Utilitaire Gone to Hell

Well try as I might, I didn't get much riding done this week  I commuted on Tuesday, but had to drive on Monday, Thursday, and Friday so that I could get to my daughter's basketball games after work.  Wednesday's bike commute was cancelled so I could drive my daughter, a relatively new driver, home from school in the snow and freezing rain. This was a good plan except for the fact that there was no snow and freezing rain.  So that leaves today.  Today I did my errands by car because I had to get the car inspected.  Try as I might, I could not get our 2004 Accord to fit on the back of my Sequoia.  Since I was already out with the car, I did a coffee run and my trip to the pharmacy, leaving very little for me to do on my bike tomorrow.

The weather was supposed to be lousy today so I decided to ride my recumbent in the basement. It's attached to a resistance trainer which keeps me from riding in very tight circles.  It was only my second basement ride this winter which is proof positive that I am getting lazier with time.

So what do I do while riding in the basement, you ask?  (I heard you.  Yes, you over there with the cappuciino.)
I watched the movie The Visitor.  I highly recommend it. Richard Jenkins, a character actor who you will surely recognize, was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar, but the rest of the cast is wonderful too.  I bought the DVD at a sale for $5 about 6 months ago and just now got around to watching it. Two thumbs waaay up.

After that was over, I decided to watch some of Seven Worlds Collide, a DVD of a series of concerts in support of Oxfam,  Normally, these agglomerations of stars from different bands sound dreadful, but this one is excellent.  It doesn't hurt when the band includes Neil, Tim, and Liam Finn, Eddie Vedder, Johnny Marr, Ed O'Brien and Phil Selway from Radiohead, Sebastian Steinberg from Soul Coughing, and Lisa Germano.  I made it halfway through (I watched it at least 4 times before) and decided to come back above ground.  Three hours is a long time on an indoor bike. I learned that the whole time I was spinning away the wind was howling outside so no regrets about riding indoors from me.

I might get a Utilitaire ride in tomorrow. We're out of AAA batteries and the remote to the crummy old basement TV needs some.  I have to do it early because I have to drive my daughter to Dulles which will pretty much kill the afternoon.

My hat's off to those of you who are forging ahead with MG's Utilitaire Challenge.