tonight was a standard post work ride
there was not much time for a ride
but I rode just the same
it all falls into my notion that life is cumulative
but I have not been playing all my old tricks
have not been pulling the kids in the trailer as much as I should
have not been taking the stairs instead of the elevator like I should
have not bee walking the dog as much as I should
tonight I got a quick ride in
tonight I got to extend my post ride for a few extra minutes
tonight I got to ride the specialized tri cross
the specialize tri-cross has not been much in the rotation
actually the specialized tri-cross is sort of reserved for cross riding and cross racing so it has not been riden much at all since its purchase
well, more specifically since my shoulder dislocation
the bike flows and floats
it is light and smooth
it makes me realize that all my other bikes are slugs
mountain bikes are known to be slow and sluggish compared to road bikes
but, I think that my collection of mountain bikes may be sluggish in the world of mountain bikes as well
so I am enjoying the frictionless roll of my next to new cross bike
the tires were pumped to the max and the chain is show room new
had to stop to raise the seat then got off the streets of georgetown onto the capital crescent trail
early into the trail I encountered a guy on an old lotus built into a fixie
he was going fast and I was not going so fast to justify a pass
so I pulled up along side of him and started up some small talk
we talked bikes and tried to work the trail fast, safe, and considerate
it was good to share the trial
although his destination spun off from my about halfway through my short post work ride
later into the ride I was on Rock Creek Parkway
just doing my thing
not trying to get into anything with anybody I make a pass on a very nice salsa cross bike
I give a "nice bike" that goes unheard by the older man with a silver beard and headphones
up the one hill
down the one hill
back onto the long winding flats of Beach Drive
at the parking lot before the Park Police Station I get buzzed
grandpa passes me within inches
I had glanced back thinking he was there
but I guess he was pulling some ninja shit and riding in my blind spot
as I can be grumpyI barked, "nice audible" as he passed
seeing that he did not hear me due to his headphones I pull up on his left
turn to him and give it to him straight...
"you passed me a little close... my wife does not sleep that close to me... what the f_ck is up that"
or something to that effect
he gives me an apology
he repeats his apology
cyclists can be such geeks
this guy had a nice bike
he was moving along at a good pace for an old guy with a gut
but... he was not in my tribe
he was a sub faction of the road culture
I have been dealing with this sort for some time
they have a different thing going on
they draft off people uninvited
the race to be king of the trail
they sprint to make a pass then turn off right in front of you to end their ride
the road dropped to a slight downgrade at the police station
I make a foolish risk
at the police station I pick up the pace
never looked back
this guy could have been on my tail he could have let me go
I did not care
it was more a matter of trying to enjoy the speed potential of this bike
the comfort of this bike cornering the long winding bends at high speed
the bike is unfamiliar so I did not get aggressive on the turns
glided without rotating the cranks around the sharper turns
slowed for the turn at piney branch in anticipation of the car that fails to see me
then slowed for the turn up park road
the light was red but the path was clear
so I turned it up the hill
once on the hill I glanced at the watch
the ride was short and the shenandoah mountain 100 is close
so I motored up the hill a few times
up and down a handful of times
I think I will ride the Specialized tri-cross a few more times this week
getting stoked on the notion of getting my Jamis Nova warrantied
as the new and improved Nova is pretty sweet
would love to build it up all fresh and new
not sure which frame will get to keep the Paul's Levers and the Spooky brakes...
watching Mean Girls
it is good... but it is no Heathers
then again... I am old and they did not write and direct this movie for me or other old people like me
so I
I think that people in the road culture may view me as a Fred.... my backpack/my lights/my utilitarian approach to cycling
there was not much time for a ride
but I rode just the same
it all falls into my notion that life is cumulative
but I have not been playing all my old tricks
have not been pulling the kids in the trailer as much as I should
have not been taking the stairs instead of the elevator like I should
have not bee walking the dog as much as I should
tonight I got a quick ride in
tonight I got to extend my post ride for a few extra minutes
tonight I got to ride the specialized tri cross
the specialize tri-cross has not been much in the rotation
actually the specialized tri-cross is sort of reserved for cross riding and cross racing so it has not been riden much at all since its purchase
well, more specifically since my shoulder dislocation
the bike flows and floats
it is light and smooth
it makes me realize that all my other bikes are slugs
mountain bikes are known to be slow and sluggish compared to road bikes
but, I think that my collection of mountain bikes may be sluggish in the world of mountain bikes as well
so I am enjoying the frictionless roll of my next to new cross bike
the tires were pumped to the max and the chain is show room new
had to stop to raise the seat then got off the streets of georgetown onto the capital crescent trail
early into the trail I encountered a guy on an old lotus built into a fixie
he was going fast and I was not going so fast to justify a pass
so I pulled up along side of him and started up some small talk
we talked bikes and tried to work the trail fast, safe, and considerate
it was good to share the trial
although his destination spun off from my about halfway through my short post work ride
later into the ride I was on Rock Creek Parkway
just doing my thing
not trying to get into anything with anybody I make a pass on a very nice salsa cross bike
I give a "nice bike" that goes unheard by the older man with a silver beard and headphones
up the one hill
down the one hill
back onto the long winding flats of Beach Drive
at the parking lot before the Park Police Station I get buzzed
grandpa passes me within inches
I had glanced back thinking he was there
but I guess he was pulling some ninja shit and riding in my blind spot
as I can be grumpyI barked, "nice audible" as he passed
seeing that he did not hear me due to his headphones I pull up on his left
turn to him and give it to him straight...
"you passed me a little close... my wife does not sleep that close to me... what the f_ck is up that"
or something to that effect
he gives me an apology
he repeats his apology
cyclists can be such geeks
this guy had a nice bike
he was moving along at a good pace for an old guy with a gut
but... he was not in my tribe
he was a sub faction of the road culture
I have been dealing with this sort for some time
they have a different thing going on
they draft off people uninvited
the race to be king of the trail
they sprint to make a pass then turn off right in front of you to end their ride
the road dropped to a slight downgrade at the police station
I make a foolish risk
at the police station I pick up the pace
never looked back
this guy could have been on my tail he could have let me go
I did not care
it was more a matter of trying to enjoy the speed potential of this bike
the comfort of this bike cornering the long winding bends at high speed
the bike is unfamiliar so I did not get aggressive on the turns
glided without rotating the cranks around the sharper turns
slowed for the turn at piney branch in anticipation of the car that fails to see me
then slowed for the turn up park road
the light was red but the path was clear
so I turned it up the hill
once on the hill I glanced at the watch
the ride was short and the shenandoah mountain 100 is close
so I motored up the hill a few times
up and down a handful of times
I think I will ride the Specialized tri-cross a few more times this week
getting stoked on the notion of getting my Jamis Nova warrantied
as the new and improved Nova is pretty sweet
would love to build it up all fresh and new
not sure which frame will get to keep the Paul's Levers and the Spooky brakes...
watching Mean Girls
it is good... but it is no Heathers
then again... I am old and they did not write and direct this movie for me or other old people like me
so I
I think that people in the road culture may view me as a Fred.... my backpack/my lights/my utilitarian approach to cycling