Leveling Up

“Nobody ever said that leveling up was easy.”

That’s what my amazing husband-to-be said to me tonight as I was doubled over my bike, gasping for breath, asking myself why the heck I do this to myself. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, that one.

Most days, I really do enjoy my bike ride to work or home. Really, I do. Sure, I have the inner monologue that changes its mind about once every thirty seconds, and I usually keep a healthy debate going with it pretty often. Especially right before the top of a few of the bigger hills. Tonight, though… well, it wasn’t easy. After two months of watching very carefully what I eat, recording everything that goes into my mouth, cycling at least three (if not seven) days a week… I’ve managed to gain weight. Not the “oh, you’re adding muscle mass” type of weight either – because I’ve added inches as well.

Let me stop here and say that usually, 99 percent of the time, I really couldn’t care less what the scale says that particular day. I could have lost or gained or stayed the same… as long as I feel like I’m being healthy, it’s all good. But really? I feel like I’ve been cheated or something. I’m doing everything (mostly) “right,” so why are the numbers heading the wrong direction?

Like Pete said, though, nobody said leveling up is easy. Unfortunately, there’s no little progress meter at the bottom of the screen for life. Like the poppies in our garden, though, I just have to remind myself that things don’t always go according to plan, but that doesn’t make them any less interesting or less beautiful. Just different — which, most of the time, is even better.

Multi-Modal kind of gal

I’m the first one to admit, there are times my brain get stuck on an idea and I get a bit obsessed with it. There are times that this has not turned out so well, and there are times it actually does alright. Multi-modal transport is one of those obsessions I have returned to multiple times, and I think I might finally be reaching a balancing point.

What exactly is multi-modal transport? Well, it’s a catch-all term for doing things other than just driving or just bussing or just riding one’s bike. I’ve tried to do the exclusively-bike-commuter thing, and that hasn’t worked well. Exclusively bussing causes issues now and again. Exclusively driving, well, that’s kind of the return point – something I’ve done because I always did it.

Growing up, I lived in rural Idaho where your best bet for public transportation was calling your parents for a ride. Cycling and walking worked sometimes and kind of – but our house was a good few miles outside of town, and that seemed like Such A Long Way when you’re 12. By the time I was in high school and could drive, I drove every day because it was the quickest and easiest way to get around. Sure, I rode my bike now and again, but more for fun than as transportation.

In college it was much the same – Helena didn’t have public transport, and I didn’t have a bicycle at college with me – so walking and driving it was.

When I eventually moved to Spokane, I was admittedly So Excited to live in a place that had mass transit. I would drive from my house to the park n’ ride lot, and then hop the hour-long bus ride to work. It wasn’t long, though, until I figured out driving took me 20 minutes. Then I moved, and a bus ride would have been 90 minutes. So, I drove most of the time. Mountain Gear was great, though, in encouraging biking to work (I didn’t appreciate showers at work until I didn’t have them). So, I bought an amazing cruiser bike that I dearly love from a co-worker, and starting biking every now and again. That was a 14-ish mile ride, and while I did it a few times, I didn’t do it as often as I should have. Cold, snowy winters and many workdays that lasted unexpectedly long talked me out of it.

The bug had been planted in my brain, though.

To make a very long story short, two jobs and a move later, I’m trying it again. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’ve gained about 100 pounds since college (ouch. That hurts to type) and am more out of shape than I like to admit. There are no showers at my work, and so I am going through deodorant at an alarming pace. I’m liking it, though, I really am.

Believe me, I understand better than anyone the arguments for not biking or bussing. If I didn’t work downtown, I probably wouldn’t be nearly as excited about it. At the same time, I am discovering that in less than a month I’ve cut my on-bike commute time from 58 minutes to 37. It feels good to wake up and have my working out done before I even start work. Best of all, I don’t feel guilty about the calories in the mocha I get some mornings. While the ride downtown is lovely and partially downhill, I still load my bike up on the bus rack for the trip home. I am not nearly as confident that I would survive the uphill.

Biking or bussing to work isn’t for everyone. There are benefits though, and this is one “lifestyle change” I’m hoping to keep up with. Besides, Bike To Work Week is next week, and if a 350-pound girl on a giant cruiser bike and a serious coffee addiction can give it a shot, I’m willing to think just about anyone could. Besides, I’m about to put a cup holder on the basket on the front of my bike… because what would be better than feeding two addictions at once?