Slow down there, big guy!

Today I biked from our new home to my new job for the first time. According to Google Maps, the route I took was 5.1 miles, which isn't terribly far, but the terrain is very hilly. A lot of ups and downs. I was planning on it taking about 45 minutes, so I allotted an hour, but managed to make it in about 30 minutes. Not nearly as bad as I was afraid it would be.

Of course, it was overcast, calm, and a cool 65 degrees, but even when we get to the hot summer weather it shouldn't take longer, just be more uncomfortable. (Mostly for my coworkers, since they'll have to smell my sweat.)

A few blocks before the office, there's a giant hill. As I approached it on my bike, I glanced up to the snowcapped top, where I could see wispy clouds and giant condors slowly circling. (I might be exaggerating: they were probably just vultures, lying in wait for hapless bikers foolish enough to challenge the hill.)

Anyway, I was halfway up the hill, in the lowest gear, barely going fast enough to keep from falling over, when I saw one of the giant snails that I've been noticing since we moved to California. I kid you not, my first thought was: "At least I'm going faster than him."

Pretty sad.

P.S. I called the snail "him" because only a guy snail would be stupid enough to set off on a trek across four lanes of traffic when your top speed is 6 inches/hour. He wasn't even at a crosswalk.

Pros and Cons

Things I like:

• Helmets. It only takes one hit to the head to make a helmet worth every penny you paid for it. Especially when you're canyoneering, miles from medical help. They're hot, uncomfortable, and make my hair do weird things so it took me a while to like them, but after that first rock to the helmet, I won't go canyoneering without them.
• Biking. Last Saturday morning (6:45 AM) I went biking in the hills behind Draper with a couple friends. You could probably call it "mountain biking" but it was more "casual hill biking." Either way, it was a lot of fun.
• Ultimate Frisbee. Especially fun if you play with people who aren't quite as hardcore as some can be. Incidentally, one of my favorite presents are a set of orange cones that Child got me. They're always a big hit for pick-up games.
  
• Gardens. Our most recent set of plants (zucchini, green beans, and squash) have all shot up. Also, our green beans that we sneakily planted across the street in a vacant lot have sprouted, but they're pretty much growing in gravel so I'm not sure how well they'll do.
• Spiritual insights. I love getting inspirations to questions I've had--especially if they're mathematically-based. :)
  

Things I don't like:

• Dying pea plants. Why, my little pea plants, why?! I water you every day!
• Child being unhappy. Acouchi will be in the hospital for two weeks, and Child is sad because of this.
• How easily distracted I am. I shouldn't be blogging right now, I should be working on my story. So...goodbye.