More bike gossip.

I'm trying to organize a weird bicycle shell game whereby I would sell Victoria to the gal who has been after me to sell for months and use the money to buy a 1970's Raleigh Superbe and a baby bike seat that would clip to the frame.

Here's the thing: Victoria has all new parts on an old frame.  This would be an all old parts on an old frame that still could not pull the trailer, but could hold a baby seat.  What that means in practical terms is that I would at some point need to replace the rims and tires.  It has a 3 speed hub in the back and a dynamo hub in the front that would need to be laced into new alloy rims so the brakes work better.  The paint is in OK shape, there are some minor rust spots on the chrome.  It is a better bike to start with than Victoria was.  I am breaking even on the sale of Victoria (which I never thought I would) but would have to use the difference between the sale price of Victoria and the Raleigh to buy the baby bike seat.  I would end up with a bike that.... has different features.

For example, with steel rims the Raleigh would not be safe in the rain, Victoria was.  On the other hand, if Toddler girl is in an open air baby seat, we won't be biking in the rain anyway.  However, with the baby seat blocking the rack, I won't be able to go for groceries on the bike.  On Victoria, Toddler girl would go in the trailer and the groceries would go in the wald baskets.  Victoria really struggled to pull the trailer, but we could do it.  The Raleigh can't use the trailer at all and the baby seat will partially cover where the panniers would go.

But in a few years, Toddler girl will be in a trail-a-bike and the Raleigh can be fixed up at that point.  In the mean time, it would be fine for going to the park and library and the sort of stuff we do everyday.  I would just have to organize grocery shopping for in the evening when T can stay at home with Toddler girl.  That's kind of a pain because I like spending time with T in the evenings, but we could make it work.

Yes, it would be nice to have a cargo bike of some description, but since that isn't going to happen.....

In the mean time, we have cut our car use by two thirds.  Which is nice because gas prices are way up and if we didn't have a plan in place I would be completely stranded.  Many days the car just stays parked.   I wish I could say that cutting the car use has saved so much money I can afford spiffy bikes, but.... it hasn't worked that way, yet.

I still need to decide what to do with that Raleigh Colt I ended up getting stuck with.   Do I keep it for Toddler girl on the off chance that she might want to ride if for a couple of years when she is older?  That feels like hoarding.  She likely will end up too tall for it to be a forever bike for her.  It should go to someone who is petite who could use it.

What I really need to do is clean it up and take a bunch of pictures with my new camera.  There just never seems to be the time.

Thank you!

For Mother's day, Darling Husband got me a new (to me) DSLR camera with a story involved.  L had done a bunch of research and found a really nice DSLR and bought the recommended attachments for it.  Then found she was using her mid-sized camera more anyway and it was languishing.  (OK, so it was really being carefully and lovingly stored, but languishing sounds more dramatic)

It sounds like she started to feel a bit guilty about having the fabulous camera and not using it (or maybe she just felt bad for me because my affordable point and shoot wasn't cutting the mustard in terms of pictures.  Anyway she sold it to Darling Husband as such a subsidized price that it really is a gift from her family and Darling Husband.

Seriously, it is such a nice set up, I can't imagine why she would part with it.  I think I would have fallen prone to camera hoarding and not let it go even if it was just sitting there.  Mind you, I also can't imagine not using it.  Once I learn how.

I am so excited!

I am kind of intimidated.

I need to read the manual.

But hopefully, there will be pictures on the blog shortly.  I have dug out my old Crumpler Camera bag from long ago and set it up.

Way back before T and I were married, I had wanted to get into photography.  I started doing research.  I started saving up for a good camera.  Then we got engaged and the camera money went towards our rings.  Then I got pregnant and the camera money when to maternity clothes.  Then I lost my job and couldn't save.  Then I found a job and Toddler girl had so many health problems that I couldn't even think about cameras.  Then I quit my job to stay home with her and I gave up on photography as a hobby we would never be able to afford.

So really, this is such a nice gift that I am tearing up as I write this post.

I disagree - update

Some how.... and I'm not sure how....  I ended up reading Life from Scratch on the kindle I got for Christmas/birthday this winter.  It isn't the kind of book I usually read.  I was struck by one part in the book when the main character talks about wanting people to read your journal,  that's why you post it on the internet.

OK.

I have to disagree with that one a little bit.

I think there are people out there that blog and think the internet is so big that no one will ever find them.  That isn't me, but I have met them.  They were really upset that I would go and read their blog after they told me where it was and what it was called.  (yeah... I don't get it, but when I tell that story other people have had the same experience) Then there are people like me that don't think my life is interesting enough to hold readers.

I have to say that until I needed help finding home for bunny I didn't really care that I had readers.  I know a few of you personally and the rest were just.... random fluctuation in the stats counter.

My issues aside, I think there are lots of reasons to have a blog other than necessarily wanting people to read your journal. The big few that immediately come to mind is my bad handwriting, that the computer is easier to just jot something down quick without having to work so hard from keeping Toddler girl from colouring in my book and the indexing system.  I also like the spell check.  I can review and rewrite easier than on paper.

Maybe this is a sign of increase digital sprawl, but I can type faster than I write.  Which explains my many of my blog posts are pretty much transcription of whatever is going through my head at the moment.  I wonder if people used to journal on typewriter like that back in the day?  NOTE TO SELF: internet research topic.

This is kind of sad, but a lot of the time I am blogging in a small window on my screen with toddler girl in my lap watching They Might be Giants videos in another window.  That kid can watch the Days of the Week video several times in a row.  It's a really fun video, but I would go nuts if I didn't have something else to do.  Blogging gives me that other focus, but we still get the nice snuggles in.

I have very mixed feeling about that song.  I am glad I stay home with Toddler girl, but...  it often feels like I'm always at work, from 11:00pm when she had night mares and want snacks and cuddles for two hours before she goes back to bed right through 6am when she woke up for the day, straight on keep working until 8pm when she goes to bed.  It isn't "no, no, I never go to work"  it's "no, no, I'm always at work."

And ultimately, maybe Toddler girl will want to read this someday.  The same could be said for that lovely paper journal I started.  So really, journalling in real life means that others can read it too.  Even if you hide it under your mattress.

In which case.... I love you so much baby girl!  Midnight snuggles are nice, even when we are both exhausted.  When I have nightmare, hubby puts up with me and gives me snuggles too.

How to explain seasonal variation to a 2 year old

OK.  So sometimes I forget that people actually read this.  I don't find my life interesting enough that I expect anyone to be interested other than my friends and family who would have to listen to all this rambling anyway.

For those of you who are just here for the food....  I'm sorry but this is another "I can't believe my 2 year old did this" post.  You've been warned.

My location is northern enough that our day length varies significantly with the season.  Today the dawn was at 4:14 am.  I checked.  Toddler girl woke up at 5:52.  The sun was shining.  The house was completely quiet.  She was soaking wet and so was her bed, AND (from her point of view) she had overslept and everyone had left for the day.

Total freak out ensued.

It took almost half an hour to get her to calm down and stop screaming and by then EVERYONE was up.

I have got to make that kid some black-out blinds.

Once she was calmed down I tried to explain to her that sun-up does NOT mean it is time to get up.  She flat out refused to believe me.  I've been really lucky about not being told "NO" by toddler girl.  Mostly because I think that is the rudest thing and we have let it be known that screaming "No" at your parents isn't acceptable behaviour.  This time however, she KNEW I was wrong and tried to articulate it beyond just no. 

"Mummum, look!" Pointing to window, "Light outside!  Wake up time!"

"In the summer the sun gets up before it's time for people to get up sweetie."

"no.   Up time!"

She still snuck the "no" in there.  I guess she felt it needed to be said.  Fair enough.

Back to the topic of today's post.... How do you explain seasonal variation to a two year old?  It's only going to get worse...

The dilemma - ramblings

I have had a very nice lady make what appears to be a very sincere offer to buy Victoria for a fair price given the parts and effort I put into her.  If I was ever going to sell Victoria, this would be a really good opportunity.  My problem is.... that fair and reasonable offer would not be enough to buy myself a new bike.  No big surprise there really.
If I sold her, I would be well on my way to a Gazelle basic, but I would also be without a bike this summer while I saved up the rest of the money.  If I keep her, it will be a few years before I can afford a Gazelle but I would have a reasonable (if somewhat rickety) bike in the meantime.

I have been really enjoying being car free.  I've gotten some really good rides in.  I have lost 5lbs in the last couple of weeks.  I really feel healthier.  I sleep better.  It has been really good.  I don't want to give that up.

On the other hand, I don't have enough faith in my bike rebuilding skills to believe that I would be able to sell her for this much later.  This is really the right bike for a specific collector.  In a garage sale or classified ad I wouldn't even make my parts cost back.

It's a case of short term or long term benefits and I'm not sure which is which.  If I sell, would I be able to stay active and save up?  Or would the money end up going to the never ending home repairs and I would have nothing?

By the way, if you know where I can legally get $3000 to get my house exterior painted before I end up with more water damage?  But I digress.

Victoria isn't really my DREAM bike.  That's the part of this whole thing that makes me sad.  Victoria is this woman's dream bike.  In terms of looks and parts and features my dream bike would be the Superba I can't afford.  Which is a whole different problem because the bike (that I also can't afford) that would best suit my needs at the moment is likely the Radish by Xtracycle.

I think it is about the ugliest looking bike I have ever even considered owning.  It's $1000 USD.  And I have to pay in full to have the Xtracycle dealer in town bring it in.  No test rides are possible.  Pay first, try later.  Yeah, that makes me squirm too.

It could carry Toddler girl and groceries for five.  Every blog I follow that talks about their Xtracycle as a family bike loves it.  I follow a few bike blogs where they use an Xtracycle instead of a minivan.  See Here and Here and Here.


The Madsen is prettier (to me) with it's swan frame:

but I've been burned by that hybrid seat angle before.   To further confirm this is a problem for me, yesterday Victoria and I went for a couple of rides totaling over 2 hours with Toddler in the Chariot.  No problems.  Today I took V's bike (the same frame style that was causing me pain last year) to the LBS for a minor brake job.  It was less than a 30 minute round trip with a long stop in the middle and by the time I got home my knees and hips were just killing me.

Maybe I'm imagining it, but the Radish looks like a better seat angle.

I wonder if I could write a really nice letter to Miss Sarah at Girls and Bicycles to talk her into letting me test drive her Madsen.  Then I would just need to make the 5 hour trip there to give it a spin.  Mind you, in today's post she is also complaining about pain.  She thinks it's the saddle.  I hope she is right.  That was the first thing I tried changing to fix my hip pain on my former hybrid bike.  It didn't help.  The problem wasn't the seat.

Either way, would I keep using a bike like that in a couple of years when Toddler girl is big enough for a trail-a-long bike?  For groceries?   Maybe.  Pre-toddler I could buy groceries for four just by strategic pannier packing, but the teens were smaller too.

So, for now, Victoria and I are sticking together and towing Toddler girl in the chariot.  It's not an ideal situation, but it works.  I just wish there was a better way for me to manage.  That didn't cost more than I can afford.  It would be really nice to be able to do both a me bike and a practical bike.  I just can't even imagine spending that much on stuff for me.   Not when there is so much else that needs attention around here.  Despite what you make think from the recent tractor purchase, we don't have frivolous money.

Goals

Since things feel like they have come off the rails, I think it's time to restate my goals.  Or at least state my goals, since I'm not really sure I have done that here.

When I started this blog I wanted a place to post the recipes I use in a search-able archive that my girls could access.  And since I was publishing about food, I wanted to post some entries about my belief that "good" and "bad" being irrelevant terms when it comes to food.   Food is just food.  Like anything else, it's all about moderation.

C, who is diabetic has (I think) a fairly good grasp of this.  She can eat anything as long as she watches her portions, balances her exercise and is careful with her activity level.  Eating out of balance (or disordered eating) as it is sometimes called has IMMEDIATE repercussions for her.  The rest of us can justify eating a six pack of donuts because, we don't do it everyday and we will make up for it later.  Then we don't.  She knows that kind of binge eating will make her feel awful right now, so she doesn't do it.

V, well.... some times I worry about you darling.  You talk about food using morality terms, chocolate bunnies as bad.  Well, OK, so eating an entire one as part of your regular diet might be a problem, but it isn't the bunny's fault.  I worry when you come out with statements like "I HATE butter."  I worry that you hide food in your room to be  able to eating things that Candice would have to be careful with.  I'm glad you aren't eating an entire bag of peach candy in front of her, but I worry that the food choices available to you are so unappealing that you would choose to eat an entire bag of peach candy.

And I have no idea how to talk to you about food without making you even more neurotic.  I have the usual food issues that North American women pick up along the way.  I am hoping that by providing a good example and healthy foods for you to choose from that you will find your way.  Or at least be able to counter balance the mixed messages out there.

Then I wanted to find away to be more active.  The CCM might be a right off, but I got into the swimming pool for the first time in two weeks.  It was.... good to be back.  I'm not any worse than I was the last time I was there.  I wish I was better.  I may have to see about saving up for some stroke improvement lessons or something.

I have to keep in mind that the bike as a car alternative was the means not the end.  If I can walk and focus on keeping Toddler girl active during the day, I can juggle cars and run errands in the evenings after T gets home.  Yes, having a practical city bike would help alot, but....  let's just wait and see on that one.  Maybe I'll win the Superba,  maybe I'll find something at a garage sale this summer.

In the mean time, I'll just keep doing what I do.

Waffle recipe to follow.

Now what?

Did I mention I'm stubborn much?  At this point I wish I had just left the darn CCM in the junk heap it came from.  I wish I hadn't spent the money for parts thinking I could fix it.  I wish the frame wasn't so comfortable.  I wish I had put the parts money into a saving account for a new bike.

I still wouldn't have a bike, but I would be closer to being able to buy one.  I got sucked in by the idea of a fixed up vintage bike.  Of saving a bike from the land fill.  Of getting a comfortable bike on the cheap.  All those months of the back ordered parts was just the universe trying to give me a hint that it wasn't meant to be.

All the enjoyment I got out of playing bike repair person is completely ruined by learning I will never be able to ride the bike I put all that work into.  That the two fabulous trips I got out of it were the most expensive bike rides I will ever take.  It was really comfortable.

Now what?

More stubborn.  More at home repairs.  More frustration.  More trying to solve my bike's problems while Toddler Girl doesn't nap.

Maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way.  Maybe I should give up on fixing the CCM for a while and just ....  But that's just it....  just what?

The library is a 5 minute drive away, or 15 minutes by bike, or 30 - 40 minutes on foot.  Or (and this is a kicker) 75 minutes and three transfers by bus.  No.  I am not making that up.  The return trip by bus is faster.  It's only 55 minutes and two transfers.   Toddler girl can't walk that far.  I could put her in the carrier or stroller, but an hour long hike to attend a 30 minute toddler program is .... impractical?  It would be the only thing we could do all morning.  She would sleep in the stroller and be all hyper when we got home.

Neither one of us is keen to spend time on the bus or in the car.  Not after being trapped inside all winter.  And, as previously mentioned, the car isn't a practical option most days.

There is a park that is only a 5 minute walk from home.  I hope snow melts and the mud dries up soon so we can go play there without getting cold and wet.

I don't mind cold, but I can't handle cold and wet.  Muddy washes.  That's the least of my worries.  Kids are made to get muddy, sticky and covered in grime.  It's part of life.  Cleaning them up is what moms (and dads) are for.  Mud made of ice crystals is a special kind of nasty though.  It's hypothermia that sneaks up on you.

Trapped

I don't have the car today.  I don't really feel safe taking the bike for a ride when darling husband is at work and can't come rescue me if I run into problems.  I know I'm not any more trapped at home than I usually am, but it feels worse since it is spring out there and I had been getting some biking in before the failure yesterday.  In the mean time.... what do I do?

If I risk taking the bike, I have to face the chance that I will be miles from home with a broken bike and have to push it and the baby trailer all the way home with an unhappy kidlet in the back.  Again.  It might be fine.  I think I fixed the problem.  If I'm wrong... the negatives out weigh the positives of getting out of the house.

Gosh, I hope I win the bike from Lovely Bicycle.  Yes, I could get a x-mart special for about $150.  It's just that after all the problems I had with the last bargain bike causing me hip pain, I'm not in a rush to get another mountain bike type and try to use it for something that frame wasn't designed for.  The CCM may be a junker, but she was build to be a city bike.  I can tell the difference.  It doesn't hurt to ride.  It is just frustrating when the old girl shows her age.

If it were just me, I would go.  I would be OK with the prospect of having to do road side repairs.  With a toddler along, I have to plan my ride based on never being more that 5 minutes from a public toilet (we are potty learning right now).  Add to that the possibility of having to spend 20 minutes doing emergency repairs and it just isn't feasible right now.  I need to wait until someone can stay with toddler girl and I can go for a test drive.

I was going to pop over to Car Free Family and ask how they deal with potty learning and biking, but I chickened out.  How do you ask total strangers about potty learning without sounding like some internet creep?

UPDATE:  Took the CCM out for a test ride while Hubby stayed in with toddler girl.  It is still non-functional.  I couldn't even make it to the property line.  The only way I can afford to take it for repairs is if I raid the home repairs account.  That money is committed to replacing the windows I already ordered.  Bike vs windows that don't leak.  It's an obvious choice.  I can't put my need for convenient transportation ahead of my family's need for housing. I just wish I had other options.

Argh!

http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/If happiness is taking your bike for a ride with your daughter on a beautiful spring morning, then sadness is having the bike become non-functional at the furthest point in your ride.  I think I just need to re-tension my IGH cable, but the walk home pushing the bike and the trailer while toddler girl begged me to bike was very demoralizing.

UPDATE: I have tightened the cable, but I haven't had a chance to test drive it yet.  I was hoping to post about how I was trying a pedaling technique I read about on Lovely Bicycle where you kind of push back against the saddle as you peddle uphill.  It worked great!  Until my bike failed.

I can't find the post I read it in any more.  It was while I was reading the back episodes that I found a quick two line throw away tip.   I made a mental note to try that, but now I can't even go back and post a thank you since I have no idea where it was.

I really like that blog and others with biking tips written by women.  Now I just need to find a good beginner swimming blog.  I'm missing my pool time tomorrow to take the car in for maintenance at 8am tomorrow and I will miss lane swim completely.  I hope tomorrow is one of the last car days of the summer.