Stupid Hurts

I lean my weight forward and lock my heels together. Then listen to the back tire as it skids across the pavement.

I lock up the back tire and come sliding up perfectly to the line at the traffic light.  I was unneeded as usual, but, it was fun. I think showing off is probably the entire reason I ride a fixed gear sometimes really.

Then I hear my name being called.  Which is really surprising. Considering there are really only a handful people who should know me on sight.  Those people are mostly coffee shop rats and firefighters. Then I look around, and spotted in an ambulance two slots behind me Emt’s leaning out, waving, and calling my name. You gotta have friends I guess.

But I was struck right then. Do you really want to be on a first name basis with the local emergency response crew. And know that you are on that basis because of how many times they have cleaned you up, from bleeding out of random ditches.

So I am riding my bike home after doing some more volunteer work at the bicycle co-op and I decide to ride a more relaxed pace that normal. Mostly because I felt like crap anyway. While ascending from the bottom of the hill I saw a person slam their bicycle into the triangular median and take a head first dive onto the pavement. No bracing with his hands or anything, just a head first dive onto the pavement. I then sprint up to him thinking this could be bad. Once I get my own bike situated I helped him up and proceed to check him for a concussion in the most unobtrusive way possible.

Since no good deed goes ever unpunished, and I had been trying not to laugh the entire time, since the guy had basically face planted right in front of me. While I was wrapping up our conversation, I had a petite seizure. I can’t talk while having these and I only have limited motor function. At this point my new best friend decided he wanted a hug and thank me for stopping to help him. At that point I really just wanted to stand there for a second wait for my head to clear, and then go home.

Cycling at night is sublime. The world seems like a completely different place at 2 am. I prefer the back roads and the neighborhood streets, chasing my shadow from each cone of light to the next. I like to ride slowly at night, and just listen to the sounds. The darkness gives me ample chance to reflect on current events and organize my thoughts, or even better a chance to clear my mind and listen to my tires buzz on the pavement.

Next week looks to be busy cycling wise for me. I am supposed to be helping to support May as “ride you bike to work month” as well as attending a Critical Mass ride and at some point attending one of the Tuesday night 20 mile rides my shop will be putting on for the rest of the summer. I managed to talk my way out of the 8am Saturday morning rides. I don’t think I could bring myself to wake my poor bicycle up that time of morning.

Oddly enough I just realized this is blog post 113, which means I missed the milestone of post 100. Thanks everyone who reads this thing month after months!