11:00pm Monday night, late and nothing to do. I grab the Panasonic and go down to the garage, install my “new” saddle and go for a ride.
I don’t do much riding at night so it was a nice change. No cars in the neighborhood, I have the roads to myself. No exhaust in my face, nobody on my six.

I ride through Clarendon, past the “clubs” with a few drunk and desperate people on the streets. This is when you notice how quiet the fixed gear is. You also hear all the creaks and ticks a bike makes.

I take Clarendon Blvd. down through Rosslyn and cross Key Bridge, into Georgetown and down M St. More clubs and more drunk and desperate. Some G-town boys getting rowdy, throwing bottles and garbage. A block away MPD eats a slice of pizza.

I turn onto Penn. and crank a little harder because of the hack behind me. I don’t know how fast I was going but it wasn’t fast enough; he shoots me a look.

I get to 17th and Penn. and have to stop. I attempt a track stand but I’m not very good at it. I make a tight circle and try it again but the light turns green and I cross. I pass the Old Executive Office Building and negotiate the barriers. I ride by the White House with the moon in the background.

Skateboarders on Freedom Plaza do whatever they do there, despite the signs. One boarder catches me in the corner of his eye, I’m pacing him as he glides over the granite(?) surface. I loop around the plaza and down 14th, right onto Constitution and onto The Ellipse. Here I get a great view of The Washington Monument, also with the moon in the background. The monument stays lit up so it’s much more impressive than The White House, late at night.

I head back on Penn and through G-town without incident. From the overpass at Rock Creek to Wisconsin Ave. there are only taxi cabs, police cars and a garbage truck. I hate riding behind garbage trucks, the exhaust, the smell and the slime that oozes from the back. I stand on the pedals and pass him as the light turns green. He roars as he crosses the street but moves very slow.

Halfway to the Key Bridge, someone is on my six honking on the horn. WTF!?!? Two lanes and NO TRAFFIC! He passes and yells something incoherent out the window. I stop and let him pass before I get to the bridge.

The wind has picked up but crossing the bridge is no problem. The smell of the Potomac River is strong but not unpleasant as the wind carries it downstream.

Back into Rosslyn and up Wilson Blvd. This is the climb that I regret after a long ride but gives me no problem tonight. I stand, once again, on the pedals and move swiftly up the hill. In the daytime, with cars all around me, it’s not so easy.

The last of the hardcore party people have gone home or wherever and it’s just cleanup crews and closers locking the doors. A DJ sits in his car with the music loud enough to get him a ticket at this hour.

Back through the neighborhood; it’s dark and quiet, no cars, I have the streets to myself. All but silent, I ride slow enough so I can hear my tires on the new stretch of pavement. I barely pedal as I reach my front door.

1:00am, I’m surprised the birds sing so late/early, who’s listening? I guess I am. I’m also surprised it’s only 1:00.

I’m tired and stinky, time for a shower and bed.

So, I decided that, this year, I’d commute as much as I can. I work as a freelance photographers assistant so it’s not always an option but I’m going to try. One of my main guys moved out of his studio and now has an office in his house. The commute to the studio was easy, just about four miles, mostly downhill. Now, It’s about 8 miles uphill on the way to his place.

Yesterday was my first real ride since winter set in. It was in the upper thirties when I left my place and threatening rain for my return ride. I recently purchased a fender just for this reason.

My ride in started out fine, taking the same way into town as i would to get to the studio. From there, it’s all up hill. literally! After crossing Key Bridge over the Potomac River, I turn on to M St. for about two blocks. From there I make a left on to 33rd St. and head north. I’m breathing heavy but not too heavy for now.

As I get to the top of 33rd, where it meets Wisconsin Avenue, I’m starting to feel it; the cold air stings a bit with every breath and I’m taking huge breaths at this point. I realize that the experimental “couch training” has done little for my endurance, climbing or general health.

I maneuver through traffic and on to Wisc. Ave. north bound, up hill. As I make my way through Glover Park there is a small but welcome leveling off before another climb. My lungs are now chugging along at a rate that is uncomfortable at best, and now my breakfast is trying to make an appearance.

The hill gets a bit steeper as I get closer to the National Cathedral. Cars are now honking their horns and giving me dirty looks as they pass. I’m keeping to the right in the right lane without getting too close to the parked cars.

Surprisingly, my legs don’t burn. In fact, they feel pretty good. I can feel that they are weak but I just thought they would feel worse.

Cappuccino and oatmeal. Just a reminder. I keep it down as I spin along.

At this point, I think that I must be using my lungs to their capacity. I am breathing so hard that it hurts, in and out. I also come to realize that I am breathing as much exhaust as air. This doesn’t help my stomach.

By now, I’m Almost there. At Van Ness St. I turn on to 39th, one more small climb and the last five blocks are down hill.

BTW, I managed to keep my breakfast down.

I’ve learned a few things after this ride.

1. I am out of shape.

2. the couch is no friend of mine.

3. I am out of shape.

4. I love riding my bike!