Having a car that runs half decently sure has made me much lazier than I once was this past summer. The combination of not having a functional vehicle, needing to get to class, the closest bus stop being about three miles away, and having a bike make for a fairly obvious solution. That is: I used my bike to clobber the bus driver to until he agreed to drive to my house each day. No. That’s not right. I rode my bike to the bus stop then around school and then back home. It was fun and I really enjoyed it.

Despite the amount of fun I would have though, once my car became operational again I started driving it again. The convenience of it is just so darn.. convenient. As sad as it was, my bike sat in the garage waiting for the day I would take it out again. It didn’t happen very frequently and my poor bike cried.

But things have changed slightly. I still have my car and all, but I really missed the fun of riding my bike around everywhere and the excitement of almost getting hit by a car (I’m now at two VERY close calls from inattentive drivers). I’ve committed to doing that very joyous of things on a regular basis from hence forth.

Last week I rode my bike to school on the last day, a Thursday (I love non-SLCC schedules), and boy was I ill-prepared. I knew the general route I wanted to take but not exactly where. I wanted to try riding along the Provo River Parkway Trail since I have had such fun with the Jordan River Parkway Trail in the Valley of Salt Lake and I read online that it follows the Provo River much the same way. So I headed towards where I knew the Provo River was, found a trail, and began riding on it. Imagine my surprise when I realized that I was turning away from the river and upon scanning my path noticed it was switching back on me. This was no parkway trail. It was a park trail.

I turned around and cut off onto another trail I saw which led me into a neighborhood. “Wha? Where am I?” That’s what I thought followed by “Where is the parkway? This is the Provo River after all.” I followed the neighborhood road out and then I found the trail I was looking for and discovered why I was so confused about where I should be. You see, someone must have gotten all confused like when naming things or just really wanted to make the trail sound far better than it actually is because the marked route for me indicating the “Provo River Parkway Trail” would have been much better suited as being called the “University Ave Sidewalk.” Because that’s pretty much exactly what it is.

I followed the trail and suffice it to say I ended up at BYU. yay.

All the detours and such resulted in a time of about forty-five minutes. Pretty pitiful for only going a little over seven miles. Coming home would be better. Or so I thought. Sure, I knew where I was going now, but I failed to take into account a slight headwind and a gradual slope up. After all, this route vaguely follows the Provo River and rivers like to move downhill. So going against the river’s flow would naturally put me going uphill.

It felt slow going the whole way and my legs had a real steady burn going through them. I was quite shocked when I got home and discovered it had taken me just thirty minutes. Nice. A more difficult trip in less time than earlier. But it was a more educated trip as well.

I rode my bike to school again today and wanted to see what time I could make it in without all the detours. I was feeling good about my speed as I was staying among my highest gears (is it the higher or lower gears, I’ve never been clear on the lingo) the entire trip so I was booking it. I was also getting quite sweaty. This is not a difficult thing for me though. I am quite the sweater.

I assumed I had done a good job when I stopped near the Marriot Center waiting for a light to change and looked at my phone. Twenty minutes had passed since I left my house. WHAT? Only twenty minutes? That’s nuts. The route I took today was seven miles long and I had done it in twenty minutes. That’s an average of twenty miles an hour if I am not mistaken.

Needless to say I was both shocked and elated at that performance. I strolled my way to the nearest bike racks and then hastily drank a water bottle (remember, I was sweaty and needed liquid) as I sort of meandered my way to class. I was much earlier than expected so I registered to vote at a table where they were giving out popcorn. I left the popcorn there though. Miscellaneous popcorn is not for Neal.

Well, I hope I didn’t bore you with this post. I kinda bored myself but I already knew it. Maybe that should be an indicator not to post it…. But I will anyway. And if you’re interested I made the return trip in twenty five minutes. Cut me some slack. It’s more difficult.

That last post wasn’t exactly the most upbeat of posts and the prior one wasn’t really informative of what’s going on in my life of late. Other than that it had been some time since I let my adoring fans in on what I’ve been doing. That’s what I’ll be doing now without further delay and in no particular order other than what comes to mind.

I have discovered the best way to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Perhaps “discover” is a tad boastful, but no one told me before that I recall and I think it’s fairly remarkable. Are you ready for this? Two jellies. Yeah. It blew my mind too. Straight down the middle mind you, not a mix or anything unholy. This way I can enjoy some nice cool grape jelly with one bite and go for some more exotic raspberry with the next. I loves it and will not go back and now have five jellies on my fridge door: grape, raspberry, apricot, pomegranate, and blueberry. Each morning before school I make a new sandwich from those choices and it’s delicious. Maybe I smile so much while I sit on the hill outside the Benson building at lunch because I’m having such a fun time at school, but it’s probably more because I have in my hands (and mouth and belly depending on how long ago my lunch began) the best concoction known to man.

As noted in the last paragraph school has begun and I occaisionally sit outside the Benson building which is at BYU. Let me be honest with you. I really like BYU. It’s a fun place and I’m enjoying it much more than I was enjoying SLCC. I think it’s the campus feel that makes all the difference. A couple years ago I went to a concert up at the U all by my lonesome and as I was walking to the concert hall I thought in my head “Wouldn’t it be ever so much fun to be at a real school campus like this?” I reckoned it would be and now I am. It’s just that I never imagined at that time I would be going to BYU. I don’t get why some people give it such a bad rap. The last time Wong was down from Utah State he said something along the lines that he’d rather die than go to BYU. Seems pretty extreme to me. Sure I can’t grow a beard, but I’m also at a world renowned institution. So, whatever. Maybe Wong just has some crazy school spirit and doesn’t like BYU because he thinks our schools are rivals. But for that to really make sense then I suppose USU would have to be able to beat BYU at anything. ba-ZING!!!

I recently watched Dr Horrible’s Sing A Long Blog. I’d describe it thusly with a single word: Genius. I hope they come out with more. Even if it’s not Dr Horrible. I just want to see more of Nathan Fillion as the Hammer. “This must be that pain thing!” Or however it is worded. He’s so charming (slight giggle).

I have my own place now. It’s a duplex in Orem about 6 or so miles away from BYU. It’s a pretty sweet little bachelor pad. A fairly messy bachelor pad right now. I think I’m developing a theory that I descended from a bird cuz I’m somewhat migratory in where I spend most of my time in the place. At first I slept in the main room on my futon and left my bedroom a mess of clothes (I have a lot that I needed to organize and put somewhere) but I have since moved in there along with my smaller TV and DVD player and that’s where I went. Of course, this migratory theory could just stem from laziness as I really was just following my DVD player. Plus, I am pretty lazy. Hence the messy place.

Lastly for right now, it’s surprising to me how nice it is to have broadcast television. I don’t have an antenna on either of my TVs right now (let alone satellite) and I miss being able to just turn my brain completely off and watch whatever. Now I have to look over my DVD collection and pick something. I know, what a rotten situation. I actually am beginning to like it. Perhaps I’ll spend much more time reading books. I do like books after all and have assembled a little collection i want to study from. If I do so I might be very tempted to develope an old-english accent and manner of speaking. Wouldn’t that make for ripping good laughs? Quite!

Indeed. Until next time folks.

P.S. That comment about USU sports competitions was rather uninformed. I’m not a follower of sports very much, but if I used to hear more about BYU sports teams than USU teams. This was before moving though. Since I have moved I only hear about BYU related matters. This is due to attending the school and not having TV.