Well.
I posted what, one post in the last resurrection? Disappointing. Part of it is time management; I'm actually quite bad at it, and get distracted and redirected easily. The other is that the first iteration of the blog took place at a time when calligraphy was effectively my only creative outlet.
Since then, I'd moved to London, and expanded my creative and energetic pursuits. I got reinvolved in kendo, started practicing scale modelling, danced the tango for a bit, hit balls at a batting cage for a year, and started seeing someone. All of these do exact a certain toll on blogging opportunities. None with regret, though, let's be honest. I wouldn't exchange any of those to go back to blogging on a regular basis. I just have to be more productive with my dawdle-in-front-of-the-computer time, instead of watching baseball and hockey highlight compilations (although, nothing wrong with those in and of themselves).
And with all those pursuits, calligraphy time hasn't been all that available--especially with projects being larger scale than the small cards I used to make. So the scope of the blog needs to expand if it is to live. Calligraphy and modelling summaries and WIP (works-in-progess) notes, the occasional kendo-related post...
But wait--wasn't this post titles 'Cyclist's notes'? So why wasn't it mentionned in the just listed pursuits?
Cycling has sort of been up-and-down in the list of interests. When I was in Hungary in 2011 on a scouts' trip, we'd taken a week to tour 300 km. That was tremendously enjoyable, discovering a bit of the country like that, and meeting one of my favourite friends. Prior to that, biking was something that I'd only done to bike around the block for a few laps, or to school and back. But that week-long cyclotour was a revelation--that was a cycling bug I wouldn't mind being bit by! There had been talk of replicating a trip from Ottawa to Montreal with some friends, but it didn't pan out, life being what it is. And my only bike was a city cruiser-type. Hardly suitable for long-distance travel; awkward positioning if I want to pedal standing up, and with only 6 gears, not really conducive to hill-climbing. Then, in 2016, a second bike had been bought, one better suited to cyclotouring, along with the idea that a ride would be made from London to Toronto by way of Hamilton. Things happened, and the trip never happened.
But the idea of biking to Burlington became a perennial summer project. And so far hasn't happened, for a number of life event-related reasons. In 2018, the idea had been curtailed to bike to Port Stanley, a two-hour, 40 km trip. Even that was abandoned, as it was interrupted by the purchase of a house.
This year, though, Burlington might actually be feasible. And I'm approaching it with each ride being a checklist of small cycling targets, not all distance related.
Biking in sunny, yet cool (read: 10C, feels like 7C) weather? Check.
Cycling incrementally longer distances? Check--last ride was 26 km. Next one will be 30 km.
Biking in inclement weather? Next on the list.
Using pedal clips?
Um, check? Maybe?
And here beginneth truthfully Cyclist Notes No. 1.
So, I've taken to semi-facetiously referring to my bike as "Theseus' bike", in deference to the logical concept of the 'Ship of Theseus'--the idea that at what point does the ship Theseus has cease being the ship he first left dock with? Once the first repair was made? If repairs are made incrementally, and at one point no piece of the ship is original, is it still the same ship? The first year I had the bike, no adjustments were made, but in the past two years, I've started modifying it to make it more cyclotouring-suitable; saddle-bag, bottle cradle, bar-ends, helmet mirror, bike shoes and pedal clips. So far. If (hopefully) I'm at a point where Burlington is absolutely realistic and feasible, panniers will be added.
But the pedal clips. Ah, the pedal clips.
I'd bought the shoes last year, and replaced the pedals, but I hadn't installed the clips onto the shoes until this year; something about educating myself more before attempting it. Earlier this year, I'd decided to hell with it, put the clips on, and figure it out. A cyclist acquaintance of mine recommended first cycling in a park, so that the grass would cushion the inevitable falls due to unfamiliarity with pedal clips, and the first time I'd ridden with them, I did. And it went well, so today, as a short test-ride of the newly installed bar-ends and shoe clips, I would cycle to my school and back. And everything went swimmingly well; the bar-ends gave me an alternate hand position, and I was easily clipping in and out at intersections.
Except for one stoplight.
I'm right-handed. When I take my feet off the pedals at a stop, I lean to my right, and put my right foot down to support myself.
Dear Reader, you see where this is going, don't you?
I cannot explain why, for I haven't the faintest idea of the thought process, but coming up to a light, I unclipped my left foot, and took it off the pedal.
And proceeded to shift my weight to my right, as usual.
Which lead to a very surprised driver, watching the cyclist to the right of his car lean and fall, like a tall redwood being cut down for lumber.
It all happened in slow motion, and I was laughing at the silliness of the situation as I got back up, much to the relief of the concerned driver by my side.
So--riding with clips: check? Maybe? If I can remember to always unclip my right foot first, we'll mark that as a 'Check'.
And hopefully I find more time to scribble here about my endeavours and projects.
