Random Bitz

I got out for a 40 mile ride on the road bike today and it felt great to be out! First ride since Saturday (yikes). The legs felt good and the temps and air had a hint of fall in them. Even some of the trees are starting change a bit.

Dog Whisperer?

It appears that I am becoming quite the "dog whisperer," for soon after this pic was taken I started up a hill and encountered one of the 1,015 dogs that have chased, bit, sniffed, snapped, spit, humped, growled and glared at me over the past 7 months. But this time I just talked to it the whole time and then did that Crocodile Dundee hand thing that controls animals. Seem to work, as he didn't bite me. BONUS!

Sexy Back

Later on in the ride, I was up out of the saddle climbing. One of those extended cab contractor/road worker type pick-up trucks passed me with a bunch of dudes sporting hard hats in it. One dude whistles at me. Hmmmm.... Was it

A. He thought my shapely sexy back was lady like?
B. He was the construction worker from the Village People? (AKA, he STILL liked my sexy back).
C. He was an idiot?
D. All of the above.

I'm going with "D." I just shouted "THANKS!" That way I figure even if it was (A) or (B) I'm sort of desperate from compliments right now and will take what I can get. Plus if he thought I was a chick, they now new that I was indeed not, and his co-workers are surely giving him shit about it.

On Peeing

Wiz, pee, "natural break," whatever. I drink a lot of coffee in the a.m., there's a fall chill in a.m., and I'm 39 going on 69 years old, so the morning rides have their share "stops". While I don't ride that many busy or urban roads and am not exactly drizzling the town side walks with human waste, it's outside the confines of an official bathroom for sure. Sometimes I'm sort of shocked at how unfazed I am about roadside peeing. I'm almost afraid that I have become TOO at ease with it. I mean a few times I've been out running errands or doing stuff in the back yard, and had to almost talk myself out of NOT peeing in the Giant Eagle parking lot or on that hedge by my garage. Wal-Mart doesn't count, 'cause everybody pees on the floor there. Or at least it smells like it.

I tried peeing off the bike once. No go. Almost crashed, and I do NOT want to have to explain to an EMT why my collar bone is broken, and I have pee all over my chamois-al area. So for me it's find a place on a secluded road, aim far, and try to avoid any water bottle contamination.

Was this all too much? Sorry. But God knows you didn't come here looking for tips, race results, tales of victory. (Sorry Rick, Ha!).

Shot of the cockpit (the bike, nothing to do with the above pee post etc.,).

Looks like I still have the cue sheet from my ride in Mount Pleasant taped to my bars. With 5 weeks 'till I return to MP, I should probably just get rid of that. The gloves? Yep, they're Craftsman work gloves baby!! Can you smell the baked in nacho cheese goodness?? They are the same as every pair of ham and egger cycling gloves on the market. OK, so they're not $160 Rapha Grand Tour gloves, but they do me just fine. Plus I think if you buy the Rapha gloves they come with a mandatory "I'M A DOUCHE BAG" forehead tattoo. I already know I'm a douche, I don't need gloves made from the stomach lining of an African desert fox baby and said tattoo to remind myself and others of my douche-ie-ness. For God's sake, PROS aren't even using shit like that. (But they are peeing on city streets) Ha!

OK, I think I covered it all. A ride, perfect fall day, whistled at by dudes, talk of my ass, peeing, talking like I'm 12, smelly Craftsman gloves, dropped the word douche 2 or 3 times, etc., etc., Check! Looks like we're good here.

Later.