November 11, 2020 to November 12, 2020
Two short rides
It feels like it’s time. We were lucky enough to get out on our bikes for each of the last two days, but looking ahead it could be quite awhile before the next one. Unless you count Rachael sweating over the handlebars of the Straggler on her indoor trainer, riding opportunities are going to be few and far between here in Portland for the foreseeable future. This is a biking website after all, so it must be time to shut this thing down until conditions change.
Thank you once more for following along, keeping us company and giving us encouragement through this uniquely stressful time. Before we leave for now, let’s have a last look at the colors of autumn before they wash away.
Wednesday
Rachael decides to make full use of what looks like the last dry day for a fortnight, and zips off to the Columbia River on her Bike Friday for a 43 miler. I don’t do quite so much, logging a mere 35 miles on a ride down to Oregon City to see if the sea lions are in town (they aren’t). In Rockymetrics, 35 miles is barely respectable, only 5/6 of a normal 42 mile ride. But then, she’s only about 5/6 of my age, so maybe we should institute some Scootermetrics also. (61 * 42) / 73 = 35. Perfect. We each put in a full ride today - I in Scooter units, she in Rocky units.
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Thursday
I had a bit of a scare last night. After turning off the TV at the conclusion of the latest episode of our current miniseries (Frankie Drake), I rubbed my eyes and suddenly experienced a wierd, scintillating flashing in my eyes. It immediately reminded me of the early symptoms after one of my cataract surgeries went awry - I’d sprung a leak, and my eye was gradually losing pressure until I went back in for emergency surgery and they stitched it up. A flat tire, the surgeon colorfully described it as. I hate flat tires.
It alarmed me enough that I read up quickly on detached retinas - for some reason a condition that came to mind as a possibility. Triggering conditions linked to this include advanced age (✔️) and prior cataract surgery (✔️✔️). The article also described this as a medical emergency that required prompt medical attention.
I logged on to the Kaiser website to check for available optometry appointments, and was stunned to find an opening at 7:30 just the next morning, at my normal hospital - Interstate, just 3 miles away. The next available appointment isn’t for nearly two weeks, so there must have been a cancellation.
I made an appointment, and then booked a taxi pickup since it looks likely to be raining in the morning. Almost immediately afterwards the flashing went away, but I keep the appointment. I’m overdue for an eye checkup anyway.
Conditions improved overnight, and when I woke up today the onset of rain has pushed out until late morning. I might as well bike then, so I cancel the taxi pickup. When I leave home at a bit before 7, I see a gorgeous rosy sunrise in the east. I forgot the camera though, and by the time I’ve dashed back upstairs to get it the color has already faded. By the time I reach the Broadway Bridge it’s passed on; but trust me, it was spectacular while it lasted.
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So my eyes are fine. I get a thorough exam, and Dr. Schultz sees no evidence of tears or damage. She finds that my prescription has changed a bit though, so I order up a new set of glasses. I need a new pair anyway since I’ve been without a backup ever since that broken set that was repaired last summer rebroke back in Croatia.
By the time I hop back on my bike again, the weather has continued to improve and is surprisingly nice out. I bike across the street to Overlook Park to have a look at two of my other favorite trees in town, and then head downtown to Caffe Umbria and my belated morning coffee, biking cautiously since my eyes are still dilated.
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Surprisingly, the weather outlook just keeps improving. Now it looks to stay dry until dinner time, so Rachael heads off toward Gresham and returns a boring, predictable 43 miles later. Stuck in a rut, she is. She comes back a bit downcast though, saying she won’t bike out that way again for awhile. The homeless situation is getting out of hand there again, and the loos are all locked up for the duration of the pandemic.
Sad, but then in this weather she’s not likely to be riding anywhere outdoors for weeks anyway.
I bike back from the coffee shop thinking through the places I might ride myself, and settle on Sauvie Island for a chance to see the cranes. That, together with the 7 miles to my eye appointment and back this morning will bring me up to a full RBU (Rocky Biking Unit) for the day. Rachael will be so proud of me, thinks me.
When I get home and check the mail though, there’s an item from my sister Elizabeth. She’s been watching the weather also, and thinks today might be our last chance for awhile to meet for a safe, distanced outdoor visit in Jamieson Park. We haven’t met yet since returning to town, so of course I want to do that. I shorten my sights and just ride out to the end of Leif Erickson Drive. This is a great little unpaved road running along the base of Washington Park, and it’s really pretty today with the road layered with a five mile long unbroken band of decaying broadleaf maple leaves.
I get back in time for a shower before my visit with Elizabeth. We enjoy a good visit, shivering a bit out in the open. About four, the wind picks up and yellow leaves start showering from the trees. I make it back to the apartment just before the first rains hit. I only log 28 miles for the day: .67 RBU or .80 SBU, depending on the standard. I can at least claim credit for good intentions though - If I hadn’t been summoned by Elizabeth I’d have gone out to Sauvie Island, for sure.
Later in the night the first real winter storm will blow through, bringing heavy winds, pounding rain, and power outages. Now, it really does feel like the end of the season, and time to end the blog. We’ll see you whenever.
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(Insider knowledge?)
Grumby Biking Unit* calculation:
(42*35)/(50+58)=13.61.
GBU not to be confused with GBO!
4 years ago