In which pull-backs are PhysicsGirl's kryptonite: Errandonée #3

After a too-long absence, I'm taking tap classes again. My history with tap has been spotty; despite a life-long love of the dance, I only took my first tap class in grad school. And then... my teachers kept leaving for other opportunities. And I'm really happy for them, I am, it's just that it's made for somewhat spotty instruction with gaps of several years between sessions. I've been stuck at advanced beginner or beginner intermediate for a very long time, and my goal has to get good enough to take classes at Shawn Byfield. Yay for Bees Knees for starting up lessons again. But fair warning, Kris, I might have to tie you down. Or something that won't impede the dancing. I'll have to think on that.

Anyway, you're not here to read me dither on about cramp rolls and time steps; you want to know about the biking stuff.

The temperature is still veering on spring-like, although I needed my gloves on the way over and added my earband on the way home. For the first time in forever^*, the bike lanes are mostly clear. I say mostly because, while they aren't covered with snow, there is still a lot of debris -- huge pebbles, probably from road deterioration, and small branches and so forth. Oh, and cars. Naturally. The thaw isn't extending to the curbsicles, and cars are still parking a foot or two from the curb. Yay.

The melt has turned part of the Queen's Park path into a lake, which I'm not sure you can really see in the pictures I took on the way back. Can't we make it part of somebody's job to cut little drains into snow and ice when this happens? It's like the curb lakes. Who cares if someone gets their feet wet? This first one is where two major path intersect. The dark(er) bits are all water.

It makes for pretty pictures, though. And will make for a pretty skating rink when the temperature shoots back down on Wednesday.

The spring-like weather means it's getting more difficult to find bike parking near the studio. Last year, I notified 311 of a loose ring stand. This is their idea of fixing it.

I wonder if I should bother reporting broken ring stands if they're just going to take them out.

After class^**,I had a bit of dilemma. This is one of my night rides, and I usually take my front light off when I leave the bike somewhere. Trouble is, I often forget to put it back on. Usually, it's in my coat pocket or purse, but I was wearing a different coat and didn't bring my purse, so no light.

I had an extra red turtle light hanging off the rear. But would a red light in front make a driver think I was moving away from them? So here is my question: is it better to use a potentially confusing red light in front, or no light at all?

My answer is obvious, but I'd like to know what others think. It used to drive me nuts when I would see the occasional cyclist with a red front light; from now on I will be more charitable and assume they are making do.

Errandonée tally
Personal care & night ride: Tap class (9.4 km/5.8 mi)

Mileage left: 34.5 km/21.6mi

^*Ahh! Earworm!

^**Gah. Pick-ups and pull-backs. My feet won't do them. All I can do is... jump backwards.