Monday: "Bike Day"

It's been at least a month since I had my bike tuned up. The gym is closed, yoga is cancelled. I'd been meaning to make Monday's my "bike day" and today I had no excuse. After rounding up the helmet, shoes, and gloves, I headed out for my first ride since September. I can't believe it's been that long! You can tell I'm a super dedicated biker. ;)

I kept to my usual running routes, managing to cobble together 9.8 miles without leaving the neighborhood. I tested my memory of the gears, drinking while riding, using the rear-view mirror, hand signals to turn, and, the one thing that really petrifies me: riding on the main roads. I remembered to unclip when I came to a stop... that, in and of itself, is a major accomplishment.

I also mananged to squeeze in one moment of bitchiness. Yep. I was nearly home and riding along, about 14 mph on the RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, when along comes another bike rider -- and older woman -- riding STRAIGHT AT ME. She smiles and says, "hello" and what do I do? No "hello, how are you?" No, not me. I respond to her greeting with this:

"You're on the wrong side of the road."

That's it. How friendly of me. Then, guess what? I realize I know her. Arrrgghh. I couldn't be a bitch to a stranger. I have to pick a neighbor that I know. Hopefully she didn't recognize me in my cool bike gear and shades.

But, in my own defense, she should not have been riding her bike on the wrong side of the road. We don't drive our cars on the wrong side of the road! What if I had been running? She could have come up behind me and I wouldn't have even heard her. Or if I was driving? And another car was coming the other direction? I'd have had two vehicles coming straight at me.

So stupid.

Next time, maybe I'll try a brick.