wonders never cease

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

How to Survive 2020

Want my best survival tip for 2020? Get a Surly Big Dummy.

Dan had been looking at cargo bikes for over a year but the price and timing were never quite right until May. Scrolling through Facebook Marketplace, he found a killer price from a guy who was moving across the country and lacked the extra space to haul his cargo bike. Therefore, despite pandemic lock-downs in Wisconsin, Dan broke quarantine to drive all day to Milwaukee and pick up baby #2, a Surly Big Dummy--no contact, in true 2020 pandemic style (masked).

Worth every penny and every risk! We became the proud owners of our first, bad-ass cargo bike.

Not long after Dan brought the bike home, we purchased a Thule Yepp seat for Nora. Ever since then we’ve been out for rides every. damn. day. No exaggeration. Nora loves it. I love it. Dan loves it. It has significantly improved our quality of life during this strange, strange summer. It finally allowed me and Nora an opportunity to bike together. I had been playing stay-at-home-mom since Dan went back to his regular work schedule in June. We had been getting outside as much as possible previously, but now we were able to go places around the city that weren’t just confined to our little walk-able area. We were able to do grocery pickups and trips to the splash pad and long rides just for the hell of it. I mean, seriously, it was a game-changer for my and therefore, everyone's, moods. I had even gotten to the point of disliking yoga (who knew that was even possible?!)...so this bike came just in the nick of time.

We were getting into shape (okay, just me) and had just warmed up to our new, fall routine (back to work and daycare) when...cue August 10th.

On August 10th, a record-breaking derecho hit Cedar Rapids, ripping down the fence of our once safe and private backyard, knocking over chimneys, uprooting 200-year-old trees, and utterly decimating our city. The bike once again provided respite. Those first few days after the storm, downed trees blocked all entrances and exits to our house. Biking was truly the only (and fastest) way we could get around. We couldn’t find any playgrounds, bike trails, or safe, open spaces but just being on the bike brought back a sense of normalcy. I’ll never forget Nora’s wide eyes and soft whimpers as she pointed at all the destruction around us during those rides. It’s been three weeks since the storm, and she still whimpers and points because sadly, it still looks the same...with the exception that now all the tree branches are dried out, browned, and dead.

Work is now back in full swing, daycare has re-opened, and bike commuting has commenced. I load Nora up in her Yepp seat for our three-block trip to daycare, and then I continue on to Coe. The ride is not like it used to be--calming, shaded, a refreshing cap on either side of my work day. Nope, now it’s heart wrenching--an up-close reminder of the post-apocalyptic year that we’ve had. But yet I feel with each ride a resilience building in me..and that somehow feels like progress.

And the feeling of progress is, I think, the best anyone can hope for in 2020.

Now go get yourself a cargo bike!

Cheers,

Kelly

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

A Snow-filled Nature Fix

When Dan and I planned our Christmas getaway (aka our gifts to each other) in early November, we were dreaming of the perfect winter wonderland. It had been an unusually warm November and early December here in Iowa City, so, call us crazy, we wanted to find winter. We wanted to watch the snow fall, go out (in layers) for a snow adventure, and then cozy up next to a warm fireplace with hot tea. Since neither of us have been further north than Minneapolis, we really had no idea what to expect when we booked the Grand Superior Lodge, but turns out...IT WAS PERFECT. Tucked away in tiny Castle Danger, Minnesota right along the stunning Lake Superior we found our DREAM winter vacation.

After a quick trip to the Spoon Bridge, dinner at the HIPPEST vegan joint in town (shout out to J. Selby's), and a one-night stay at a beautiful mansion (an awesome AirBnB find), we hit the road for the 3-hour trip even further north to Castle Danger. With a total of 8 hours on the road, we passed the time by listening to some STELLAR podcasts. Do you love podcasts? Do you love musicals? Then, trust me, you will freakin' LOVE 36 Questions--the musical PODCAST! I know, you're thinking...how can a musical podcast be quality entertainment with only audio? No. Trust me, trust me, trust me. It's fantastic! Dan loved it too!

Had to get my Spoon Bridge pic in (Minneapolis, MN)

We spent the first evening settling in at the lodge by exploring around the lodge but woke up early the next morning to see the sunrise. Snow was perfectly falling while the steam was perfectly rising off the lake. SO BEAUTIFUL! And because it was snowing, the temp was warm than the day before...above zero! It was...dare I say, pleasant (when properly dressed in layers).

We drove into Two Harbors (a "big" town nearby) and rented fat bikes from the local bike shop, Spoken Gear (which, as turns out, makes the SWEET custom CEDAERO bags that we've been seeing on popular bike blogs). Then we went out, upon recommendation from the bike shop guys, to the Demonstration Forest for a few hours of crisp (ok, cold) air and snowy riding. And I have to admit (as a former fat bike hater)...the fat bikes were a blast! Biking is already an empowering activity for me, but there was something about riding with the huge tires that made the experience even more empowering. It was unbelievably fun to crunch through the snow-packed forest with the fat bikes. Everyone needs to try!

This trip was exactly what I needed to pull out of the wintertime blues (all you Midwest survivors know what I'm talking about), which I inevitably fall victim to each year. Over Thanksgiving break, I read a fascinating book called The Nature Fix which really got me thinking about how my mood correlates with the amount of time I spend in nature. I've always known that my mood changes (for the better) when I'm out camping or riding my bike, but I had never really thought that nature itself could be the reason for feeling better; I just always associated my improved mood with the fact that I was exercising or that it was the weekend or that I laughed a lot with the good company joining me. All of which are still valid factors, but after reading this book, I learned about some cool research behind how nature itself can "fix" us. Have you heard of the Nature Pyramid? Me neither until I read this book. Check it out, friends! We are taught as kids about the food pyramid, but why aren't we taught about the nature pyramid? We, as humans, NEED time in nature to stay healthy (physically, mentally, and spiritually). And just like carbs, fruits, veggies, and proteins, we need regular, consistent, and INTENTIONAL time in nature--starting with several small doses every day (walking to work, lunch breaks outside, etc) and in bigger doses every week, month, and year. Vacations to new cities can be exciting, but in the end, a city is a city is a city. And a city is the opposite of nature and simply cannot give us what our body needs...craves.

This book and this winter vacation has taught me to be more mindful about how much time I choose to spend in nature. Even during single digit temps, being outside had an UNDENIABLE positive impact on my mood. So here's the real lesson: I must be more intentional about getting nature fixes in this winter...my mental health depends on it! And I challenge YOU to be mindful about your nature fixes this new year as well. 2018--THE YEAR OF THE NATURE FIXES! CHEERS!