a wrong turn at Cicero

Today I went on a 25mile bike trip. I had meant to go to hit the forest preserve and take a trail. Smell some decaying trees, pass a few bums and pedal without bus exhaust fumes for a switch. It would have helped if I did a little research. Someone told me about their ride to the Botanical gardens via Elston -60miles round trip. Since my commute is 12 miles round trip and that's where my bike experience begins after a 8 year hiatus with the highlight being a girl scout race in 4th grade, I wasn't ready to go quite that far. But the forest preserve, before the gardens was a doable goal. I figured I could take Elston, see the trees and turn around about 20miles in.

Nope instead I missed the preserve and saw beautiful downtown Niles. A suburb with strip malls and angry drivers.

Alas.

Still excercise is good and learning the hard way seems to be my way. I may try it again on Saturday now that I actually looked up where to go.

And I'm glad I squeezed in a bike ride before my staycation came to an end. It was 11days straight sans day job. Playing fulltime artist for the first bit. Turns out even without corporate bullshit, I am still a procrastinator. I may not watch much tv but the blog reading and the internet social networking thing may be a problem right up there with choc0late bars and cookies. The little voice that should tell me that I don't need a cookie is also derelict in telling me that I don't need to check my email/facebook/jezebel for the 5th time this morning. I'll have to work on that 'cause my Jimmeny Cricket is a slacker.

For the staycation closing I made my sesame tuna vegetable rice dish and bought Bell's Amber Ale. The mix of physical exertion, cooking and beer is a fantastic closer to time off.

Next week though, my first time EVER in Florida. Now I'm a real American or a German/British tourist. Whichever.