So, I was grocery shopping bright and early this morning when a display of pies caught my eye. Marionberry pies.
“I don’t even know what Marionberries are”, I muttered to myself.
I burst into laughter as my mind immediately conjured the grainy FBI surveillance video of disgraced, then inexplicably re-elected Washington D.C. mayor, Marion Barry smoking crack with his mistress in a hotel room.
Yep, it’s quite a life; 5AM, shopping at Kroger, laughing at pies.
Have I mentioned that I’m easily amused?
Friday morning, returning from my 4am bike ride, I rode by the park. Apparently I awakened one of the white “park ducks” who proceeded to vocalize his displeasure. Bowing to the Dr. Doolittle side of my nature, I replied:
“Shut up, you. I’m not buying your damned insurance.”
I laughed at my own cleverness the rest of the way home.
I really am quite easily amused.
Last week our weather was typical of the “dog days” of summer; temps in the mid to upper 90’s (even breaking 100° once or twice, depending on who you believe) with late-afternoon/evening thunderstorms popping up. Consequently my preferred evening ride time kept getting rained out. I kept telling myself I’d put on the headlight and go once it dried out and cooled off, but even that proved problematic. Wednesday night, for instance, it was still 90° at midnight. 90°! At midnight! And soupy-humid too, as an added bonus.
Anyway, Thursday night/Friday morning I was not going to be denied and headed out for a ride about 4am. The temperature was a very pleasant 70 and the humidity was ultra-high (which I really don’t mind at night, as long as it’s cool).
Riding out into the countryside I stopped and switched off my light to appreciate the relative lack of light pollution and the attendant dark skies. There was just the barest sliver of a moon so the stars were in full effect. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness and more and more stars became visible I saw a faint, shimmering shooting star. A few minutes later there was another; apparently the beginnings of this year’s Perseids (which I had forgotten about).
After soaking in the beauty of the night for a bit longer I saddled up, switched my light back on, and rode back into town, rejuvenated. Ain’t life grand?
Yesterday I decided to stop procrastinating and actually do something about taking my ‘geared’ bike out for a ride. Since I bought the Pista nearly 3 years ago, I’ve ridden nothing but fixed gears.
So last night I gave the Fuji a once-over, replaced the chain, aired up the tires, wiped the accumulated dust and cat hair from the gears and such; got it ready to ride.
As I started out on my ride today the first thing that struck me was how odd it felt being able to coast as I was taking off and clipping into the pedals. When my left pedal didn’t come around to meet my foot on its own, it felt like something was broken or disconnected. A very odd sensation.
Click photo to enlarge
The next thing I noticed was that I seem to be turning bigger gears than I used to, all other things being equal, and that I’m not shifting nearly as often.
Hitting some hills was when the difference was really driven home. I had forgotten just how much it feels like you’re flying as you coast downhill at ~40mph.
The Fuji will definitely not be sitting unridden for 3 years again. What a waste!
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