I ride

I have been riding at lunch for a couple of weeks now and the rides have been quite a lot of fun. Where I work is just made for a nice lunch-time ride, lots of interesting things to see and great little places to stop for lunch. 

But that isn’t what I want to talk about.

Today I stayed home (it is saturday) it was supposed to rain and the ride I had planned fell through. I figured since I was riding at lunch most of the week it would be ok, After all I had things I needed to take care of. I went grocery shopping, cleaned the living room and played with Spyke. It was a rather full day

So I thought. It seems I was wrong

I started watching Murder of Couriers.and the movie kept pausing. so I gave up and hopped on the macho man and headed down to the nearby school to ride some laps. That is when it started raining. And that is when I started to really enjoy the ride, It wasn’t a long ride maybe 14 or 15 laps, nothing to write home about.

Still, as the rain fell and I rode those circles I felt almost reborn. Like the rain washed away the funk. I really enjoyed the ride, the more the rained the more I liked it. I felt like I was the only one out there (It was raining so I was the only one out there) Even as I sit here and write this I have to wonder why I felt this way. I can’t really explain it. I can’t explain how I feel about riding or why I love it so much. 

But I’ll try

Today at work I got my bike and went for my nice 30 min ride at lunch, I had to talk myself into going on the ride knowing that as soon as I got out of the parking lot I was going to enjoy the ride. Knowing that it is only when I am on my bike that I no longer care what other think about me. I don’t care what I look like being a big fat guy on a bike. Because no matter what people think. I’m on a bike and you’re not,

That may be what it is all my life I have been a fat guy. All my life I have felt out of place and looked down on. But when I’m on my bike you can think anything you want.

I can’t hear you with the wind in my ears.

WorkBike

Say hello to my #Workbike.  She is a nice bike and I have felt bad that since I got here I haven't ridden her much. Since she is a single speed and I am a big fat guy it seems like I had made a huge mistake by picking a sweet little thing like her. Between BOB and the Macho Man, I never really found an excuse to take her out riding. She has sat patience in a dark closet just waiting for her time to shine.

That time has come.

I work for Heyl & Patterson (sorry about the talking sales pitch) designing some really cool machines. In August we moved from Robinson to Carnegie. Carnegie is pretty flat. i.e. Perfect for my sweet little single speed to really shine.  One of the cooler things about horking for H&P is that I can keep my bike inside in a secure room so I never have to worry about it. So when Lunch time comes

Off I go.

It is a great feeling to head out for 30 min of pedaling in the middle of the day, off to discover what I can about the area around our new building. So far I have found churches, graveyards, parks and playgrounds, murals and memorials.

In other words, some cool stuff

It is interesting to look forward to the middle of the day and wonder what I will see on my ride. No more sitting at my desk eating pb&j and watching youtube. Instead I get air, people, and usually smiles. I see a mom with a stoller and a puppy. I see other people on bikes, clearly not out for a ride but running errands. I ride and find the Professional & Amateur Pinball Association. Which is very cool looking place to find. So if you happen to be in Carnegie at lunch and the sun is shining look around you might just see me go zooming past you.

Ill be the fat guy smiling