the post work ride after a late afternoon thunder shower
this was another day where I had the magnetic pull of family along with a certain lack of desire to ride
so I rode anyway
pedaled through the lack of desire with what little time I had
the wet roads and rush hour traffic can be a tough mix with dodging and dashing through traffic
tried to take the fast fluid route
tried to find paths that were not obstacle filled
tried not to go too fast as the wet rims would not allow me to get out of things as easily as if they were dry
kept it in the small ring
over spun the cross bike and ignored the big ring
the traffic ran its usual madness
cars doing things putting me at great risk
most drivers not even knowing that I am there
other drivers chasing me down
cars cutting off cars
cars making blind turns
cars pulling out in front of other cars
these cars also doing these same things to me
if they do not see the cars... why should I expect them to see me?
my best defense involves a strong offense
this is where I focus on putting myself where I am most safe
this involves splitting lanes and running red lights
out running the assholes that are conciously trying to pin me in
out running the idiots that can not see me
w
hate boils through my veins
anger and hatred
I scream obscenities at a few close calls
rolling fast with the lights in my favor I cruise fast down a wide stretch of road
green light... green light... green light
WHOA!
one car takes an aggressive left hand turn in front of me
the second asshole in the queue takes a blind left turn as well
she sees me
I am fearing it too late
the first car was inconsiderate
this second car is putting me at risk
I am the point of intersection
weight over the rear wheel I pull the brakes hard
fighting the endo
fighting ending up on hood of her car
we each skid to a halt
her grill feet from my front tire
both of us swerved and skidded in the same direction towards each other
remaining in each other's path
the bike still upright I make sure it is still safe and clear then pedal onward
she gets a little lip
one word... maybe two
it was either C_NT or F_CKING C_NT!
either way I felt she deserved it
my momentum continues
the flow is with me
not all the lights favor me
but the flow does favor me
I flow forward
a cab driver changes lanes without looking or signaling almost hitting a car in the other lane
a car behind me leans on his horn
I fear getting pinned between these two cars
my brakes screetch as I make a panic stop
the close call and the sound of the horn take my already elevated heart rate to another level
if I were david banner things would be different
the car driver makes it clear that he was honking at the cab
I am just happy to be along side the cab instead of under it
no words exchanged
this is a closer call than the last close call
really close calls tend not to get words
really close calls get the sign of the cross
the sign of the cross from recovering catholics and even atheists
I step out of the saddle and get back on course
the next light is not one worth risking
so I make a right to keep with the flow of traffic
the city is a grid
there are a thousand ways to get where I want to go
I mix a fast moving flow of traffic with carless residential streets
always trying to put myself where I am most safe
after 45 minutes of racing around in traffic I slow it down as I get closer to home
before heading home I alter my route by a few blocks
had some old mountain bike parts for a friend of a friend
stuff that is still in good shape
some 8 speed stuff that I more than likely never need again
put the stuff on the porch and roll the final blocks home
I am not that road cyclist that goes out and spins for 6 hours
that just is not me
I do not have the time
and honestly
I just do not have the desire
a fast several day tour
or pulling the kids in the trailer
these are my ideas of longer rides
lots of short intense rides
very short... somewhat intense rides
and an occassional race
the ride was refreshing
when I rolled down the alley behind my house the anger was gone
but that anger was real
the risks were real
just under an hour on the bike
6 hour road epics in the country are not my thing
this was another day where I had the magnetic pull of family along with a certain lack of desire to ride
so I rode anyway
pedaled through the lack of desire with what little time I had
the wet roads and rush hour traffic can be a tough mix with dodging and dashing through traffic
tried to take the fast fluid route
tried to find paths that were not obstacle filled
tried not to go too fast as the wet rims would not allow me to get out of things as easily as if they were dry
kept it in the small ring
over spun the cross bike and ignored the big ring
the traffic ran its usual madness
cars doing things putting me at great risk
most drivers not even knowing that I am there
other drivers chasing me down
cars cutting off cars
cars making blind turns
cars pulling out in front of other cars
these cars also doing these same things to me
if they do not see the cars... why should I expect them to see me?
my best defense involves a strong offense
this is where I focus on putting myself where I am most safe
this involves splitting lanes and running red lights
out running the assholes that are conciously trying to pin me in
out running the idiots that can not see me
w
hate boils through my veins
anger and hatred
I scream obscenities at a few close calls
rolling fast with the lights in my favor I cruise fast down a wide stretch of road
green light... green light... green light
WHOA!
one car takes an aggressive left hand turn in front of me
the second asshole in the queue takes a blind left turn as well
she sees me
I am fearing it too late
the first car was inconsiderate
this second car is putting me at risk
I am the point of intersection
weight over the rear wheel I pull the brakes hard
fighting the endo
fighting ending up on hood of her car
we each skid to a halt
her grill feet from my front tire
both of us swerved and skidded in the same direction towards each other
remaining in each other's path
the bike still upright I make sure it is still safe and clear then pedal onward
she gets a little lip
one word... maybe two
it was either C_NT or F_CKING C_NT!
either way I felt she deserved it
my momentum continues
the flow is with me
not all the lights favor me
but the flow does favor me
I flow forward
a cab driver changes lanes without looking or signaling almost hitting a car in the other lane
a car behind me leans on his horn
I fear getting pinned between these two cars
my brakes screetch as I make a panic stop
the close call and the sound of the horn take my already elevated heart rate to another level
if I were david banner things would be different
the car driver makes it clear that he was honking at the cab
I am just happy to be along side the cab instead of under it
no words exchanged
this is a closer call than the last close call
really close calls tend not to get words
really close calls get the sign of the cross
the sign of the cross from recovering catholics and even atheists
I step out of the saddle and get back on course
the next light is not one worth risking
so I make a right to keep with the flow of traffic
the city is a grid
there are a thousand ways to get where I want to go
I mix a fast moving flow of traffic with carless residential streets
always trying to put myself where I am most safe
after 45 minutes of racing around in traffic I slow it down as I get closer to home
before heading home I alter my route by a few blocks
had some old mountain bike parts for a friend of a friend
stuff that is still in good shape
some 8 speed stuff that I more than likely never need again
put the stuff on the porch and roll the final blocks home
I am not that road cyclist that goes out and spins for 6 hours
that just is not me
I do not have the time
and honestly
I just do not have the desire
a fast several day tour
or pulling the kids in the trailer
these are my ideas of longer rides
lots of short intense rides
very short... somewhat intense rides
and an occassional race
the ride was refreshing
when I rolled down the alley behind my house the anger was gone
but that anger was real
the risks were real
just under an hour on the bike
6 hour road epics in the country are not my thing