pumped and ready to roll

the sun was shining today. shining and making me squint! i forgot how good the sun feels.
instead of walking to campus, which i loathe, by the way, i jumped on ol rico sauve for an inaugural bike ride. it was just as wonderful as i remember. me and that bike... we're good friends.

also, this happened to the stairs outside my apartment... and considering the fact that i will be 21 next tuesday, i hereby declare it birthday week.... which means nothing besides the fact that i give myself permission to eat more chocolate than usual.

and maybe i just want to take lots of pictures of my new shoes?  

good feeling 13

fall is sticking around regardless of the fact that christmas keeps trying to butt on in here.... like somehow on the way to work this week my fingers put my car radio on some seasonal tunes. seriously, alyssa. stop that. 

day thirteen- i jumped on my bike and rode around today. the weather was unseasonably warm so i headed out, camera around my neck, dress blowing in the wind. (probably a little bit too closely for comfort, but tights make it all okay, right?) my tire was flat due to serious neglect, and riding was somewhat awkward. 

it was awesome still. today at church our stake president said something about the difference between experiencing joy and having fun... and that is about the point i trailed off and remember little else of what he said, BUT it got me thinking. this semester i've had fun. i've done cool things and met sweet people, but i feel like i've also learned how to be a little more joyful- snap a couple more pictures, bottle up a few more memories of hanging out in nature, bask in a good meal with friends, learn things for myself and not related to academia and whatnot. it's lovely. i'm joyful.

we'll all float on okay

utah lake is a funny place.
when i was, oh- 10? 11? i went boating here with my family and almost capsized thanks to a freak storm and some torrential winds. let's just say my most vivid memories of a near death experience are linked to this mucky reservoir, and needless to say, my views on this lake are a little tainted. i hadn't been back since.
however, yesterday i was feeling a little restless, and finding this place via bike was on my list. sundays do that to me. many thanks to my gps for helping me get out there, the wind for not completely blowing me away, and the ticket girl at the gate for letting me in without paying after i promised i just wanted to ride around. (i think i could have taken her)
it was windy, flooded, and bleak looking, but charming nonetheless. plus i found the provo river trail, which doesn't really hold a candle to the boise greenbelt, but is an acceptable substitute. for now at least.

***
so i've been thinking a lot about this article lately. john huntsman and his comments in time. i am not much of a stars and stripes, red white and blue republican, but found his comments on being mormon a little unsettling, nonetheless. that was, however, until i read this article, and then got a good laugh at the comments. now where shall i cast my stone? ... i mean vote.

everything is right in the world.

it had been just too long, and this long distance thing just wasn't working out.

after 2 long springs apart, rico decided to hitch a ride with my family, and move in with me.

he's been living in my living room for the past couple days, and i take him out to go to the gym or whatnot, just hoping and praying that no one steals him seeing as right now i am lock-less.

today i rode to school and the sun was shining high noon and my hair was wild, and luckily none of the bike cops were out, seeing as rico isn't registered. and i was riding on campus, which is a big no no. 

i have spring fever. more like get class done quick fever.

more like all i want to do is ride my bike. and listen to this american life. 

and not do research for my 6 page spanish paper. 

I DID IT!

I finally found the PERFECT BIKE.

Meet the Silver Bullet.
As you can see, it was love at first sight.

So if you've been reading my previous posts, you know that I've been searching craigslist.com religiously every day for an old road bike to take to BYU with me in the fall. Much of my searching has been to no avail, but yesterday I found a nice black one I liked quite a lot, and when I e-mailed the guy about it, he actually responded! (Quite a feat, let me tell you) I set up a time to go see it, and today Anna Thorn and I trekked all over the city of Eagle looking for the place. Not easy. When we finally did find it however, I found the bike to be BEAUTIFUL and too big. :( I was sad- it was in mint condition. But alas, it evidentially wasn't meant to be, for on our way home going down State Street, Anna pointed to the side of the road. There were bikes! We turned around, went to the shop, and there was MY bike. And for a fraction of the price of the one I found on craigslist. His name is the Silver Bullet. Ahhh I can't wait to go riding. :)