An Urban Boychick Takes on the Outdoors

Bike friend Kitty (real name: Grace) is a Japan expert. I mean that for real. Her degrees are in Eastern Studies and her day job has something to do with Japanse-American relationships. She has lived in Japan and recently returned from a trip there. She's also a serious cyclist and is a typically hyper-normal mid-Westerner while also being the kind of nutcase who shows up at events dressed as a penguin. So, I knew I would be good hands when she planned a Japan-themed ride, timed to fall in advance of the cherry blossoms so it wouldn't be a cherry blossom ride. The weather didn't fully cooperate. We were at the tail end of a fierce windstorm that had descended on the whole east coast. Friday had been really crazy, with gusts up over 60 MPH causing our house to make weird moaning noises of a kind we've never heard before. Saturday was a little better, with winds "only" 20-30 MPH. As is my wont, I woke up in plenty of time but puttered around - breakfast, ne...

This winter started out harshly. The "bomb cyclone" in January treated us to single digit temperatures coupled with strong winds. This makes the recent thaw - temps in the 40's and 50's (not to mention a few days with temps in the 70's!) - feel really like springtime. The river, frozen solid six weeks ago, started to reach the 50's as well. It was time to go kayaking! Dressed for biking during the "bomb cyclone" super cold weather. I look ready for the planet Hoth. Unfortunately, no one was available to go paddling last Saturday and it was a rainy day besides, so I didn't go. I awoke Sunday still burning with paddling fever, but the morning was rainy and chilly - not pleasant weather. Fortunately, the rain abated mid-day and I headed out on my own to go paddling. Getting ready to launch Yes, yes, you should never paddle solo, particularly in wintertime. Yes, yes, a person with my medical conditions probably shouldn't paddle solo. ...