Something About Thursday

I first began to notice when I worked at my last place of employment that it seemed like every Thursday was the day that I would wake up with a diminished level of general excitement.  That’s putting it mildly.  Really, I would seldom describe my ability to get up in the morning as “excitement” unless somehow it falls on the weekend with a plan to ride early.  Only then would I say that I can wake up to hear the little click sound that the alarm clock makes before it starts making the real annoying alarm sound.

It was easy back then… Back when I had the luxury of working from home.  I would roll out of bed, make a pot of coffee and sit down at the ‘puter where I could work a full 8 hour day, productively and without interruption before 2 in the afternoon would roll around.

Life is different now.  Unable to convince the powers that be that there is actually a lot to be said (and gained) by offering, rewarding, encouraging, empowering people to work from home on occasion.  By the time that Thursday rolls around, I feel like I am just wiped out.

Thunderstorms rolled though overnight.  Sleeping with the windows open, one lightning strike and subsequent thunder made me literally JUMP out of bed in a panic.  I looked at the clock with hopes that since I was awake and it was raining I could get ready and head off to work.  Sadly, it was only midnight.  Any later than say 2am and I would have considered heading off to work, but only surviving on a little more than an hour of sleep would have made me REALLY tired.

Thursdays would be an easy day to drive.  When I first started on my “see how long I can pull this riding my bike every day thing off”, I’d make sure that my cycling stuff was packed on Wednesday night.   I would park my bike in front of the car. Now that I really have no choice other than to ride, riding is a bit easier.  I do head off down the driveway a bit slower and I do find myself thinking more about the destination than the journey.

Not long into my rides, I find myself entertained by the sounds and sights of the ride.  Cooler darker mornings as of late get my mind stirring with thoughts of preparations for fall riding and even winter!  Last week on Thursday, I was equally excited to get to work and I reset the trip meter on my bike computer when I arrived at work.  Today made 10 trips counting both back and forth, 5 days, a variety of different routes.  153.38 miles. 

I mention this only because I have been keeping track of mileage since the first of the year.  I have been rounding numbers off to 30 miles per day for commutes.  Other recreational rides have been rounding (generally down) to the nearest whole mile.  It is certainly not 100% accurate, but I do feel better that my estimates are in the ball-park and that I am not artificially inflating my mileage totals. 

Tomorrow looks like a possible Ferrari Friday and may conclude with an off-road adventure.  Hoping to squeeze in an August century ride early Sunday morning.