Bicycling

My Sunday Was More Boring Than Yours

The only thing besides the weekly grocery shopping trip to interrupt hanging out on the couch all day was an early morning tandem ride. We went another 8 or so miles, but this time included a stop for breakfast. Because we were too early for a muffin at the New Moon Cafe and the only true bagel place in town folded their tent we ended up at the ABC. We both had a bagel and judged their quality to be just about half way between a store bought one and one from the defunct Best Bagels.

There was an older gentleman a couple people ahead of us that got one too, but we didn’t ask him how he liked his. We sat outside in the patio area and watched as that same gentleman got back in his car to leave. He reopened hid drivers door and poured the contents of a nearly full old Atlanta Bread Company coffee cup onto the ground in the parking lot. We marveled as to why he wouldn’t have just gone back inside the shop and thrown it out. After the cup was empty he got back out of the car and did head back inside. Now we really wondered why he didn’t just throw it away in the store. Then with a flash of realization it dawned on us what he was doing, when he ordered his bagel he didnt get a drink, now he was refilling and old ABC cup with fresh coffee.

Because we did get out on the roads early we encountered very little automobile traffic. On the way home from breakfast there were a few more cars out, probably on their way to early services at church. I am always amazed at these good Christians on their way to worship the deity of their choice are the least courteous drivers on the road. This morning we were on a section of very lightly traveled 4-lane road when a nicely dressed person in a pickup squeezed by us as close as he could. I’m guessing he was a catholic, because after he accidentally ran us over and killed us all he had to do was to go to confession and be absolved from his sins. That way his conscience would have been clear as he sat down to watch the Braves on TV later that afternoon.

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/06: 151

A Day Late

Forgot to mention that we went for a small bike ride yesterday. We took the tandem out, cruised some neighborhoods and ended up going about 8-1/2 miles at about 3/4 speed. Donna was feeling pretty good when I got home from work and we didn’t want to burn up all her energy. The tandem is perfect for her right now, she can get in some needed exercise and not have to worry about that whole steering, shifting, braking stuff.

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/06: 142

Mobile Bill Pay & Long Distance Lunch

Forget automatic debit, forget paying online, we do things the old fashioned way – with a check. But then we throw in a twist, we ride our bicycles around town and put those checks in the drop box at the cable company, the power company and the city (for water & sewage.) We tacked on a few extra miles by exploring some of the rapidly expanding sub-divisions on the southside of town and ended up going a little over twelve miles on the tandem.

In celebration of having our Miata back we decided to go to Maurice’s BBQ for lunch. Big deal you say, BBQ, well the closest Maurice’s is in Lexington, SC about 50 miles away. It was in the upper 70s with a bright blue sky and some fluffy white clouds for contrast, a day that was tailor-made for a convertible drive. One hundred mile trip at 25 MPG and with gas at $3 a gallon we spent twelve dollars to get a $14 lunch. You can bet the trip was worth every penny.

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/06: 127

‘Bout Time

We started the year right on our quest to bicycle more. We did the out portion of the Aiken Bicycle Club’s traditional New Year’s Day ride to the Aiken State Park or 20 miles. We rejoined the Club with intentions to do some of the easy Sunday rides. Aaah, the best laid plans…

If you don’t count the 5 mile ride I took with the Club for a photo op back in February (and I don’t,) today was the first time we have ridden since January 1st. We got up early to beat the heat and did eleven flat miles. We took it sorta easy for two reasons; 1) we hadn’t been on a bike for, well, 3-1/2 months and 2) it has only been 4 weeks since Donna had surgery.

Do You Think I’ll Live To Be 80?

I recently picked a new primary care physician. After two visits and exhaustive lab tests, he said I was doing “fairly well” for my age.

A little concerned about that comment, I couldn’t resist asking him, “Do you think I’ll live to be 80?”

He asked, “Do you smoke tobacco or drink alcoholic beverages?”

“Oh no,” I replied. “I’m not doing drugs, either.”

Then he asked, “Do you eat rib-eye steaks and barbecued ribs?”

I said, “No, my other doctor said that all red meat is very unhealthy!”

“Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like playing golf, sailing, hiking, or bicycling?”

No, I don’t,” I said.

He asked, “Do you gamble, drive fast cars, or have a lot of sex?”

“No,” I said. “I don’t do any of those things.”

He looked at me and said, “Then why do you give a shit?”

Old New New Year’s Tradition

Last January 1st I remarked that we had started (after all of 2 in a row) a new tradition of taking a hike in the Sumter National Forrest on New Year’s Day. This year our hiking companions were non-committal and a pleading phone call from an old friend made us revive an old tradition with some folks who continued on in our recent absence. We joined the Aiken Bicycle Club on a ride to Aiken State Park.

In the intervening 5 years or so since we last did this with the ABC a couple of things were different. 1) Donna and I were riding a tandem instead of separate bikes and 2) the Aiken State Park was now called Aiken State Natural Area. (I wonder what the difference is?)

The Natural Area is a 22 mile one way trip and seeing as that is about 2 miles further than we have ridden in a long time and there was a catered lunch waiting there for us, we opted, along with about 1/2 of the cyclists, for a ride back to Aiken in a car with the bikes on a trailer.

Because it was such a beautiful day for January, we had plenty of daylight left when we got back and tomorrow promises rain, so we climbed into the Miata and went for a 50 mile or so drive.

Started down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/06: 0

Long Distance Sunday

Springlike day here in Aiken. There was a big chance of rain all day, but it only came down for a short while this morning and quit. About 9 o’clock we wanted to go for a bike ride, but wet streets and lingering green splotches on the local radar made us think twice.

By 10:00 AM the green was gone and the streets were mostly dry and after a couple of clothing changes to be dresses right for the warmth, we pulled the tandem out of the garage and headed off.

This was to be a test of the new seat which has been sitting obediently on the bike since before Thanksgiving. After 8 miles it felt pretty good. When we got to the 8 mile point at a tee in the road Donna suggested just turning around and going back the same way we came. The normal right hand turn to complete the 15 mile loop passed right by a church and it seemed like a lot of traffic heading that way. I proposed alternate 3, turn left. It meant a 20 mile ride, but it was a nice day and we were feeling good.

The last couple of miles were a little painful, but not because of the seats, it was our backsides. We have only been riding 12-15 miles and the extra 30 minutes in the saddle were more than we were used to.

I have to admit that I’m enjoying the tandeming much more than I did when we first had one 10 years ago. I’m not sure what the reason is, and I’m not going to lose sleep trying to figure it out, but I look forward to riding the tandem more so than riding the half bikes.

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/05: 371