So after the little lunch I grabbed my all-white team FDJ kit to go on a maiden voyage with my new riding watch. You see, my lunch idea was just a payback nice thing to do for her after what she did for me.
Last week I stopped into a sporting goods store to kill some time on the way to a meeting. I mentioned to her that night that I had seen a summer riding watch that I really like, which has been no easy task.
At the time I told myself not to spend money I don't have, so I walked away from it even though I did need a new riding watch.
Last weekend she came home from grocery shopping and handed me a bag. Inside she said was my early birthday present. My birthday isn't until the end of August, but as Sandy said, "What good would it do you then? I wanted you to have it to wear while you are riding all summer."
Smooth.
Today I have a story from both on the way out and on the way back in.
Sunny
77
Wind 12-15
Three Bridges, 35 miles
Very early in the ride on the first section of path I passed a blond lady roadie wearing a pink jersey. She was stopped at the side of the path talking on her cell phone.
Blocks later I realized that she had picked up the ride and was on my wheel. After a stop sign she took the lead and three times she made a light and I did not. So three times I used her as a carrot to catch up to her, only to wait again at a light. Finally at Highway 100 we were both stopped for the light and we chatted a bit about how the wind had come up, but how nice a day it was for a ride.
Then for a pretty long time in the parkway I think I was pulling for her. She would fall slightly back, but was always there riding her dark blue Waterford. But as I approached Franklin and the bridges, she was gone. It was nice to have someone around today because it forced me to go into the wind at 16-17 instead of 13-14 on my own.
On the way back the wind was not a whole lot better. I grabbed a banana and turned around at the sports complex. I did a couple of sections at hard tempo, and that tired me out.
Back in the parkway I came up behind a guy that was riding what turned out to be a noisy Trek just squeaking away. But he had some kind of fancy deep-rimmed wheels on his machine. He was going slowly and I drifted past him without saying a word, going about 16 mph.
Suddenly down the road I hear that squeaking noise, which tells me that once I went past he decided to go faster and grab my wheel.
LET ME REPEAT MYSELF: I don't mind that at all, but if you do that out there on the road, PLEASE SAY SOMETHING. It's impolite and flat-out dangerous to suck a wheel unannounced back there like that.
I got mad. Then I got busy. I told myself that no matter how tired I was...no matter how much wind was in my face...I was NOT going to let this squeak-bag pass me if I could help it.
As fast as the squeaker was there the squeaker was gone. I don't know if he turned off or just gave up. Don't care either. Point was he was gone.
A good first-ever ride for my cool new summer riding watch! It looks good with my black and white bike and my white helmet. Like I always say, if you can't BE good, at least LOOK good.
Season Miles: 1,082
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