Day 10: Tornado Season

It has been a while since I have rode my bike to work and then come right back home. I decided to make today that day mainly because Ashley and I have many things to do tonight. I can't believe how exhausted I felt yesterday. It makes since when I put everything together.

1 hour morning bike ride + 8 hours of work + two hour bike ride in afternoon + a tornado hitting me in the face = Exhaustion

See the formula just makes sense.

I prayed for energy before I passed out last night and for the first time in a long time I felt refreshed. I rode t.o work, riding with the wind and making good time (45 minutes). By around 11 am my eyes usually start closing, but today it was not like this at all! It was amazing so PTL (praise the Lord). I wish I could say that the afternoon ride was easy breezy, but once again things did not go as planned. I am not sure if it is tornado season but I am confident the wind is trying to kill me. There were also other things that contributed to my adventure...

3pm: Everyone at work is celebrating
because we are doing a great job
3:01pm: My boss screams, "Happy Hour
on me, get your drink orders!"
3:10pm: Drink orders have been placed...
I ordered a large Blue Coconut Slush
3:30pm: No one has left to get the drinks
and happy hour ends at 4pm (we are getting worried)
4pm: The drinks arrive as promised and I dive
into the blue sugary goodness
4:45pm: Stomach angry with Taylor
5:10pm: Leave work on my bike
5:15pm: Realize the wind is not with me (35mph against me)
5:30pm: Blue substance begins running down my leg

OK that last part was made up, but still drinking a slush of any kind is not recommended before going on a bike ride. I am starting to get the idea that food right before cycling is a bad idea, but as a man I cannot turn down free.

I swallowed a bug today. Did not taste like anything and went down with no issues. Tried coughing him up, but that thing was gone. I wonder what he thinks about his new home.

People at work have told me I am trimming down. I am still eating the same, but maybe having no vehicle is helping with that.

Day 9: A Haiku for You

I rode thirty miles
Wind makes a fool of many
So very sleepy

Day 8: A familiar face

As I fell asleep last night around 11:30pm I had a bad feeling about the next day. As I opened my eyes at 6 am I felt like crap. My throat was killing me and my nose was stuffed to the rafters. I got up, blew my nose and decided to go back to bed. I do not want to blame the cycling for this sickness, but everyone at work believes this is the reason for my stuffiness. I called one of my co-workers and then fell back asleep.

I had a whole lot of things I needed to get done at work today so I was hoping that I would feel better by around noon. And as I rested for a couple more hours I felt great. PTL! Ashley came back home during lunch to pick me up and take me to work. The only problem with this plan is that she was running late and needed to be on time. So, the only solution in both of our minds was for her to drop me off at 21st and Lewis(where she works) and I would walk the rest of the way. It was only 4 miles and I knew that the fresh air would be good for me. Little did I know the adventure I would have during my walk.

I was about 3 miles into it, listening to Journey on Pandora, when a familiar face rode up beside me on a bike of his own. I know what you are all thinking, was it Biker Fox or maybe even the Nintendo 64 kid, no it was the Jord himself! I am not sure if everyone knows who the Jord is, but he is also a living legend of Tulsa, in my mind. I was just talking with a friend about how much I hoped to run into him on this journey. Within two days this dream became a reality. We spoke about life outside ORU and then he told me he had to go turn in an application for a job. I told him where I worked and then he asked me my name (I guess I am not as popular as I thought). I told him to apply for a job at Link America and he actually did! He put me as a reference, not sure if I can help him get the job. I did not see him come to the office and he never actually said goodbye. He is mysterious like that.

I am stoked about getting back on the bike tomorrow. Supposed to be a day that actually feels like Spring! I have sent an email to Biker Fox in hopes of a meeting between the two of us, but I have yet to hear back. I am sure that it will happen, but I believe it will be random. Everyone should know that fox attacks happen when you least except them. I will keep everyone posted on my fox hunting.

Day 7: A day of rest

Today I will not be doing any biking (and of course not driving) because it is my day of rest. My wife and I believe that once a week we should rest and do absolutely nothing. It is awesome to be able to have this once either on a Saturday or a Sunday and I encourage everyone to try this.

On my last post I was challenged by Pradeepan to begin recording my weight and body fat statistics to see what not driving is doing for my health. I have not seen much change since I have started and I blame most of that to overeating. Usually when I get home from a bike ride I just want to eat tons of food. I am not gaining any weight but I am also not losing any. My goal of this journey was not to lose weight, but if I am exercising this much everyday I should be, right? I will meet this challenge and start recording my weight each week and my body fat (as best as I know how). I was actually trying to figure out calories burned from my workout the other day and stumbled upon this calories calculator. They go into extreme detail by including calories burned brushing your teeth, playing cards, and writing! Maybe even blogging burns a few calories...

The second challenge was that I document a day with Biker Fox. I actually had the thought to do this after seeing the Kabio video. Like I mentioned in my first post Biker Fox is a living legend in Tulsa. He invented the first front flip on a bicycle (Fox Flip) and holds the Guinness Record for this. I have only spotted him twice since I have been here in Tulsa, but I am going to dedicate my spare time to finding him and then riding alongside him. I am fully confident that I can make this happen. He has an email and I am sure that as the weather starts warming up the fox will be out.

My body statistics:
Weight: 205 lbs
Body Fat: Will find out at the end of this week

Day 6: Do you see me?

Temperature: 40-50 F
Music: Blayze LP, Mewithoutyou, Flobots

I have officially completed a week without my car. It feels incredible and I know that I am making progress with each ride to where my future rides will be easier. Although I am not driving my car, my wife has been enjoying it on a daily basis. Here is the conversation we had about an hour ago:

Me: Are you enjoying my car?
Wife: Yeah, but your left back tire is a little low.
Me: Oh yeah I meant to air that up, but it was snowing last week.
Wife: Can you do it now since it is not snowing today?
Me: Yeah sure, if you drive me to the gas station.
Wife: (pause) Oh yeah the bike thing.

And that is how you get out of filling your tires (unfortunately this will not work in about 24 days.

Since it was Saturday I thought I would rest for most of the morning. I could have read the book, but instead I watched Hulu for a couple hours. Then I had to go into work. Once every couple of months someone is chosen to do this. I was the chosen one this time. If there was any day that I truly wanted my vehicle it would be today. The weather did not look promising with the possibility of rain and strong winds (from all directions). I just rode in the rain a couple of days ago and I knew I could do it again, but was really hoping for a miracle.

I finally got ready at about 10:30 and headed out. No rain and the wind was with me the whole way! Take that Chief Meteorologist Frank Mitchell! I had a great ride with the exception of many drivers who I talked to even with their windows rolled up. The whole conversation pretty much went,

Taylor: Do you see me?
Car: No response
Taylor: Here I come!
Car: Head turned towards me and a grimace

I do ride on the sidewalk just so everyone is aware of this. I will never ride in the street due to danger and the fact that I hate bikers that do that too. One funny moment at work was that there was a huge meeting with tons of people there (truckers!) and they all gave me the strangest looks. One actually asked me if I live close and I said yeah only about 9 miles away. His face was priceless.

I finished work at around 1pm and decided to take the long way home. After watching an episode of the Biggest Loser the other night I was inspired to bike for over 20 miles at one time. The people on this show weigh twice as much as I do and they did 26 miles on a stationary bicycle! So, following their lead and made my way from 21st and Memorial to Riverside. From Riverside I made it to the Creek Turnpike trail and from there I went home. This trip was much harder then I realized and totaled 24 miles and took 2 hours to complete. The wind was not with me and was very intense on riverside. Right now as I type this my butt is killing me and strangely enough so is my right arm.

I am looking forward to having a day of rest this Sunday and getting a ride from my lovely wife who has just informed me that she will be taking me to the gas station to fill up the tires.

Taylor 0 Wife 1

Day 5: The Stationary Bicycle

Morning Temperature: 33 F
Weather Conditions: Windy
Music: John Mark McMillan

Afternoon Temperature: 63 F
Weather Conditions: Windier than this morning (25 mph)
No music, wind too loud

As I rode to work this morning, it felt good to know that the week was over. I am very tired today and left after 7am and all I wanted to do was lay in bed. The worst part about today was that it seemed like the wind was everywhere. Usually I will get wind either going to work or coming home, but today I got hit twice. In the morning the cold air stung and left my hands and legs frozen.

I made a side trip on the bike just a couple of miles during lunch to go pick up a book from the library. I now have in my possession a book called "Divorce Your Car!" Have not started it yet, but look forward to cracking it open tonight. One review featured on the book says, "For all of us who want to depend on the car less but find it easy to rationalize the status quo, this book is an inspiration." Here is to leaving the status quo!

Once again I witnessed more disrespect for the one biker on the sidewalks. Mainly in the form of cars blocking sidewalks (I am guilty of this when I drive) and once with a construction worker almost knocking me off my bike with a crane filled with dirt. Don't worry I gave the worker a dirty look...

Riding home today sucked. Plain and simple it was the hardest test I have had since starting this journey. I probably thought about my car every mile going home and it all had to do with the wind punching me in the face. I did not stop riding hard and so I gained the victory. I took so long getting home that I did get a call from the wife. I promise everyone that I will not die on this journey I will make sure to watch for all cars (this is for you mom).

Taylor 1 Wind 0

Inspirational award of the week will be going to my wife's Uncle Karl. Anytime I feel cold when riding my bike in the spring of Tulsa, I think of Karl because of what he rides in. He lives in Moorehead, MN (just east of Fargo). If any of you have seen the movie or know where Fargo is on a map of the U.S. you know it is cold. I mean frostbite on your entire body cold. This biker stud rode in -28 degrees this year where he made sure he did not leave the house without his studded snow tires! So if you still don't think you can ride when it is cold outside just remember Karl.

Lesson learned: People do not know what to do when they see a biker on the sidewalk next to them. Do they turn first, should they become angry with them? I would like to believe drivers like me...I have seen no evidence of this yet...

Random moment at work today is that my boss went to Hooters last night for all you can eat wings and ended up eating 101 wings. I wish I could have witnessed that...

Day 4: Red Squirrel in the mornin

I am trying to be out before 6:30am and the weather conditions are not going to stop me. Here is what is happening in Tulsa right now...
Temperature 48 F
Winds at 10mph
Rain Showers

Better get out the poncho because here comes another victory for Biker Wolf

Made it to work..soaking wet (rained more than I expected it to). Need to get back to work, but pictures coming later tonight of the aftermath. Golden Corral for lunch today on the boss. This will be my first time going there ever in my life! I am stoked.


Taylor 2 Rain 0

Afternoon Temperature: 57 F
No rain, clothes dry
Music: Fleet Foxes, EP and LP

The weather leaving work this afternoon was so perfect that I had to take my time getting home. The wind was with me and it was amazing. Golden Corral did not hold me back despite being the best and worst experience I have had with food. Four plates of food seemed amazing initially but once back at work this food that brought so much pleasure resulted in headaches and stomach pains. It also made me ridiculously tired for the last three hours of work.

Biking to and from work has become something that I crave. Everyday I sit at my desk and recruit truck drivers. Not the most exciting job in the world. I enjoy what I do but it can also be an extremely frustrating job. Wish I could describe more of why it is like that, but just trust me when I say my afternoon bike ride is not a bad thing...it something I look forward to.

Today was an interesting day with the people at work. It seems like riding your bike in the rain is unheard of to most and so I got positive reactions from people and what seemed like negative ones from others. I believe that many of them think I am going to get hit by a car and that I am insane. Something that I am loving from this journey is that my co-workers are talking about doing something to better their lives. Although I might miss the convenience of a car, I am enjoying the introspection that living life without it brings.

Lesson learned: People might have the right away, but drivers in Tulsa do not know this.

2nd lesson learned: Golden Corral is epic, might need six months of rest before going again.