Bicycles, new adventures, a little rain, and feeding the neighborhood

If anyone thought retirement meant slowing down, apparently nobody bothered to tell me.

October has been a rather entertaining reminder that I may have retired from my former career, but I certainly haven’t retired from keeping busy. Between bicycle adventures, exploring Seattle, volunteering, and taking on a new role at the Wallingford Community Senior Center, I’ve managed to keep myself out of trouble—or at least a different kind of trouble.

And, as usual, there are stories.

Almost 68, but who’s counting?

October started with a little trip down memory lane. I shared a collection of photographs showing some of the different hairstyles and hair colors I’ve sported over the years. There have been quite a few transformations!

From one look to another, the years have certainly brought some changes. But one thing hasn’t changed: I still love getting out, riding my bike, traveling, and finding the next adventure.

I’m approaching 68, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that getting older doesn’t mean putting your adventures on a shelf. It just means you might need a little longer to recover from them!

When a bike ride gives you more than you bargained for

One of my October outings was a Cascade Bicycle Club group ride and social. The forecast had promised temperatures in the low 70s, but the morning started with fog and a definite chill in the air.

I dressed for the occasion in bike shorts and knee socks. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, apparently my legs had other plans.

About 21 miles into the day, my legs were incredibly itchy. Not ordinary itchy, either. We’re talking the kind of itching that makes you wonder whether you’ve somehow become allergic to your own body.

After taking Benadryl, I eventually discovered the culprit: cold urticaria, otherwise known as cold-induced hives.

Who knew that being chilly could cause such a commotion? My legs stayed red, but at least the medication helped settle the itching.

The good news? The ride was fun, and afterward we were treated to tamales from Frelard Tamales. There’s nothing quite like a good post-ride meal, especially when your legs are busy staging a rebellion.

A little cycling, a little family time, and a train ride

Another adventure took me and my bike down to Lakewood to visit my in-laws.

Rather than making the entire trip by car, I combined cycling with public transportation, using light rail and the Sounder train. It’s a pretty good way to turn a family visit into a mini-adventure.

I got some quality time with my in-laws, including a little pseudo mani-pedi session with my mother-in-law. My father-in-law was in particularly good spirits, which always makes a visit special.

The trip home provided an unexpected bonus. I struck up a conversation with another cyclist on the Sounder at Sumner. It’s funny how a shared interest in bicycles can turn strangers into temporary travel companions. We had company for the ride back toward Seattle, making the journey just a little more entertaining.

The Amazon Spheres: Rain, donuts, and a little exploration

Patrick and I decided to ride into Fremont to visit the Amazon Spheres. It sounded like a lovely outing.

Seattle, of course, had its own interpretation of lovely weather.

The rain came down like a waterfall! But that wasn’t going to stop us.

We explored the Spheres on a self-guided visit, enjoying the greenery and the unusual experience of wandering through a tropical indoor environment while Seattle was doing its best impression of a rainforest outside.

Naturally, an adventure requires refreshments. We found ourselves enjoying a vanilla crème donut and a chocolate cookie. A perfectly reasonable reward for riding through the rain, if you ask me.

By the time we headed home, the skies had cleared. Because apparently Seattle wanted to remind us that it can produce all four seasons in a single afternoon.

A new adventure: The Wallingford Community Senior Center

While the bicycle adventures have continued, there’s another chapter of my retirement that has been taking shape.

I’ve stepped into a new role as kitchen manager—otherwise known as chef—at the Wallingford Community Senior Center.

Now, I should probably explain that cooking for a couple of people at home and preparing lunch for approximately 24 people are two entirely different sports.

This is not a casual matter of throwing something together and hoping everyone likes it. There’s menu planning, shopping, scaling recipes, food preparation, timing, coordinating ovens, figuring out what fits in the steam-table pans, and making sure everything comes together at the right time.

And then there’s the cleanup!

I’ve been having a lot of fun developing menus and trying different dishes. The goal is to serve good, satisfying meals that bring people together around the table.

Some of the recent kitchen projects have included hearty soups, salads, chicken dishes, and comfort-food favorites. I’ve been learning which recipes work well for a crowd and how to make the most of the equipment and ingredients available.

One recent success was turkey meatloaf. I have to admit, I’m not usually a big fan of turkey meatloaf myself, but this one was a winner!

Instead of using ketchup, I used tomato sauce in the meat mixture and topped the loaves with a combination of tomato sauce and honey. Alongside it, we served roasted cauliflower finished with shredded cheddar cheese.

Comfort food at its best—and a reminder that sometimes the dishes you least expect to love turn out to be the biggest hits.

The secret ingredient: Volunteers

As much as I enjoy cooking, I’ve quickly learned that a successful senior-center lunch program takes more than one person in the kitchen.

It takes a community.

One of the nicest surprises has been seeing how much a volunteer can accomplish in a relatively short amount of time.

Andrea Willimetz recently came in to help. She peeled and separated fresh mandarin oranges for an upcoming salad and peeled and chopped russet potatoes for Thursday’s baked potato soup.

Those might sound like small jobs, but let me tell you, they saved me a tremendous amount of time!

When you’re preparing lunch for two dozen people, having someone take those jobs off your hands makes a world of difference.

It’s also a reminder that volunteering doesn’t have to mean committing an entire day or taking on a huge responsibility. Sometimes a couple of hours of helping hands can make an enormous difference.

I’m hoping to build a wonderful team of community volunteers who enjoy being part of the lunch program. There’s plenty to do, and every helping hand makes it easier to serve our guests a delicious meal.

Back to the bike: The Cascade Riding In The Rain Kickoff

Just when I thought I was getting settled into my new kitchen responsibilities, Cascade Bicycle Club came along with another reason to get outside.

I had originally planned to volunteer with food rescue, but instead I switched things up and joined Cascade’s Riding in the Rain Kickoff with over 100 riders registered for the free group ride in Seattle.

The event started at Seattle Break Bike House in Pioneer Square. I ended up sweeping the 15-mile Steady group, which had about 25 riders. Naomi was leading, and Mike Kelly was floating between the groups.

Our pace was supposed to be a comfortable 12–14 mph. Sounds easy enough, right?

We headed along the Portside Trail, crossed the lower West Seattle Bridge, and continued along the Alki Trail and beach. We even passed the little Statue of Liberty before making our way toward Alki Point and Beach Drive.

Then came Dakota Street.

Oh, Dakota Street. You and I need to have a conversation.

My e-bike decided it wasn’t interested in cooperating with the hills. I was stuck in the big chainring with no gears to help me out. I managed to get up the big climb and another little bridge climb, although I suspect I wasn’t setting any speed records.

But here’s the important part: I DIDN’T WALK!

The weather cooperated, although the brisk wind made things chilly. And yes, my cold-induced hives made another appearance. Fortunately, Marlene came to the rescue with some Benadryl.

After the ride, we enjoyed sandwiches, chips, and beverages, along with a Cascade raffle. I briefly considered taking light rail home, but decided to ride instead.

Because apparently 15 miles wasn’t enough.

Between the hills, the hives, and the questionable gearing situation, it was another reminder that cycling adventures rarely go exactly as planned. That’s probably why I enjoy them so much.

Finding the balance

It’s interesting how retirement keeps evolving.

I spent years working, and now that I’m retired, I’ve managed to find a whole new collection of things to keep me occupied. Some days I’m planning a bicycle ride, some days I’m planning a menu, and some days I’m wondering how many pounds of potatoes it takes to feed two dozen hungry people.

I’ve also discovered that volunteering works both ways. I’m giving my time and energy to the senior center, but I’m getting something back in return: new friendships, a sense of purpose, and the satisfaction of knowing that a good meal can make someone’s day.

And I’m learning that I don’t have to do everything myself. A community is built by people pitching in, whether that’s helping prepare lunch, welcoming guests, or making sure everyone has a place at the table.

So, what’s next?

More miles, more adventures, more recipes, and hopefully a few fewer encounters with cold-induced hives.

I may be approaching 68, but I’m certainly not ready to sit still.

After all, there’s a bicycle waiting, a kitchen to run, and probably another 24-person recipe that needs scaling.

Life is good. Retirement is anything but boring!

And then there’s the trip to Indianapolis to visit my favorite aunt coming up in a few days….the adventures continue!