Mount Airy
Bike Shop New Year's Day bike ride...on
the roads. I thought at first this guy
just kept his bike covered
real nice
and was taking off his cover. I thought
it looked cool.
Pretty
many folks came.
I took his
pic in this! I guess it was his
raincoat! He rode in it. I was kinda
jealous.
So, no
elite folks here, no sir. Just us
little tow path rec riders...
They
seemed a bit more prepared than I did.
They certainly had cooler clothes than
I have. Jealous again.
The folks
doing the longer 45, 25, 19, mile rides
lined up and went out first bit by bit.
Then the 6 mile folks left. Then my
little 12
mile group left. I figured that was
enough for me since I never ride on the
road or on any hills. The red, yellow,
white
shirt is
Larry, the shop owner. He rode tandem,
I think.
This guy's
bike was really low to the ground. Not
too bad maybe if he falls off. I was
really
jealous of that...
All of a
sudden everyone seemed like they knew
what they were doing. Well, you know,
except that one poor
local
woman who was clueless. What was this
little paper with directions? I tried
to memorize it in the parking lot, but
then
one woman
pointed out that I was reading the wrong
directions for our 12 mile ride. So, I
got those directions and
and just
memorized the first few roads and turns.
I mean, no need in memorizing the whole
thing in case this is still the wrong
set of
directions, right? I think there were
at least five of theses little cue
sheets. Useless to me as I can not read
and ride. I tried
to follow
the others and just read mine when I
stopped and no one was looking......I
kept it in my pocket.... Still have it
if
anyone
wants to borrow it. Ha!
I wanted
at least one pic of the ride. These
piggies were too cute. Little guys
right off the road. I would have taken
a bunch of
pics ( as you know), but I know that
just is not done on these rides. I was
already last....
I have to
say I was freaked out a bit by the road
thing. Plus I did not know where I was
going and I did not know
anyone.
But they had done a good job of
choosing roads that had big shoulders,
or little traffic. And it was pretty.
'Course I
still was pathetic, but I made it
somehow. Very proud. Pathetic and
proud. What a combo.
Sweep/leader
(that's officer Rob,
volunteer road marshal and part time
bike counselor)
for our ride. He tried to
wait for me, but I lost sight of him
too. Me and the country roads.
Well, that
was better than other riders looking at
how pitiful I was. I went up the hills
slow, and
rode the
brakes the whole way down the
hills....but hey, I never walked a hill
( I could have gone faster if I did).
I did walk
across at least 2 intersections. No one
else did that, but the intersections
creeped me out.
