on sunday for the first time i tried that insane practice of fastening the feet to the pedals. wow. i didn't think it was possible for me to love cycling EVEN MORE, and especially after the disheartening experience of chugging in vain after the racers i was riding a little less joyfully. but that's all different now.

and tonight i took the goat up to the roof and cleaned off the caked on salt and dirt and unmentionable substances and greased the chain and just spun the wheel musing, listening to that comforting patient clicking sound the freewheel makes.

and i feel calmer and steadier and more satisfied than i've been since the weather grounded me, so i celebrated by signing up for the new york cycling club's ten-week training program. i am clipped in and locked on, baby! the goat and i are not stopping for nothing. riding laps around the park i started speaking to it, which i hope turns out to be more endearing than disturbing, but that and trying to outrun my cycling buddy were the only things keeping me up to speed, so that creepy habit is here to stay.