FINALLY a nice day, and this happens

I was dying (and I'm not kidding here... literally figuratively dying) to do stuff outside. I've been suffering from cabin fever from the months of freezing weather. Today the weather was glorious. Absolutely amazing after so many crappy, cold days. The forecast for today was to be 20C and all sun.

I was so excited. I got Scott to tune up my bike yesterday afternoon. I packed a knapsack and picked out my clothes before I went to bed. I went to sleep at 10 so I could be full of energy. I even went to my maps app and plotted my route. It would take 20 minutes it said. Perfect.

I like getting to work at around 8 to get my classroom set up for the day so I left this morning at 7:25. I put the school key in the front pocket of my bag so I could open the door. After all, I'd be there before everyone else. Right?

Wrong. The ride started off great but when I hit the bike path was when things took a turn. Or should I say went uphill. I swear the hill was 45 degrees and about a kilometre long. And you know how the most satisfying part of a hill is the down? Well not today. The down was about eight feet down to a red traffic light at the "bottom". Boo. The rest of the ride was at a steady upward grade that I could barely see but my legs and heart sure did. Plus it was on busy freaking streets because the path ran out. Ugh. And where the hell did that crazy wind come from?

By the time I got to work, I was sweaty and bedraggled. I was hot, tired and my legs were water. My heart was beating out of my chest and it took me 15 minutes to catch my breath. Oh and did I mention it was nearly 8:15? It was nearly 8:15. It took me over 45 minutes to go what takes 7 minutes in the car.

I spent the rest of the day whining and complaining about that ride and dreading the ride back. A parent even offered me a ride home and several co-workers (hi Chelsey and Heidi!) suggested I just leave the damned bike at work and bus it home, picking up the stupid thing tomorrow and throwing it in the back of the car.

But nope. I knew that the ride would be downhill most of the way (and it was actually kinda fun to ride the brakes nearly the whole way back) so I put on my big girl panties and went. It only took me 30 minutes this time and as I lay in the grass in my front yard, collapsed with exhaustion, I knew that this bike ride was never to be repeated.