Day 51: Perseverance

I closed the closet door this morning and thought maybe I should make sure my cat was not in there. She is coal black and difficult to see if she is in a dark area and is not looking directly at you. I didn’t see her hidden anywhere but I looked around the apartment just to make sure. I walked down the hall to our office. We usually keep the door closed but it was open so I went in to check for her. As soon as i stepped in I was blinded by the bright sunshine coming in through the windows. Our jalapeno plants were happily sitting on the windowsill soaking up the sun’s rays. No kitty in here. As I turned to walk out of the room I spotted her coming up the stairs. Good kitty.

As I was gathering my stuff together for work I had thought. I should ride my bike to work. The sun was out and it looked to be beautiful all day. The sun was setting later now and the weather forecast predicted a high of 32 F in the afternoon.

I got on my bike after I rolled through our apartment gate. Once I turned the corner I started to feel the cold air through my pants. Darn, I forgot long-johns and my winter pants. Sometimes it just feels too late to go back. I was waiting for the light to change just outside my apartment building but going back meant that I would have to lock up my bike, go up to my apartment, take off my boots, scarf, coat etc. and start over. It didn’t seem worth the effort and I figured I could stand suffering a little in the cold. HA.

Once I got really going my eyes started watering (and they didn’t stop until I got to work). I had decided to take a different route that I thought would be more pleasant. I would ride down to the left of old town and then turn near city hall and continue along the water to work. What I failed to consider was the fact that it had been rather warm over the weekend, which translates to lots of melted-snow-turned-ice on the bike paths. It was nerve-racking to say the least. And cold. Before I had gone more than a couple of kilometers I considered going back home and taking the subway instead. I figured I would get there faster by bike so I persevered.

I was not necessarily enjoying the ride to work, given the level of stress from not being used to riding on ice but my studded tires really held up their end of the bargain. On my way home I started to relax a little and actually enjoyed myself. It was still cold but bearable and I at the end of the day I felt a sense of achievement I could be proud of. If I ever have children I can tell them, "I used to ride my bike in 25 F temperatures, up and down hills and over ice to get to work, quit your complaining."



perseverance (definition):

“steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.”