1. Scramble out the door at 6:30 to make it for an evening bike ride.
2. Forget your water bottle and be too lazy to go back inside and get it.
(The security guard locked me out, and I would have had to clip-clop all the way around the building in my bike shoes).
3. Forget that the sun is setting earlier now that it's late summer and that it no longer stays light until 8 or 8:30.
4. Feel really good at the turn-around point and say, "Screw it! Let's go out just a bit longer."
5. When you reach the turn-around point, decide you feel SO good that you should make a loop instead of an out-and-back ride.
6. Decide to "find" this loop by doing some exploring and ride down roads never ridden before (a.k.a. basically, get lost on purpose).
Note to self: Just because a road starts out going in the right direction doesn't mean it's going to stay that way.
7. Aforementioned never-ridden-before roads are windy, narrow, and have no bike lanes.
8. And of course, these roads have lots of traffic and are super hilly.
9. Oh, and ride by yourself.
10. Neglect to have any sort of lights for night riding or luminescence whatsoever.
At mile, 21 as dusk had more than fallen and all the cars passing me now had their headlights on, I realized I still had a good 8-or-so miles to go before reaching home. I decided to surrender. I pulled over into a restaurant parking lot, noting the name of the restaurant, the road I was on, and the intersecting street. I then pulled out my handy cell phone and called Jason to come and rescue me. Sigh. It was a great ride despite my brazen idiocracy. He brought the bike rack, a lock, and a change of clothes and took me out to eat at a local brewery and restaurant (Rock Bottom), which put a nice finishing touch on the evening.
10 comments:
What a gallant knight! Mine would have come but growling, "If you're gonna stay out after dark why the hell don't you put some lights on that thing?" A change of clothes for dinner out wouldn't have crossed his mind.
Re: your recent comment on my blog: Doing too much is a risk we take. I was doing too much when I was trying to follow my coach's 5- and 6-day training weeks. Now, with 3- and 4-day weeks, I'm training better, doing longer workouts with less fatigue, actually getting in as many hours as I was on the every-day schedules, and getting tired less. I'm amazed. I've been doing double workouts some days, not scheduled by my coach but just because I feel good after my workout and decide to go do a ride or run, or I decide that before my scheduled ride or run, I'll start with a swim. It is amazing how much more I feel like training, with a rest dy every other day. Instead of dragging, I'm ready, ready, ready. You're right, you should try it!
Finishing a good workout off with nice fresh brew is the best...
I was just thinking about lights the other day. Pretty soon I am going to have to break out the head and tail lights for my early morning rides.... arrghhh... and then comes the cold.
The club aquathlons are a blast and the food is epic. I saw you finishing the run. Next I'll come say hi.
Ha! Thanks for the laugh; I've been there and done that. It makes for a good story. And sometimes you actually do magically end up finding that to-die-for loop that a more cautious rider would have missed.
And 2nd to the gallant knight - he's a keeper!
Sometimes you just have to go for it. Your lucky you have someone to get you, I've had to keep going when I do that.
...isn't that's what a cell phone is for? :)
Don't feel too bad about it....sometimes u just have to go out there. As long as you don't put yourself in too dangerous situation (AKA ride in the dark with no lights), you will be fine.
I am sure your hubby doesn't mind picking you up.
Wow, you really have a keeper! Picks you up and takes you to a brewery! Do you mind me asking if he has a brother? ;)
What? Except for dark arriving it sounds like the perfect ride! ;)
As habeela said, it sounded like a perfect ride. Except I could do without the traffic.
You're brave going places you've never been! I like to stick with what I know!
Wow, you even got dinner!!
Great way to finish up the night. I love Rock Bottom Brewery!!! There is one in Buckhead, I go once every six months, and I love the microbrews they have.
I got lost on purpose once, and then it decided to pour. I had to call in the rain to get directions once I found an intersection to two major roads that i knew. Who knew a cellphone would work in the rain!!!
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