Two weeks ago I began riding my bicycle to work. I thought it would help save a little money and I would get in better shape. The trip is like 30 miles one way. OK, really just 3 miles – my legs just feel like it's 30. I know people who do 3 miles in their sleep, or used to do 30 and more a day, and to them this is no big deal. My friend Mark rode his bike to work one day, and he works in Charlotte, some 26-28 miles away! So my little trip is nothing in comparison. Anyway, back to my bike riding . . .
Every where I go from my house is uphill! It is an almost continuous incline from my house to the hospital, which is 8/10 of a mile from work – they should change the name of the hospital to Hospital on a Hill. Then you coast down a hill for a ways only to have to climb again to get to my destination. Then it is uphill back home! In fact, not only is it uphill anywhere I go from my house, it is even more uphill to get to my house! They should change the name of this town from Rock Hill to Rock Hills! We live in the piedmont, you would think that this meant foothills...
Yesterday evening I decided to ride over to Sarah’s house. Lot of incline on Ebinport and then a long hill right before Cherry Rd. You cross Cherry Rd, another small incline and then her street is a long hill down to her house. As I was whizzing along I realized, “I’m gonna pay for this on the way back!”
I thank God for the person who invented the multi-speed bicycle! I have a 21 speed bike. Not for any particular reason, it was simply the one I liked at the bike store and it just happened to have 21 speeds. Three on the left hand and seven on the right. So far I only use the 7 gears on #2. Gotta figure out what the other gears are for . . .
I’ve already had some interesting encounters on the road. I already know from past bike riding that drivers don’t see cyclists, so I know to be very defensive. But people coming from side roads just fly up to the stop sign. Come to think about it, I was riding a bike one a long time ago and got hit by a car just that way!
One of my first nights riding to work (yes, I work at night so I ride at night; I leave the house at either 10:30 or 11:30; well, I’ve gotten a little faster so it is more like 35 after the hour now) I was coming up to the entrance of the hospital. I saw that there was a car wanting to turn into the parking lot and being aware that he probably would not see me (despite my headlight and flashing tail light), I stopped and signaled him to go ahead and turn. As he turned he switched on his brights so I could see him!! I confess, I muttered something unkind about him and went on to work.
Yesterday, on my way back from Sarah’s house, I’m riding along Ebinport all by myself. Then I heard some cars coming up behind me and there was still no one coming the other way. The car behind me honked his horn and passed. I laughed sardonically. In my saner and softer moments I realize that people riding in cars don’t hear anything but their car and their music, while people walking or on bikes hear so much more. That’s one of the things I love about my jeep – I have no windows and hear all sorts of things while driving.
That’s my story so far. I arrive every where hot, sweaty and a little out of breath. And probably wind blown. Tiernan told me yesterday that I looked like Wolverine. I don’t know if that’s good or bad. But, since I tend to brush my hair only once a day anyway, I don’t really care!
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