Day 3: You can take it with you—but will you?

Day 3 miles to/from work: 26.8
Total miles for S4S: 90.2

Who will buy this wonderful morning?
Such a sky you never did see
Who will tie it up with a ribbon
And put it in a box for me? - Lionel Bart from Oliver!

When temperatures are 80-90+ degrees F as they were last Thursday and Friday (Days 1 and 2 for S4S initiates), it's easy to select biking attire—the least you can legally get by with. Whatever that minimalist garb is, it is preferably fabric that wicks sweat (as opposed to 100% cotton that leaves you in a personal swampland) and has some strategic padding to protect delicate nether regions.

Over the Labor Day weekend, Madison's summer became autumn overnight. When I left this morning, it was 46 degrees—half the temperature I'd last biked in. Cycling clothes for cooler weather are dictated by a tricky equation with variables of bike-generated windchill, body-in-motion-generated heat, and sweat that starts out as over-warm and quickly cools to hypothermic. Layers were my friend as I prepared for yet another chapter of bicycle weather battle. I donned bike shorts covered with ankle-length athletic tights; close-toed bike shoes with socks (rather than last week's sandals); wicking tank top, neon orange long-sleeved zippered shirt, screaming yellow windbreaker; stretchy gloves under my bike gloves; all topped with a stocking cap over ears/under helmet. Ready!

Did I mention that it was an utterly gorgeous morning, with a "severe clear" sky or CAVU (ceiling absent, visibility unlimited—to borrow from Scott's flying vernacular)? I can only invoke more Oliver! lyrics "Who will buy this wonderful feeling? I'm so high, I swear I could fly." That kind of morning.

I must once again thank you for your support that makes my commitment to this project possible. Even as it is doing good for homeless animals (soon-to-be-forever-homed, thanks to you), domestic abuse victims, and even prison inmates, it has to be one of the most selfish things I've ever done. I can't imagine that any creature, human or furry (I realize that becomes redundant for a few folks we know), is getting more joy or benefit from this than I am. With every pedal stroke, I am grateful for your support that fuels this.

When I got to work and changed to "professional attire", I discovered that the new pair of pants I had packed fresh from the laundry had shrunk. Oh shit. We are recruiting for a position on my team, and this week we are interviewing. Although our office maintains an uber-casual dress code, for interviews our group always dresses with the same standards we expect of the interviewee. With that benchmark in mind, I was surprised no candidates showed up with snug, high-water pants displaying highly visible panty lines. Thank heavens for the long jacket.

At noon when I prepared my lunch, I discovered I had forgotten to pack a substantial part of it, along with the semi-healthy snacks that get me through the afternoon. How could this be? What with carting in beginning-of-the-week provisions, the weight of my panniers seemed a pound heavier for every degree the temperature had dropped. I could have biked or even walked to a number of nearby food emporiums; but I had enough to get by, and it's not like I don't have the inner resources and adipose tissue to live off my body for a few hours.

Maybe my lessons learned for the day are: 1) Try on work clothes the night before. 2) Make checklists of what to take. "The shortest pencil is longer than the longest memory." Oh well. It was more funny than bothersome.

It was about 70 degrees for the trip home. Back to bike shorts and tank top, stashing all the other layers in the panniers. The ride home was another collection of perfect, pristine, invigorating, life-giving moments. The effect is enhanced by more downhill swooshing than the ride in—as beautiful as the mornings are, they include far more of an uphill grind. Black flip-flop report:  still there, but looking worse for the wear.

My ride ended with the sun pushing low in the west, and a colorful hot air balloon in the east. Who needs fashionable pants and a full lunch?