Autumn Riding Tribulations

I'm ready for Autumn riding. I am ready for brisk mornings, numb ears, and sweatless upper lips. I just can't get motivated to go out at 7:30 AM and fight soccer moms taking their evil offspring to school (have them ride their bikes or walk 'em to school), hospital workers running late for their shifts, or high school girls driving, texting about how short their shorts are today. You see I am a morning person and this time of year sucks. I wake up at 5:30 AM and I feel like one those old toy cars you wind up, just raring to go and sprung way too tight. I'm ready to go but when I look outside it's Africa dark. That's good for some people but I am blind as a bat when the sun goes down. And I've tried lights too. Two things happen, I get distracted by the lights and it becomes a scene from Goonies. Sloth discovers how to use a flashlight and starts swatting at the beam laughing uncontrolably. Second problem are the little moths that congregate around my Knogs. They must be able to fly pretty fast or else I'm not as fast as I think I am. Again, I get distracted and start giggling like Sloth. That's fine until they come near my face and then I turn into a spazz, swatting and screaming. So no early morning rides for me. I go out at lunch but it feels like I'm playing hooky. I can feel guilty like a superhero, it's a gift.

Poppys Sloth Impression

My only choices are to get over the fact that I am a 140 pound vehicle (bike included, thank you) and I belong on the road just as much as the HMB soccer mom's in their XXL Ford Flex's. Or I can get over the fact that moth's like my headlights and I should embrace those stocky, fuzzy, wannabe butterflies and let them hitch a ride on my slipstream. All the while I hit every pothole my fine city has to offer because my lights only cover one foot in front of my wheel and I have a slow reaction time to things like that. I could also go out at lunch and just live with the guilt, maybe I should start a cyclist confession booth, I bet others feel like me. Probably not. I will figure it out though, it will probably be winter by the time I do, then I can complain about how it's too cold.

The Big Red P

Went riding with my hubby this morning at 5:30. I found it a bit adventurous, starting off in the dark. Always exciting when I get to use my cheap little Knog lights. I wouldn't use them in complete darkness though. I put two on the handlebar and they basically light up my front tire, but at least drivers can see my two light up bike pasties coming at them, oh and my blinky caboose light. Like I said it was 5:30 in the morning and it was already steamy, just ask my hubby about my lawyer lip. Apparently that's what I get when I sweat, so he says. I don't tell him about the sweaty drainpipe dripping down the middle of my sports bra. Ha, that's nasty even for me. I like to think it's because fitter people sweat more. I keep telling myself that, I believe it's a fact, in some medical journal.

Well it was a good ride, no flats, bloody noses, or broken egos(at least I hope not). Although, I'm debating the ride we're planning this weekend, it's 50 miles out and back to Huntington beach. I feel a bit out of shape, but it is all flat, no more than a 1 % grade. Ooh, I just got a feeling, it's about 3 hours since we finished our ride and I feel like a puu-saaay. Flat and 50 miles, my granny could that. O.k. I just talked myself into it again. I'll just watch some Rapha movies beforehand. So look for Mondays entry and find out if I puuuss out or if I just end up riding around town with a big red P on my jersey.