wet morning into work...

a wet morning into work on the bike...

it was a wet morning ride into work on the bike
this was no surprise as it was a wet morning walk with the dog in the woods

got on the bike a few minutes late
not uncommon for people to be a few minutes slow out of the gate on rainy days
this can be more true for the unprepared commuter cyclist
as I have already started tucking some of my winter gear away
so I had to find gortex socks and rain pants to complete my day's riding apparrell

the short ride into work is so short that it hardly constitutes a ride
but I was out on my bike in city traffic just the same
there was the usual rainy day bullshit
idiots and assholes without enough sense to operate the defrost mechanism within their cars
cars steamed up with equally steamed drivers
the usual idiot actions only increased by greater number of variables
those that fail to stop at stop signs on dry and clear days are only more prone to the slow and go without looking approach to intersections

so... I turned up my spidey senses and rolled into work
late like everyone else I took some foolish chances just like everyone else
then again... everytime a cyclist gets on their bike in city traffic they are taking their chances
whether they are within the limits of the law or doing their own thing

the short several mile commute to work had me cussing and screaming at nearly every car on the street
illegal actions
obnoxious behavior
inconsiderate motions
it was like they cloned Hellen Keller and put her behind the wheel of ever car in the city
braille dashboards all around

like the rain I tried to shake it off

moving down Columbia Road through Adams Morgan I was especially irked
I was cruising to the right of traffic doing my own thing
cautious of parked cars pulling out, cars trying to park, and pedestrians trying to cross without looking
when I heard what sounded like the thumping of a helicopter
being that such a variable did not directly effect me I tried to phase it out
then I felt the rumble of a large engine just inches to my side
then it passed... a garbage truck
not only did it pass fast and close on a wet and rainy day
but the passanger of this vehicle was hanging out his window and slamming the truck door
that was my helicopter

I passed them back
they passed me
I dropped it into a tougher gear and left them in my shadowless shadow
never cursing
never flipping them off
never trying to escalate the encounter with the trashman any more that I have to
just as I know that the driver of the short bus grew up riding the short bus
I know that the men that pick up the trash have a bit of an forceful way about the streets
perhaps a chip on their shoulder
not the driver you want to play chicken with

the ride continued on without incident

there were more close calls and near misses
yet I arrived at my destination
wet and a little late
minutes late
but late just the same

in fairness...
the trashmen were in my alley picking up the trash as I left from my house
the driver of that vehicle pulled a little forward so I could squeeze by

and
I have started trying to pack away my winter gear
but... snowboards are still being tripped over
and ice melt and shovels are not quite where then need to be
these things are still in the way