Change of Pace

It seems like the first day of Spring is always shitty. As it was this year too. Cloudy and 50, blah. Yesterday was great though. I rushed out of work and took off on the road of course since the trails are still too wet to ride. I decided I needed to mix it up a little. The road gets so monotonous after a while. The first change I decided to make were my shoes. I always wear these really old pair of silver Sidi's when I'm on the road. But I figured, hey I'll take a walk on the wild side and wear my black ones (which I haven't worn since about last August). I finished getting ready and took off. Almost immediately I realize why I haven't worn these shoes. I had forgotten that last summer I had messed up the cleat and it was quickly apparent I did not fix it correctly. My right foot was was severely pigeon toed. However, I just didn't feel like going home, so I just fought it throughout my ride.

Next I decided to takes roads I usually don't to help mix it up some more. There's reasons I don't take these other roads, they're hilly. So I have now a crooked foot and riding hills. I keep going and ride further and further away from home. Eventually I figure I should head back so I take off up this road that looks pretty steep, it even feels steep when I drive on it. Very shortly into my climb I hit my last gear. I think "No, this can't be". I look up ahead and it just gets more steep. I'm struggling to go up. I try to shift again, thinking maybe I just didn't push hard enough. But nope, no more gears. I'm now fighting so hard that I'm weaving around. I'm thinking I haven't had this much of an issue going up a hill in years. This is crazy. Cars going by are giving me tons of room as I look like I'm totally out of control and about to dart in front of them at any moment as I thrash around fighting to get up the hill. It was pathetic. But eventually I came to the top. Ugh!

I was working my way back home and took another detour down a road I never even drive on, not alone ride. So I was just casually spinning at this point. Just taking in the day when this guy comes flying past me. He practically brushes me as he goes by. It takes me a second, and I survey my options. A. I could let him go. Or B. chase him down. Well of course I had to choose option B. So I clicked up a few gears and took off. I caught him and just sat on his wheel as I still didn't know the road and wasn't sure what lay ahead, but was pretty sure it was a hill. Sure enough it was, and he noticed I was there and was fighting ever so hard looking back and cranking harder in his drops. When we hit the hill he popped and I just went around. Mission accomplished.

I kept working my way home. My foot still bothering me. By now my ankle and my knee were too. But it was a good day. The clouds rolled in and it dropped about 10 degrees it seemed just as I was about 10min from home. So it was a good day.