accidental adventure

It all started with a plan to go to yoga this morning.

Strangely enough, even though I didnt go to sleep until midnight last night, I was awake and raring to go at 7:30 this morning..... well, except for the fact that I didnt want to leave my warm bed.

So I got up at 8 and had a half-piece of toast with p.b. and banana and a sprinkling of chia seeds and water, with the plan to leave at 8:30 for the 9am class.

Well, without getting into too much boring detail, 8:30 came around and I hadnt changed yet.

So the internal dilemma began...

Should I go? Can I make it?

Hesitation.

Finally I decided to just go and hope that I make it on time. I could do it!

Leaving the house at 8:47, I worried. I might not make it, but, hey, ....go anyway. If you're not too late arriving, you could go in late (which I hate!)

But without driving like a bat-outta-hell, 8:56 came all too soon with my exit only just appearing, and the studio still too far to reach...

Well it is such a beautiful day, Ill just drive around the loop and swing back instead of turning around, while a little voice in the back of my head was urging me to just keep going and head for the coast, even though the tank was nearing E and the $8 for yoga would not get my very far...

As I crossed the Fremont bridge going south, I snuck a peak over my shoulder: the chic buildings of the Pearl edging into the sky on the right, the fog-lined bridges criss-crossing over the shimmering Willamette, the silhouette of Mt. Hood jutting in the background.

Ugh, GORGEOUS!

So as I looped around, filling my eyes with the city-scapes from the other side heading back north, I decided at the last minute to take Marine Drive back home for some more gorgeous views.

as soon as a plane landed in front of me, with the mountain in the background, I thought: I have to photograph that.

and thus began the plan.

Originally, I was just going to drive back, but I wanted to get pictures from a few different places in the trail that lined the road.

I could run along it.

...but carrying my camera would be kind of awkward.

and then I remembered: Tarah left her bike at the house....

I could bike!

I hadnt even had any coffee but it felt like I had had 10 cups!

I got back to the house, ran around back to find out if the bike was really still there.

It was.

YES!

(imagine fist pump)

The excitement mounts.

Luckily I was already changed so I just put on a few more layers and a hat, grabbed a few snacks to take (and finished the other half of the p.b./banana toast from earlier I took for after yoga) and filled my water bottle.

I knew I was going to have to drive down closer to Marine Drive, because I knew I would be way too tired after the ride to make it back up the hill to our house. Hopefully I could get the bike to fit in my trunk well enough to make it there and back.....

and then, in another moment of pure perfection, as I brought the bike up front to try to maneuver it into the trunk, I spotted, triggering my memory, the van.

YES!!!!

Driving down the street, I hadnt been so excited about anything in a really long time.... this was going to be great!

...

It was almost like a 'choose your own adventure' story, where these plans were seemingly coming from a flip of a page; coming from thin air, falling into my head.

Yesterday's run, though tiring and fulfilling, left me still yearning for movement. All afternoon, my legs were still craving more.

I knew yoga would help; to stretch and release a lot of that energy as it always does, but this was even better; I was doing so much in one little activity: enjoying the sun and outdoors, getting exercise and taking photos!

perfect!