M_A_Martin
09-17-2004, 10:43 PM
Even when we don't want to.
I was headed to a group ride after work. Traffic was hell due to Ryder cup (there aren't enough hotels in Birmingham, so they're staying in Novi) I called my buddies on the way...not going to make it, just a bit later they called at the ride start time "want us to wait, there's nobody else here". Nope, I told them to go without me. I'm not feeling well, I'm not keeping up with those two hammer heads!
I finally arrive at the ride start point. Sure enough, there aren't any other cars there. Sitting in the parkinglot I still wasn't feeling at all well and I had no ambition to ride. My buddy called me about going to a movie...no...I drove all the way out here, I should ride. Meanwhile, I thought about driving home. No, get on the bike and ride.
So I dragged my butt out of the car and got on the bike gauging how far I had to ride to "half way to dark" and got moving.
About a half mile out I climb a hill and pass a heavier woman walking her bike. "Got everything Ok?" "Yes, I'm fine"
Something in her voice told me that she wasn't so I slowed down. "You sure?" "I have a flat."
"Do you have everything to fix it"
"No, I called my husband, but he's not answering, I'm walking home, I'm ok."
"You sure?"
Now keep in mind we're riding in a nice linear park where I don't mind riding because I can take on most of the weirdos who inhabit it at night...this woman who seemed to be a bit older than me, and a bit more out of shape than I am...didn't seem to be that sort.
"Yes, I'm just going to the corner and then right to haggerty then up to six mile."
That's a long walk... maybe four miles? maybe less. Now that's a long walk at dusk with possible weirdos about. There was no way she'd make it home before dark walking.
So I stop. She has no tools and no clue. I change her tire and give her some short introductions to what she should do. Its windy out. I can't find the leak in the tube so I check the inside of the tire and put things back together and air it up. Its a slow leak. I decide to escort her home.
She thinks she can get home a certain way, but she isn't sure. She pleads with me to leave her and ride back to my car so I won't be in the park after dark by myself. "You know, we'll get there faster if you stop pleading and start pedaling 'cause I'm going with you to make sure you make it home ok."
We chat on the way, she worries about me behind her...not as much as I am because when I left my car I left my blinky light behind 'cause I wasn't going to be out too late and we weren't riding in the park with 4' shoulders, we were riding in real traffic...dang! No lights, no reflective crap on the bike...fortunately we have an occasional 2' shoulder. Not much, but enough.
She tells me about her usual ride which is quite a loop for someone with no tools and no idea of how to change a tire on Heinz drive! She sets quite a pace, I imagine to myself how fast she'd be on skinny tires...wow....she's not consistent, but she can be brisk on her wide tire comfort bike!
I get her to the entrance to her subdivision. As we pull in, so does her husband, back from Meijers. She once again pleads with me to wait until she can follow me back to my car due to the issues in the park. I take her phone number to call her to let her know that I made it to my car and thank her for the interesting conversation, and leave. I've got to bust butt to make it back to the car in some semblance of daylight.
As I retrace the path she says she took, I see three places she could have picked up glass, a couple places for roofing nails, and one indiscriminate "junk" area...
I make it back to where I recognize the area, and start pounding it back to the car. A car pulls along side. "HI! IT's ME! I want to follow you to make sure you don't get hit!"
We all know that a car following a cyclist in the dark can cause more problems than its worth...and she did. But that's ok. Her heart was in the right place. I try to make it as quick as possible, so I push my knee more than I have since my surgery and I'm flying. Wish I had a computer to tell me how fast I was going!
When we get back to the parking lot my buddies are waiting for me (and about to send out a search party). She's not too sure about them and wants to know if I want her to wait...weirdos come in all shapes including some who ride bikes evidently! "No, these are my ride buddies!"
With that assurance, my new buddy tells me "you are quick!", gives me some chocolate and water and waves goodbye.
And my friends in the parkinglot ask:
"Where were you"
And I tell them the story and we go to the brewery for dinner and have a wonderful time.
Tomorrow is a trail day, so I have to get up early...ulf!
Ginger
I was headed to a group ride after work. Traffic was hell due to Ryder cup (there aren't enough hotels in Birmingham, so they're staying in Novi) I called my buddies on the way...not going to make it, just a bit later they called at the ride start time "want us to wait, there's nobody else here". Nope, I told them to go without me. I'm not feeling well, I'm not keeping up with those two hammer heads!
I finally arrive at the ride start point. Sure enough, there aren't any other cars there. Sitting in the parkinglot I still wasn't feeling at all well and I had no ambition to ride. My buddy called me about going to a movie...no...I drove all the way out here, I should ride. Meanwhile, I thought about driving home. No, get on the bike and ride.
So I dragged my butt out of the car and got on the bike gauging how far I had to ride to "half way to dark" and got moving.
About a half mile out I climb a hill and pass a heavier woman walking her bike. "Got everything Ok?" "Yes, I'm fine"
Something in her voice told me that she wasn't so I slowed down. "You sure?" "I have a flat."
"Do you have everything to fix it"
"No, I called my husband, but he's not answering, I'm walking home, I'm ok."
"You sure?"
Now keep in mind we're riding in a nice linear park where I don't mind riding because I can take on most of the weirdos who inhabit it at night...this woman who seemed to be a bit older than me, and a bit more out of shape than I am...didn't seem to be that sort.
"Yes, I'm just going to the corner and then right to haggerty then up to six mile."
That's a long walk... maybe four miles? maybe less. Now that's a long walk at dusk with possible weirdos about. There was no way she'd make it home before dark walking.
So I stop. She has no tools and no clue. I change her tire and give her some short introductions to what she should do. Its windy out. I can't find the leak in the tube so I check the inside of the tire and put things back together and air it up. Its a slow leak. I decide to escort her home.
She thinks she can get home a certain way, but she isn't sure. She pleads with me to leave her and ride back to my car so I won't be in the park after dark by myself. "You know, we'll get there faster if you stop pleading and start pedaling 'cause I'm going with you to make sure you make it home ok."
We chat on the way, she worries about me behind her...not as much as I am because when I left my car I left my blinky light behind 'cause I wasn't going to be out too late and we weren't riding in the park with 4' shoulders, we were riding in real traffic...dang! No lights, no reflective crap on the bike...fortunately we have an occasional 2' shoulder. Not much, but enough.
She tells me about her usual ride which is quite a loop for someone with no tools and no idea of how to change a tire on Heinz drive! She sets quite a pace, I imagine to myself how fast she'd be on skinny tires...wow....she's not consistent, but she can be brisk on her wide tire comfort bike!
I get her to the entrance to her subdivision. As we pull in, so does her husband, back from Meijers. She once again pleads with me to wait until she can follow me back to my car due to the issues in the park. I take her phone number to call her to let her know that I made it to my car and thank her for the interesting conversation, and leave. I've got to bust butt to make it back to the car in some semblance of daylight.
As I retrace the path she says she took, I see three places she could have picked up glass, a couple places for roofing nails, and one indiscriminate "junk" area...
I make it back to where I recognize the area, and start pounding it back to the car. A car pulls along side. "HI! IT's ME! I want to follow you to make sure you don't get hit!"
We all know that a car following a cyclist in the dark can cause more problems than its worth...and she did. But that's ok. Her heart was in the right place. I try to make it as quick as possible, so I push my knee more than I have since my surgery and I'm flying. Wish I had a computer to tell me how fast I was going!
When we get back to the parking lot my buddies are waiting for me (and about to send out a search party). She's not too sure about them and wants to know if I want her to wait...weirdos come in all shapes including some who ride bikes evidently! "No, these are my ride buddies!"
With that assurance, my new buddy tells me "you are quick!", gives me some chocolate and water and waves goodbye.
And my friends in the parkinglot ask:
"Where were you"
And I tell them the story and we go to the brewery for dinner and have a wonderful time.
Tomorrow is a trail day, so I have to get up early...ulf!
Ginger