you can make a bicycle.

Apertome said...

Carving seems like it could be a fun hobby.

You know, you *can* ride in the evenings, even though it's dark. I seem to remember that you have a pretty good headlight. This is not to say that I'm going out and night riding right now, but I've done it in the past. Night riding can be fun, even, though it's a bummer if that's all you have time to do.

Big Oak said...

Trevor - me too!

Dan - yes it is, if I decide to do it!

limom - Ha! I got lucky on the duck. I'm sure a bike isn't going to happen. Nice try!

Michael - I know - but just something about a long ride in the dark, in the cold...not quite like a long ride at night in the summer.

John Romeo Alpha said...

I'm picturing a duck-shaped bike. That's probably just me, though.

jeff said...

I got a short ride in today, temps in the low 40's. Sure beats the trainer, but I'm committed to that when I can't get outside.

Steve A said...

How many ducks are there in a raft?

rlove2bike said...

Maybe the reason the duck took longer than you expected...you were making sure you did a good job, and you did.

Good luck with the trainer.

Wilson said...

Maybe try rollers? I find them more enjoyable.

Big Oak said...

Steve - I dunno, and everyone I ask doesn't seem to know either. But it's way more than one!

rlove2bike - thanks!

Wilson - I've tried a friend's rollers a couple of times. I don't have the concentration to stay on them for long.

Jon said...

I've experienced some pretty spectacular crashes while riding rollers. They do not allow many lapses of concentration, for sure.

Steve A said...

"I dunno"

So you have YEARS to fill with duck carving. Makes me glad I have NO CLUE about duck carving. If you run out your own ducks to carve, carve some for me and donate them to the worthy cause of your choice. Or go out for a cold bike ride and tell us all some sweet lie!

Big Oak said...

Jon - yea, that's for sure!

Steve - good point, however, my interests tend to jump around from year to year.

GreenComotion said...

Bill,
Good job on the duck! Looks really nice!!

Paz :)