Training Log Archive: PG

With Phil in Whately and Deerfield.

Going just as hard as I could, and still couldn't keep up a lot of the time. (My ride as seen disparagingly through Phil's eyes.)

Pleasant conversational ride, except every so often Phil would get frisky and go off by himself for a while. (An alternative view.)

Bought a new bike afterwards, as the current one is condemned.

C • bike 5

I suppose this could be logged as a strength workout?

Took a trip to Litchfield (my mom's house) yesterday evening, part of the purpose being to pick up a piece of art that was destined for Yale. The art in this case was a bronze relief, 21 x 28 inches and maybe an inch deep. Still on the wall. The appraiser had been in, but hadn't tried to move it.

It hadn't really occurred to me that it might be heavy. Really heavy.

And also apparently stuck to the wall. I tried to wiggle it, no movement. Then tried a soft upward blow on the lower right corner, then a little harder, then a little harder, and it popped loose, at least the right side would move up. I figured it was hung on two supports and I'd just freed up the right one.

So, over to the lower left corner, bop it until it frees up.

Now the moment of truth, and questionable judgement on my part. The moment of truth -- well, the thing was damn heavy, I could lift it, but I didn't have a lot of strength to spare. The questionable judgement -- I took a good solid grip on both sides, but for some reason on the lower part of each side.

A good strong move to lift it up first to clear any possible hook mechanism that might be holding it. Great, it's clear. Except now, my hands are up to about eye level, with most of the weight of the piece above my hands, and it doesn't take a lot of brainpower to figure out that is a very unstable position. Imagine a guy doing bench presses with way too much weight and no spotter.

The immediate and obvious concern was not just how to get it down, but how to get it down without damaging it, or the floor (it could have made a sizable dent), or me. I looked for a safe landing spot. A couch in the living room seemed perfect, but it was about 30' away and down three steps.

I got down the steps but I was shaking, the piece would start to tilt one way, I'd correct, it would go a little farther the other way, I'd correct...

I got about halfway to the couch when I lost it.

At least it was coming down in front of me and not over my back.

The upper part rotated forward and down. I hung on as hard as I could, no way I could stop it, but I steered it just enough to catch the corner of a rug. Not exactly a soft landing, but for sure not what it might have been. No damage to the art, nor the floor, nor it seems to me.

After a while, when my heart rate had calmed down, I lugged it over to the couch, just barely able to lift it. And this morning managed to get it in the Subaru.

But all I could really think was, Too bad there wasn't any video. :-)

C • This 4

C • Video 4

Good weather again, so out on the bike. Can't say it felt good, but it didn't feel awful.

Cold rain, so biking was not a pleasant option. Time for the first run in a couple of months. Survived.

And then another trip to Litchfield, a visit to a meeting of the Litchfield Housing Trust. Just wonderful.

Getting closure in many different ways over the past month. A little bit of yelling needed at banks that don't get customer service, but other than that making huge progress.

Short and flat, trying not to put out much effort and actually succeeded. :-)