Welcome to September! Hopefully we’re now done with the weather in the 90s (maybe even the 80s after this week) here in the Pacific Northwest. Though there are some serious heatwaves going on elsewhere right now, regardless of the fact that we’ve ticked over into meteorological fall.

Climate chaos is just getting started, folks. In case you missed it (the US news isn’t so great at highlighting calamities when they befall mostly black and brown folks) – 1/3 of Pakistan is currently underwater due to historical flooding and Jackson Mississippi – a freaking state capitol – has no running water.

The 2020s are sure the decade where we see increasing regular disasters and react to each one less and less because there is simply too much to comprehend. Any one of these things back in 2012 (heat dome in California, heat waves elsewhere, flooding all over the world, and absence of running water) would have been front page news.

Now, it’s just a regular day – we acknowledge that they’re happening, and then move on with our days. If we notice at all.

(Shoutout to those who aren’t ignoring these things. It isn’t “too late” to do something about climate change – every fraction of percent of warming we block reduces the calamity we will see as a result)

Friday’s Frugal Five

1. I went on my very first bike ride event on Sunday! The nonprofit I’m on the board of joined Peace Peloton for a bike ride from Downtown Redmond Park to Metier Brewing in Woodinville. Peace Peloton is a nonprofit organization that puts together bike rides specifically to and from Black owned businesses, with the goal to encourage folks to make a habit of visiting them in the future. If you’re local, absolutely check them out. They do non-bike events as well, for those who want to show up for a Night Market or other event instead.

The ride itself was a little over twelve miles, and with getting to Redmond and then home from Woodinville, I put on 30 miles that day. I used the power assist for hills but otherwise rode my bike without the electric boost. Exhausting, and so rewarding. I expect I’ll do more group rides in the future.

2. My bike purchase came with a 250 mile tune up from the bike shop I purchased it from, so I dropped it off after work on Monday. The integrated lights I’d bought had been back ordered, so they installed those as well.

While some people put on significantly more miles than I do on their bikes, I’m pretty pleased that it took me only a couple months to need the tune up. The more I bike, the more I find ways to replace car trips. I’ve definitely become a convert. If you’re still considering an e-bike, I’m here to tell you to do it. You absolutely won’t regret it.

3. Our neighbor across the street dropped off a bag of hand me down shorts for the kiddo that their son grew out of. All week, he’s been wearing, and loving them, which is great, because he’d grown out of most of the ones he owns otherwise.

While the weather is starting to cool down, I’m sure he’ll be wearing shorts for a while, and they’re athletic shorts, so decent odds he’ll get some use out of them next summer. And regardless, we will be sure to pass them on to another family once he outgrows them.

4. If you remember back to the beginning of the year, I did Dry January for the first time. I think I’ll probably be doing that every year now, but I also decided to mix it up and do Dry August as well. We’re in September now, so I’ve completed that challenge!

I found myself at two breweries during the month (including the end stop for the aforementioned bike ride) and a friend’s birthday centered around French wine and cheese. All three times, I considered breaking the month streak, but found other nonalcoholic options to enjoy instead. While I may really like a nice cold white or blush wine to end a summer day, it was great to find other alternatives, even surrounded by alcohol.

5. September 1st also marked five and a half years for my clothes buying ban. And I still haven’t written than five year post. Whoops.

Exercise Update

Friday was my normal bike ride to work, but then I had a Board retreat in Redmond, so I biked there before home, doubling my normal distance for a work day. Saturday was horseback riding with a college friend/my Maid of Honor from my wedding almost 13 years ago.

Sunday was the bike ride event. Monday was a bike to work and then dropped the bike off at the shop in Bothell. Looking at the bus schedules, I realized it wasn’t going to be much faster than walking, so I walked the 5+ miles home instead. After the previous days, I was glad to be out of the saddle for a little bit too. Ouch.

Wednesday I went for a 5K distance run in the evening. Thursday I got dropped off at the bike shop and rode home (so much faster than walking). After getting home, I went for another run.

What’s the weather like for you at the start of September? Normal, or not?