![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/afternoonwaterfront.jpg\" "\\"afternoonwaterfront\\"")
<\/a>\nI couldn’t wait for the clock to change so I could get outta there. It was technically my Friday and I was chomping at the bit to ride home. I rode through downtown (really easy because I made all the lights) and onto the Esplanade toward the Steel Bridge. The Steel Bridge was up.<\/p>\n
I forgot to pause my Heart Rate Monitor for the three minutes or so I was waiting for the bridge to go back down, but that’s not too bad. I remember when I used to run the waterfront at lunch and it was sooo stressful when the bridges were up. I was concerned about my run time. I was worried I’d be back to the office late. Everything had to be timed just right. Lots of stress.<\/p>\n The Portland Spirit Cruise ship was the reason for the delay. I calmly waited on the Steel Bridge while the cruise ship passed and then I was on my way. I biked to the east side of the Esplanade toward the Springwater Trail.<\/p>\n The ride was going well. When I got on the Springwater I noticed that a guy was drafting off me. I’ve mentioned before that it feels weird to me to have a stranger draft on me, especially without asking or saying anything. Maybe I am just extra paranoid because I’m a woman and the line of work I’m in makes cautious around strangers, but it was making me really uncomfortable. I kept glancing back. I slowed down so he could pass me. But he’d just adjust his speed to stay right on my tail.<\/p>\n I was ready to just pull over and stop, let him continue on, when he pulled up beside me and said “Thanks for letting me draft off you.” I glanced over and saw a gentle-looking older man and no longer felt weirded out by him drafting. I said it was okay, that it was kinda weird for me when strangers did it. He laughed it off and then offered to take the lead for awhile. I happily allowed him to pass me and drafted off him. It was actually nice drafting off him because the entire bike ride home was against a WALL of WIND. It was brutal.<\/p>\n Afternoon Commute Stats:<\/strong><\/p>\n Time: 42 minutes<\/strong> My total mileage for Thursday was 16 miles<\/strong>. Not exactly 25 I’d like to be doing a few times a week but decent. I like my new route. And soon I’ll be biking from further away. My hope is by the end of summer I don’t have to drive at all and can bike from the house.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>
\nI got through Sellwood and back to the car with no issue. Having to carry my backback with all my gear was troublesome but since I had Friday off I had to take it all with me. I arrived at the car happy about my bike ride.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nCalories Burned: 338<\/strong>
\nDistance: 8.47 miles<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>
\nAfter I got home Michael and I had some errands and we ended up going out to dinner to Petite Provence<\/a>. It’s a lovely French restaurant on SE Division. I’ve been there before and honestly, after the lackluster French Onion soup I’ve had lately, it was time for some good<\/em>\u00a0stuff!<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nMichael and I split the Monte Carlo sandwich. It came with a salad and I had only a few bites of the salad. The sandwich was rich with smoked turkey, oozing pepper jack cheese, tomato and salty bacon. The bacon really made the sandwich!<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nI loved that Michael was willing to split the sandwich! We are finally back to sharing entrees (yay!).<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nHow much do you want that sandwich? Just wait until you see the French Onion soup!<\/p>\n