Bellas and Bellies

I owe a huge thanks to Erika and Linda for inviting me out to the Bella ride today. I learned a great lesson in the power of the group ride. Flashback to yesterday: Mike and I head out for a ride. I turn around at the top of Tunnel Road (5 miles from home) feeling fat and depressed that my belly has gotten so big that riding the road bike cuts off circulation in my legs. I ride home alone, lamenting the fact that this might be the last ride on my beloved Moots for the remaining 4 months of pregnancy.

A few hours later , in swoops Mike (from aformentioned ride), declaring that the Moots is ready to rumble on tomorrow's Velo Bella group ride. Mike has added spacers, flipped the stem, and tilted the handlebars up towards the heavens, allowing me to sit upright while I ride. Although it didn't look like this handlebar attachment, it felt about the same.

So, today, I was a new woman and clicked away 55 miles with a crew of fabulous Bellas and Left Coast women. I think I have about 3 weeks left with this current upright setup, and then I might have to hang her up and become friends with my new mountain bike.

Coffee Talk

I'm midway through my pregnancy. Our little Buddah is kicking regularly, even as I type this post. These daily reminders that he's healthy and growing are a thrill and Mike and I have already started 'watching' baby TV, meaning that we sit in silence with our hands on my belly, entertained by our little guy's actions.

The second trimester has been a breeze so far. My only complaint is that I sure could use a few more gears on the bike to get my extra 24 pounds up the steeper climbs. I did my first mama group ride yesterday with Taitt and Emily, both of whom are due within a few weeks of me. It was a blast.

One additional perk of the second trimester, is that coffee is starting to sound appealing again. Although I have been pregnant for 21 weeks, today was only my 3rd cup of coffee. It's freezing cold and raining and a good cup-o-Joe at Cole, along with some real cream, sounded like a great way to start this lazy Sunday.

You cannot imagine my surprise, when I discovered this article on the cover of today's SF Chronicle. Simeon, the boy pictured with his mother, enrolled in my pre-algebra class last May. He was living in a shelter and had missed the entire year of school up until that point. His mother was eager to get materials for him to study at home. Simeon shined, not just in math class, but in English where he was students' favorite choice to read Shakespeare aloud because of his gift for intonation and making the books come alive. He was my student again this year in algebra until his sudden departure at the end of October. His mother stopped by the office to return his textbooks, but we never knew why she had moved him to another school.

Coffee mug in hand, rain crackling on the Cole Coffee awning, it was a great morning to read the SF Chronicle and discover that there's a happy ending to his departure from my school.

Kickin' on the Coast

We spent the weekend up on the Sonoma Coast. We found a little house overlooking the water and surrounded by good rides. We took along enough of the kitchen and 'wine cellar' to assure we could fully participate in the season of gluttony. Then for four days we

rode

and ate

and rode

and ate

and recovered.