Monday morning’s schedule had a variety of crap that needed done and I was content not to ride. Until I wasn’t. I found myself caught up and feeling guilty for not riding, so I kitted up for a rare late afternoon ride on dirt roads and pavement north of town.
The afternoon temps were hot and dry, and I was less than thrilled with the amount of afternoon traffic, but I made the best of it and only lost my mental shit once when I felt that a car was too close to me on a paved road. Admittedly this is going to take some time before I can not think that every car that passes me is too close, or was trying to kill me. Sigh. Things were better on the dirt roads, but there is a LOT of deep sand and talcum powder dirt, and using 36c tires was like I bringing a butter knife to an orgy. There were a few times that the shoulder sucked me in and it took every bit of my crap bike handling skills to keep things upright and rolling forward.
The ride was just something to make me feel like I did something and get a sweat on. Its intent was to be a mental “rub and a tug,” but I’m not sure I really accomplished that. I did sweat though.
Tuesday was a mix of errands and an appointment with my doctor, so there was no riding. I used my free time to chop down a small tree in the front landscaping and haul the debris to the recycling center down the road. While not intended to be a workout, it sure as hell was!
With some time freed up on Wednesday I headed to the new Southern Road Launch Pad to start a ride on dirt roads. Given the conditions that I’ve encountered recently I opted for the PrOcal. The gearing is not great for gravel, but the wider tires sure are, not to mention I can use the DSLR slinger on it and carry my Nikon D500 to shoot with.
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Earlier in the morning I was texting with my father back in western PA and he mentioned how hot and humid it’s been there. I smugly typed back that it’s been nice here; in the low 80s, with no humidity. Little did I know that by the end of my slow 30 mile ride the temps would be in the high 80s, what water I had left was like tepid urine, and tasted about as good. I was covered in dust and a layer of salt. While I definitely got paid back for smug text, I am not going to bitch about it at all, I’ll take covered in sweat, dust and salt over freezing my tits off any day!
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After Monday’s mentally lackluster ride it was nice to get out and ride with more concern over how much time I was wasting taking photos and the heat instead cars and inattentive and or drunk drivers. The first two rides of the week varied in enjoyment, but a ride is a ride, and better than no ride.
Later.