How ViaRail is Forcing Me to Drive

I just got word today that as of October 26th (less than a week away), ViaRail is changing the departure time of my Wednesday morning train to an hour earlier, meaning I'd have to get on the train at 7:13am.  I already get to school with almost two hours before class time.  I don't need to get there with three.  (Yes, I could work, but I teach until 9pm.  I'd be toast by 5pm if I got up at 5:45am

I'm pretty much spitting mad.  How can you announce such a change with less than a week to go?  I can't imagine that they just decided this.  I cancelled my train trips subsequent to this week and find myself scrambling for a way to get to and from work.  Unfortunately, Greyhound (a distant second choice) doesn't have any buses that arrive in London before the afternoon.  We've become a one-car family, and I intend to stay that way.  It might mean that I have to take the car on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and the ladyfriend will have to carpool to shinny.

At least in the winter, my schedule will allow me to take the later train, but damn you, ViaRail!  So much for the environmentally-friendly option.

Biking in the Black and the Red

Eugenia Polina graphic

As mentioned, I got some new cycling gear for Christmas, much of it to help me schlep stuff (or my bike) to and fro.  The ladyfriend bought me the Southwest Waxed Canvas Bike Suit Bag from Two Wheel Gear, which I had waxed (yes, a pun) poetic about both on this blog and in person.  I'm a little bummed that I won't be able to put it into action immediately as my teaching schedule this coming term has eliminated my overnight stay (sigh).  Nevertheless, I'm ready to go when I need to!

My parents (okay, my dad for the most part) took over the other cycling desires like this merino wool jersey (in red) as well as a saddle/handlebar bag and the aforementioned frame handle.  Yes, I'm psyched about riding again and ready for my commute (will still be riding to and from the train station once a week).

But while I'm looking forward to more cycling, Iva Jean, makers of everyday/wearable cycling clothes for women, are closing their doors after five years.  I'd initially found them through a Kickstarter campaign to fund some new designs - I'd really liked the merino wool racer back tunic with zippered pockets -

but it never went into production.  It's too bad when small, independent companies can't make it.  Clearly one person can't save a company (unless they're fabulously wealthy, I guess), but it brings home the need to support these kinds of makers (all the clothes had been manufactured in Seattle) in whatever way we can.

In the meantime, we can just keep cycling.

Feel Me, Eat Me, Read Me, See Me - Weekend (aka late) Edition

It's been a busy week, so perhaps the offerings today are a bit meager.  But nonetheless, I persist and have a few things to share.

Starting with food, I think that peppermint pretzel marshmallow fudge from Joy the Baker has a rather festive ring to it.

Lovely Bicycle had an interesting post on how people often assume things about the character of a cyclist based on the type of bike they ride.  If you're feeling creative, you might want to try your hand at a poem to win an owl on a bicycle print.

Clearly the Two Wheel Gear's Bike Suit bag is making the rounds; Momentum Mag posted a profile of it here.

Enjoy the weekend!

On My Mind Mondays: There's Always Something

Sure, Monday is winding down, but I've still got a little over six hours left.  Frankly, I'm just tired today, but of course, there are some things occupying the grey matter.

1. Injury:  First and foremost, I'm hoping that the MCL sprain I sustained in my hockey game yesterday heals quickly.  I've never had a knee injury before, and I don't need to start having issues now.  I've been working on upping my activity, and I'm not the most patient person when it comes to injuries; however, I also know that I'll only make it worse by rushing it.  Nonetheless, my physiotherapist didn't rule out me playing hockey on Sunday.
2. Why people do or don't read my blog:  Sure, I was going to say "Why people do or don't read blogs" to make it less personal, but who do we think I'm talking about?  This came up when the ladyfriend's mother, whom she recently visited, chastised her for not following my blog.  After reading a number of my posts (going all the way back to September...really?), she said, "You learn a lot more about you from your blog than you might in person" (says the woman I've been with for over 20 years).  I suppose I (kind of) understand why the ladyfriend doesn't keep up with my posts, but it is interesting to ponder what makes people, and my friends, stop by and either continue to read or not, and what they might be missing by not reading (sometimes pointed remarks directed at them - hah!).  I'm thinking about writing a piece called, "Why You Should Read Your Friend's Blog."
3. The ongoing refinement of my wardrobe:  I pulled one of my favourite books, Cheap Chic, off the shelf this weekend and fell in love with it again.  I had listened to Marketplace before that and they'd had a brief interview with Sarah Lazarovic whose recent book A Bunch of Pretty Things I Didn't Buy has just come out.  She was talking about what it meant to take a break from shopping even if one wasn't a classic shopaholic.  There were things that rang true for me, such as trawling eBay or Shopgoodwill for funky necklaces or vintage hats or whatever (definitely something I'm guilty of - ask my parents, where all my packages go).  But what I realized in both listening to her interview and reviewing Cheap Chic is that I'm not necessarily interested in whittling down my wardrobe to the bare essentials but in making the things I own work together happily and idiosyncratically.  I will probably always have a lot of shoes.  That's just the way it is.  I like shoes.  I like clothes, but what I don't like is mindless buying because it's a new season or I'm bored or I have money burning a hole in my pocket.  I'm into refinement, and the refinement continues.
   

File Under "Oh, Kentucky"

I follow BikeyFace, and she posted a cartoon about "Sharing the Road," which is pretty funny and on-point.  The ladyfriend and I have discussed designing a new, more attractive as well as more visible Share the Road bumpersticker because...uh, we have time?  No, because we have a pretty strong design aesthetic.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Meanwhile, back in Kentucky (my least favourite state to cycle in so far - search Kentucky on this blog to read more), one of the comments on BikeyFace linked to this article about a woman who was arrested for riding her bike in the centre lane.  Ontario is trying to push 1 Metre Bicycle Safe Passing Law, which would be amazing.  Even Mississippi had a three-foot passing law; Ontario would be ahead of the game because as we know - a metre is a little more than a yard.

Getting geared up for winter commuting.  I'm going to try to extend my cycling even further into the winter and am considering studded tires.  Bike Pretty had a good post about ways to stylishly warm up your commute.  I'm totally going to make the reflective vest (yes, I sound like I'm, like totally, 14, and like, from the, you know, valley).

Another Way to Travel

I have to admit, I am one of those people who find adults riding Razor scooters kind of lame.  Yes, I said, "lame," but I just followed a link to this Kickstarter campaign.



I have to admit, kinda cool.

If You're Going to Look at Me, Please See Me

I consider myself a member of a number of tribes (women, lesbians, the inked, cyclists, those interested in fashion/style, etc.) although I don't always have to assert that connection.  For example, on Monday when a store owner tried to engage me with "Oooh, you've got some ink," I replied, "Oooh, you've got some eyes."  (I know, not terribly kind, but don't try to get me to buy your shoes like that.  Some tribe members are a bit douchey.)

However, when I'm commuting to the train station Wednesday mornings, I like to smile or give a little wave or acknowledgement when I see others commuting because we're going against the tide (next time you're in traffic, look to see how many cars have only one occupant).  We need to stick together (but dude! get off the sidewalk!).

Besides Getting Dressed, What Else Am I Doing?

Egads!  The life of an intermittent blogger!  I know, blogs are supposedly dead, and people are calling reading books "slow reading."  What the hell?

Well, tell me something's a lost art form/old fashioned, and I'm all over it so I'm approaching my blog with renewed vigor.  Huzzah!  My plan is to come up with a couple of regular post days in addition to the What I'm Wearing to Teach series. I just have to figure out what days work best for me.

Right now I'm working with what I call a framework ("schedule" carries bad connotations). It's about adding a bit more structure to my day and getting me into my office to write on a regular basis.  Can you sense a theme?  I'd like to look at my blog as another part of my writing practice.  The best thing about the framework is that it's flexible and allows me to get back into the flow even after interruptions like a few long days working Coterie in NYC and experiencing the class-act that is Air Canada.  I want the framework to be like a pair of pajamas - easy and comforting to jump into.

Meanwhile, here's what's on my mind:

1. Somehow rigging a pannier with luggage wheels so I can drag it behind me after I park my bike.  (I've started commuting to the train station on my bike.)
2. The end of Worn Fashion Journal - what a loss!
3. My dad's return from Iraq (he was there with the Red Cross).
4. The century my dad and I are riding Saturday for which neither of us is particularly prepared.
5. Making elderberry syrup.

There's more, but these are in the frontal lobe (probably anatomically wrong, but whatever).  What's on your mind?

Cassandra - Oracle of Good Commuting?

So the bike commuting worked well last week.  In fact, better than anticipated when I found out that the tech guys at school are also bike geeks and fixed my derailleur while I was in class.  Bonus!

But I've also realized that I'm engaging in an entirely different kind of commuting than I used to.  In the old days (please have your best "old lady" voice when reading this part), I would ride to work in bike gear (read technical, lycra, and tight) and change in the handicap stall in the bathroom at work.  That is not the case here ("old lady" voice can stop now).  I'm going for the "Hey, I'm a regular albeit stylish gal on her way to work" look, which, yes, requires some wardrobe adjustments.  When there was a threat of rain (thankfully it rained while I taught), I realized a reassessment of foul weather gear was in order.

After a bit of soul-searching (specialty of over-thinkers everywhere) and comparison shopping, I found what I'm hoping will fit a tick a number of boxes - the Cassandra Cycle Coat.  Firstly, it's smart (check out the details), stylish, and waterproof.  Secondly, it is easily wearable off the bike.  Thirdly, the company endeavors to support local industry (in England where they're located), and they use bio-degradable plastic to keep packaging out of landfills.  Bonuses?  British (synonymous with rain, no?) and a woman-owned company.

I ordered mine in red.  It'll match my bike, natch.  Once it arrives and I've had a chance to try it out, I'll report on it here.

(If you're a male reader, they also have a coat for men, and Brompton cycles has made a gorgeous sports coat-type cycling jacket.)