but some rides do suck more than others, and yesterday's ride was probably at the bottom of the list. this is my second [and last] week working down in westminster, before i start my new job in longmont.
last week i didn't try to ride because i had something to do before work or after work. everything required a car. i brought my road bike with me everyday just in case i felt like doing a lunch ride. my big boss actually invited me for a lunch ride last week, but after i turned in my resignation he no longer asks. anyway, my bike sat on the car the whole week.
i've been feeling guilty for driving so much, so yesterday i tried to ride part of the way in. the whole way is about 34 miles and too far for me at this point in the season. i ended up driving part of it and riding the last 13 miles or so. effort wise the ride in was not bad at all. however there were parts where i had no shoulder to ride in and there was quite a bit of traffic. i was pretty gripped out for those sections.
my ride home was just horrible. i had the same no shoulder roads only this time i had an unbelievable amount of traffic and really strong cross winds. it was so sketchy i almost just started walking my bike. there is no direct route over the freeway, so i have to snake my way through the side streets and back roads. this area of town does not seem to have street lights or cross walks anywhere. most of the streets i had to cross had merging streets into them which works out well for cars. for bikes... well you're on your own. i had to sit forever and wait for a break in traffic, then "go for it". finally i got out of the city streets and back out on the highway. this time it was cross to head wind.... and cold!
i finally got back to my car extremely cold and dehydrated. i started up the car turned the heater up full blast and sat there for a while de-thawing.
to add salt into my fresh wound... as i was getting really close to home i noticed that the driver in front of me was trying to tell me something by pointing up to the sky and to the roof of his car.. all while looking in his mirror at me. wtf? finally i got a clue and looked up through my sun roof and saw that my bike had tipped over. i could see it leaning sideways and i could also tell that one of the front wheel drops was bent at a right angle. @#$#! i eventually pulled over and checked things out and the damage was confined to my front drop. i tried to straighten it out on the rack and ended up just making it a little better, but now it no longer fit in the rack. after some creative positioning i managed to lock in the good drop and held the bike through my open sun roof. i only had a block or two till i got home but man my had almost froze off!
this morning i i managed to straighten the drop and everything seems fine for now.
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