I was going to start my Errandonnée challenge on Saturday, but a wee snow fall left the roads a little unfriendly. Yesterday, however, it was on.
It was my birthday. A new prime number was reached, and I started the day with this:
It's not pancakes, but raspberry/marscapone-stuffed french toast. A lot of yum. And lovely jewellery. Someone knows me well. After breakfast, we went off on foot to buy a new shower curtain rod because the old tension rod had fallen down for the last time, and because I really know how to party.
Then it was time to begin the Errandonnée in earnest. After a couple of years' absence from the choreographed side of lindy hop, I'm performing in a few numbers in the April 6th show. So off I went to rehearsal.
The three times I shovelled on Friday, I made sure to clear out the space beside my bike. The person who shovelled after me wasn't as concerned, and the poor thing was a bit buried on Saturday. By Sunday afternoon, the snow had melted enough that I could dig her out more easily.
The streets had finally been plowed and it was warm enough that they were clear. And I was so happy to see that the city was taking extra care to maintain the bike lanes!
Or not.
Rehearsal was great, especially the part where R brought out Dlish cupcakes! She even brought one for the DC. After rehearsal, it was time to go for my annual sushi dinner in the Annex. Sadly, the icing on the DC's cupcake was a casualty of the ride.
In non-winter, it's usually really difficult to find a free ring post in the Annex, but not now! I think mine was the only bike not buried in the snow. It did take me a few minutes to find a snow pile that I could reach over.
As usual, New Generation sent us across the street to their other location. The Grill Fusion is gone, to be replaced by All You Can Eat Sushi. The restaurant setup is much better, with a space that is much more conducive to large groups. The sushi was great, as usual, and the company was delightful -- not in the least because A brought me macarons. This, too, is becoming a tradition.
I like traditions.
After dinner, the plan had been to go to Future Bakery for cake, but I was so full of cupcake and raw fish that we just popped in to see if anyone was waiting for us. Then it was off to the Imperial for blues dancing.
This is counting as one of my night rides, and my lighting system is the same as last year (Planet Bike Superflash mounted on the rear rack, reflectors on the saddle and rear fender) except that I finally found my Planet Bike Beamer headlight in the pocket of a coat I rarely wear, so I now have oomph in front. I also replaced my rear tire with a Schwalbe Creme Delta Cruiser that has reflective strips on the sidewalls, so I'm extra visible.
Getting from the Annex to Yonge & Dundas was interesting. I chose to go along Bloor then down Yonge because I figured that those streets would be the most clear due to being the most heavily trafficked. I was right about that, but they also turned out to have almost no traffic at 8:30 pm on a Sunday night, so my ride was swift and hassle-free. I got to the Imperial Pub just as the carload who conveyed the DC (who was D but not C that evening) arrived. I even found a bike post that was completely cleared out to park against!
I had a delicious birthday jam (which is when a circle forms and a bunch of people come in to dance with you, although the other would have been nice too), but that prime number is getting up there, I had been up late the night before, and I was getting sleepy. So home I went, this time along Dundas. The DC took the streetcar, and I thought he would get back before me.
I won.
A prime day, all 'round.
Errandonnée tally:
Personal care: biking to rehearsal (4.7 km/2.9 mi)
Dinner: sushi in the Annex (2 km/1.3 mi)
Wild card: blues dancing (8.2 km/5.1 mi)
Mileage left: 33.3 km/20.7 mi
It was my birthday. A new prime number was reached, and I started the day with this:
It's not pancakes, but raspberry/marscapone-stuffed french toast. A lot of yum. And lovely jewellery. Someone knows me well. After breakfast, we went off on foot to buy a new shower curtain rod because the old tension rod had fallen down for the last time, and because I really know how to party.
Then it was time to begin the Errandonnée in earnest. After a couple of years' absence from the choreographed side of lindy hop, I'm performing in a few numbers in the April 6th show. So off I went to rehearsal.
The three times I shovelled on Friday, I made sure to clear out the space beside my bike. The person who shovelled after me wasn't as concerned, and the poor thing was a bit buried on Saturday. By Sunday afternoon, the snow had melted enough that I could dig her out more easily.
The streets had finally been plowed and it was warm enough that they were clear. And I was so happy to see that the city was taking extra care to maintain the bike lanes!
Or not.
Rehearsal was great, especially the part where R brought out Dlish cupcakes! She even brought one for the DC. After rehearsal, it was time to go for my annual sushi dinner in the Annex. Sadly, the icing on the DC's cupcake was a casualty of the ride.
In non-winter, it's usually really difficult to find a free ring post in the Annex, but not now! I think mine was the only bike not buried in the snow. It did take me a few minutes to find a snow pile that I could reach over.
As usual, New Generation sent us across the street to their other location. The Grill Fusion is gone, to be replaced by All You Can Eat Sushi. The restaurant setup is much better, with a space that is much more conducive to large groups. The sushi was great, as usual, and the company was delightful -- not in the least because A brought me macarons. This, too, is becoming a tradition.
I like traditions.
After dinner, the plan had been to go to Future Bakery for cake, but I was so full of cupcake and raw fish that we just popped in to see if anyone was waiting for us. Then it was off to the Imperial for blues dancing.
This is counting as one of my night rides, and my lighting system is the same as last year (Planet Bike Superflash mounted on the rear rack, reflectors on the saddle and rear fender) except that I finally found my Planet Bike Beamer headlight in the pocket of a coat I rarely wear, so I now have oomph in front. I also replaced my rear tire with a Schwalbe Creme Delta Cruiser that has reflective strips on the sidewalls, so I'm extra visible.
Getting from the Annex to Yonge & Dundas was interesting. I chose to go along Bloor then down Yonge because I figured that those streets would be the most clear due to being the most heavily trafficked. I was right about that, but they also turned out to have almost no traffic at 8:30 pm on a Sunday night, so my ride was swift and hassle-free. I got to the Imperial Pub just as the carload who conveyed the DC (who was D but not C that evening) arrived. I even found a bike post that was completely cleared out to park against!
I had a delicious birthday jam (which is when a circle forms and a bunch of people come in to dance with you, although the other would have been nice too), but that prime number is getting up there, I had been up late the night before, and I was getting sleepy. So home I went, this time along Dundas. The DC took the streetcar, and I thought he would get back before me.
I won.
A prime day, all 'round.
Errandonnée tally:
Personal care: biking to rehearsal (4.7 km/2.9 mi)
Dinner: sushi in the Annex (2 km/1.3 mi)
Wild card: blues dancing (8.2 km/5.1 mi)
Mileage left: 33.3 km/20.7 mi
No comments:
Post a Comment
Now with less captcha! Speak pretty to me. I love comments, especially constructive criticism.