Rest Stop
Normally, I wouldn’t dream of removing my shoes and socks mid-ride. Normally, I’d take on that hill no matter how painfully slow my fitness required. But there is nothing normal about today.
I have Saturday’s downfall (twisted ankle during a run) to thank for the foot and ankle pain I’m feeling today. It’s on my “good” side, which is probably a blessing but is depressing nonetheless.
Fortunately, I am able to manage the flats without a whole lot of complaint. So after peeling off my sock to check for bruising I changed directions and pushed hard on the flats instead.
I also had to some good company on today’s ride which was another thing to be thankful for. Although I think we were both disappointed that we couldn’t enjoy the beauty that seems to be prevalent in the hills and almost non-existant in the flats, it was still a good ride.
WATCH OUT!
Since generally I ride solo, I have not been in a situation of being the one to set the pace or lead. Today, however, I was. Consequently, I was also in a position of being the first to spot the road hazards such as potholes, loose gravel, and garbage cans in the bike lane. Having been the recipient of such advanced warning, I know how important hand signals can be. Since the rider is following behind the other, he or she often does not have the ability to see the dangers until it is too late to react appropriately. I took my job seriously and did my best to spot and point out the potential problems.
I was doing pretty well – proud of my contributions to my ride-buddy’s safety when I saw a large object protruding in the road ahead. This was certainly the largest and most dangerous issue to date. I pointed down as I approached.
When I got close enough to identify it, I laughed at myself. It was none other than an oversized leaf. Hazardous indeed. WATCH OUT!
What’s bad is good
Ever since the harassment training, folks at the office have been challenged to phrase compliments in an acceptable manner. It’s become somewhat of a joke, but with the awareness that it can be serious business.
In the middle of the workweek, the top dog of the company caught me expressing my displeasure at having so many restrictions when he walked past me blurting out “WHAT-EVER” in my this-is-so-stupid tone. This came immediately after explaining what that were allowed to tell someone that we liked their shirt but not that it looked good on them. My BAD!
At the risk of repeating myself, let me just say: If I look like crap, please TELL ME. If I look good, PLEASE tell me.
The idea of how you phrase something, paired with how you say it was also a part of this training. I thought back on this while out on today’s cycling adventure. I was about 20 miles away from home when two cyclists came up from behind. They slowed for a minute to exchanged greetings. Then, as they were moving on, one slyly said, “Niiiice bike” as he took one final glance in the direction of my ? Back wheel? Seat? Ass? I smiled and said, “Thanks” as they rode away.
To tell you the truth, I hope it was my hind quarters they were complimenting. I’ve been putting in a lot (by my books) time in the saddle. I want to reep ALL the rewards of my hard work – including the beautiful legs and tush that many cyclists seem to have. It’s true. One person’s harassment is another person’s compliment. What’s bad is good…as long as they keep on riding.
Turning lemons into lemonade
Like any sport or hobby, cycling has a learning curve. Everything from road safety to changing a flat tire are things which I am learning as I shift my focus from running to cycling. Given that it is all rather new to me, at least at this level, I’ve found myself on the side of the road a time or two. Actually, twice in this weekend alone.
Both times, I did my best to keep my amusement as I struggled to perform simple things like removing my back tire from my bike in order to fix the 1st of the 2 flat tires I would encounter in the 2-day weekend. It would seem that I have a bit of learning to do about the differences between my new bike and my old Bianchi, how to properly use the CO2 cartridges so that no additional air is required, how to find the darn cause of the flat, and the essential amount of supplies to carry on a ride. All these essentials skills are ones I must acquire…and FAST.
In the meantime, I am finding that there are a whole lot of good samaritan cyclists who are willing to lend a hand, pump, or CO2 cartridge should it be needed. One even gave me one of his tire irons after I broke mine trying to wrestle my tire back onto my wheel. Although I need to learn to do this myself, it sure is good to know that there are people out there who are willing to help. One in particular, whom I was venting to and getting tips from via text messages, was willing to drive down and rescue me. Although seriously tempted, I declined his offer as I was determined to learn the skill then tried to stay amused as tireirons and fingernail broke on me.
At the end of the weekend, I logged 42.7 miles. Covering 36.8 miles on Sunday, I just met my goal of a 35 mile long ride. And although I was slightly disappointed with the distance ridden given the amount of time this ride took, I am pleased to have met my goal.
I arrived home to find YaYa had taken a few lemons from our tree in the backyard and turned them into lemonade. Lucky for me, my timely return home made me the perfect test subject. After I downed the 1st glass in record time and asked for another, he said, “Well, okay but could you drink it slowly; I want to sell the rest in my lemonade stand.” And so I helped him set up his business and tend to his customers for a bit before hitting the shower and reflecting upon how I too had, in my own way, turned lemons into lemonade instead of tears