OK, I'll admit that I'm 2 months behind my usual training
schedules, so rides that should be easy are still tough. Too
wet a spring, and too busy, too. Let's all say it together,
class: "If you're too busy to ride -- you're too busy!"
I went out early this a.m., since it would be over a
hundred later. Felt pretty good. Came around a corner and
there's this huge beehive of young people from some
athletic camp, all carrying trekking poles, bunched up in
the middle of the trail.
Nobody moves, so I stop, they say it's "dog trouble"
whatever that means. So I shoulder the bike over a
couple bored basset hounds. One looks up, gets bopped in
the head by my 2.4 front tire. Somebody yells,
"portage!" for my sake.
Resume cruising speed and feeling good. But it's taking a
while to warm up. Is it lack of sleep, or just that
wonderful sense of being 45 where everything takes a
little longer???
Climb Uncle Stan's, turn left, and the sun's up and
shining in my face. Already over 70degf. Love that sound
of tires on granite sand. Hypnotizing crunch as I get in
the groove, setting a good pace. Take the turnoff for
Sidewinder, a fairly stout climb that just improves with
age. The further you go, the steeper it gets. I get about
half way up, and have cleared some decent elevation, so I
stop to behold the valley. An earlier hot-air balloon
launch has several derigibles keeping me company. I'm
pretty much level with them.
Turn the bike around, and continue on Crestline to the creek
crossing. Muscle through the rocks, stop to lower the seat
and book it down.
Flying low, hitting sand at speed and almost lay it over,
but feel like a bull rider! It's great.
Finish up, and as I'm loading the red bike into the truck,
witness a **funny sight**. Two guys and a cute oriental girl
are coming in from running. The girl looks bonked. A guy
walks up, puts a hand in her pants, then up under her top. I
start grinning, like, hey guys, get a room! Then I realize
what he's up to. He's fishing for the keys, (right) finds
them, opens the car and she collapses on the seat. Ah-so,
grasshopper. I want sum yung thing carry my keys, too.
paladin