Oh you're the one! You're the one who's fast. I've heard about you. I want to learn from you. Teach me how to be fast. Help me be fast.
I joke. I CAN help you be fast.
We're all clipping along and she, like the majority of others, swirls around in the chaos of bicycles going down the road. Obviously she's a strong rider. She's just not a smart rider yet. Truthfully, I'd be toast if I were hanging out in the wind like she is. Now and again she shows up beside me.
So you're in the small chainring are you always in the small chainring this time of year after a season of getting into shape how come you're in the small chainring insteadofthebigchainring?
She's observing the observable. She's looking but not seeing. She's grabbing on to something familiar. The subtlety escapes.
First rule. Learn to draft and do it well. Find a good draft and stick. It saves your legs for those times you need it.
Yeah well, I hear you raced what types how long what cat howlonghave youbeenout???
I answered. She swirled off to somewhere else.
At the rest stop I caught her and gave her the old bank account analogy ending with save it for when you need it.
Oh, I always draft.
No, you don't.
She looked at me.
Oh, I just have a bigger fun quotient than you do I'm not going to get allserious over it I love talkingtopeople it's notworthitifIdon't.
You asked, I'm telling. Use what you've got when you need it, and don't use it when you don't need to. Shoot the shit with people, but do it while you're drafting someone. You asked, and I'm just tellin' you.
You're right. I asked.
She told me about her cycling background and how she chooses drafts -- there are few people she'll ride behind. Smart. She stays away from the woman in the yellow. Double smart. She can see some things.
She put her thumb and forefinger about an inch apart.
And, I like to make men feel this big every now and again while on the bike.
My eyes narrowed. We're on common ground here.
She turned to my friend Dave.
I like her she's not afraid to put me inmyplace wegotta rideagainsoon!
- The Oldfastbag
2 comments:
Hi TOB,
TOH here. Nice to read about riding. I hear you on the finding a good draft. Fortunately I ride a 20 year old Olmo so no one pesters me for my advice except my wife, and even she is learning to ignore most of my eccentric thoughts.
I do ride fast though, and eschew the recreational pace line. I did a century last Sunday and my wife and I came up on the back of a 100 person pack. There was a change in speed that rippled its way back until there was locked brakes around us. We then crossed the yellow line (there was no other way) and cruised past this rolling mass.
It was a good decision. When we got to the front the ladies (a whole pack of pink jerseys) pulling the group along asked someone on the side of the road if he needed help. He said "spoke wrench" and they (at the head of a 100 person pack remember) grabbed there brakes and started yelling "does anyone have a spoke wrench?" We were (happily) gone. Scary.
Have a steady day,
This Old Husband
Hi TOH,
Frightsome lot...gives pink a bad name! Thanks for stopping by.
TOB
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