Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Muddy Tuesday

Like Stine, my bikey thoughts right now are preoccupied with spring and summer. My commute is just a steaming pile of a piece of shit right now which is only *just* better than riding the over-crowded bus.

My spring quarter schedule is taking shape and there's this outside chance, and it's pretty far outside -- that I could have no classes Tues/Thurs. If that comes to pass, I will still go out to Cheney on Tues/Thurs, but I could take the long way.

In the second best scenario, I won't have to be out there until 10 AM or so, which would allow me to ride round trip on Tuesday/Thursdays.

In both cases, I'm picturing myself taking a route out to Cheney that starts by dropping into the HD trails at 25th, hooking into the trail version of the White Road climb, and then peeling south at the final climb -- so instead of going to the top of White, you pop out at Viewmont, to hook into Cedar.

Once the days get long, a guy could come home by jumping on the FLT and then peeling east at Scribner to take on the business half of Joe's Loop.

Spring break is coming up. My spring break does not line up with Maddie's, which is not ideal, because it would've been fun to attempt our first Joad trip. (Joad refers to the camping hack that we are applying to Liza's old Toyota pick up -- essentially: making a covered wagon sort of deal on it). But since she'll be in school, this leaves me a week to go do something. Whatever that something is will involve mountain biking. And it will likely involve some Joading on the west side of the state.

Then there's summer. The cornerstone of my new life as a student/teacher--then teacher --  is to take advantage of a profession that allows a three month break once a year. That is the main point. It's clearly not the money. Maddie and I are planning some adventures this summer: we've got river, sailboats, ocean, Joad camping. I'm trying not to nail down super solid plans so we can be flexible to hook into family and friend's fixed schedules, but we're wide open. And that's taking up some space in my mind during these cold shit wet muddy ice crap days of limited riding.

4 comments:

Tarik Saleh said...

http://lloydkahn-ongoing.blogspot.com/2013/01/jay-nelsons-latest-creations.html

There is a nice joad pickup for you.

John Speare said...

whoa. that's chez joad. super high-zoot. My Joad design -- well, I should say "our" since Pat and Glen came up with it in like 3 seconds after I explained my requirements and limitations, but they may not want to be associated with the results -- starts with a lumber/ladder rack for a pickup. We'll attach some hoops to that, build up a light platform to in the bed that will serve as a sleeping place, table, and gear storage place, then toss a piece of waxed canvas over the top to make a shelter. I expect we'll look pretty homeless.

Stine said...

Joads. Yes.

I will be riding to SFCC come Spring. M-F, but I'm hoping to work some long routes in -- the CT, Riverside, and inevitable libations on the bike patio at DB's place...

rory said...

http://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/3450963648.html

Because westys are sweet...