I'm getting restless.
I've watched 18 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation since I acquired it in the middle of last month. And I've made it a point to only watch ST:TNG when I'm on my exercise bike (which slows down my consumption considerably, but at least lets me feel halfway productive).
I'm restless because it's damn near biking season again. And while the exercise bike is nice, it's not the real thing. My bike is currently in the shop, being worked on by diligent and trained professionals (who told me that through overuse I'd effectively ruined the chain, cassette, and cables that are generally pretty critical to bike function). Once it's in better shape, I will have to venture out, even though 40F and muddy mess is less than ideal. But I'm looking forward to it.
I understand biking isn't everyone's thing. But it's a kind of exercise that I can do for hours and not get bored, angry, or frustrated. And granted, I've now been biking regularly for at least 3 years now, and whatever pains I suffered from a bicycle seat have long since faded from memory. Despite this, repeatedly, whenever I end up biking with other "cyclists," I end up being completely outperformed by people with even the slightest hint of athletic ability. But I still go.
I mention biking here at all because I wish more people would do it. You don't need a fancy bike, or fancy shorts. You just need a cheap bike and a helmet, items which often lay covered in dust in people's garages or crawl spaces. Anchorage has tons of trails, most of which connect conveniently to larger neighborhoods, and most thoroughfares have reasonable trails alongside them. You don't have to worry about looking stupid, or like you're new: everybody looks stupid and awkward on a bike. You also don't have to spend tons of time biking. It takes about half an hour to ride across town, and you generally don't have to deal with traffic. It's just a matter of deciding that you're going to bike to a place, rather than paying $4 a gallon in gas.
Also, just to be clear, I'm not asking for somebody to bike with (though I'm happy to go if anybody wants). You're free of any guilt for going biking. You're also free to manage your own time: if you have jobs, sports, whatever else that make biking an impossibility, so be it. What I'm saying is: if you've ever had plans to:
...Here's your reminder. Summer is coming.
