Tardy Again.

So, after probably the most uncomfortable series of flights I've ever endured (thanks American Airlines!), I find myself in San Antonio. My back in knots, I threw together my bike in a semi-sufficient manner and meandered around the streets looking for a route that wouldn't result in my death at the hands of a Texan driver. I eventually settled on the MUT that starts as the Riverwalk near the Alamo and heads south towards some missions I really wasn't interested in. What I was interested in was finding a way to get away from humanity, which seems to be in abundance around here. As someone who hates people as a rule, I was glad to see the numbers thin out as I went. 

If it wasn't for the curious phenomenon they have here called darkness during what I would term warm weather, I would have kept going. It seems the locals disagree with my characterization, as they were bundled up like it was cold or something. I think I even saw a couple parkas, although that might have been the sweat in my eyes. Weird.

The trail itself was more of a concrete sidewalk, with the rhythmic cracks occasionally punctuated by sections of decorative cobblestones. Not my favorite riding surface, but it beats the trainer.

My plan for today is to pick up where I left off and find some actual pavement to ride on, preferably without much traffic. Not dying would be nice, too. We'll see how lucky I get on both those fronts when I get out there.

If I live, I might even compose a new post so I won't be late tomorrow, too. If I don't, you'll have to use your imagination to learn of my fate. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Luke Simpson

Image
A couple years ago I participated in a stage race and had the honor to meet Saul Raisin, the former professional cyclist that suffered a debilitating traumatic brain injury during a race in Europe. As I listened to him speak and later read his book about his recovery, I (probably like most people) had two thoughts:                 “What an inspiring story.” …and more callously,                 “Wow, sucked to be him.” The second thought was just a result of thinking it would never happen to me. If you run the odds, it just doesn’t factor into the threat matrix as prominently as teenage girls with cell phones or that sketchy Cat 5 on the brand-new Madone. Then I got my bell rung. I’ve seen my share of stars and cartoon tweety birds over the years, but this was the first time I was knocked unconscious and woke up in an ER. Another driver’s moment of inattention resulted in a totaled car and weeks of disorientation, speech delays, and random face plants. It didn’t occu
Read more

Narrowed Focus

OK, here's the fun part.   You're clinging to the wheel in front of you. Doing everything to stay in contact, because you know in the deepest parts of your soul that if a gap opens, you will never close it, and you will be adrift. That few inches of space is your whole purpose in life.   People wait their whole lives to see the scenery on either side of you, but you're too busy focusing on meaningless points up the road. You're hoping that by acknowledging them that they will somehow help you climb this hill. They don't, because they're inanimate objects like signposts and rocks. Selfish bastards.   You match cadence with the guy in front of you, promising yourself that every time their right foot comes down, your right foot will come down. That you won't stand unless they stand. That you will be every bit as strong as they are, even if you aren't.   The steady ache in your thighs keeps building. You know all you have to do to make it stop is to
Read more

Perhaps Where I need to Be.

  The last time I was in Biloxi was in November of 2016. I was recovering from a broken collar bone, but otherwise was relatively fit, lean, and getting fitter and leaner. Because I had nothing else to do and energy to burn, I rode a lot. It was wasted effort that translated into burnout during the trainer season, but I really didn't care. I hadn't been riding at all. A handful of road rides before the season ended. A couple fat bike rides when the trails near my house were packed well. Mostly I've hiked, cross-country skied, and sat on my fat ass. Primarily the latter. I knew I was going to be spending the month of February in Biloxi. I swore I was going to get back on the trainer in preparation, but I never did. I came in cold. I packed all sorts of warmers and raingear and stuff that I have yet to use.I forgot all sorts of tools. My tires were excessively worn and my tubes weren't in great shape either. I ended up buying new ones after a horrible first ride led to 4
Read more