Yesterday I went on a glorious bike ride out to Walden Pond and back. OK, it didn't start off gloriously, and there were less-than-glorious bits in between. But the sum of all the parts was certainly a big ol' ball of glory.
My first problem was finding someone to go with me on this adventure, preferably someone who knew where they were going or could help me figure that out (and wouldn't be pissed if we got lost, which I've learned is an essential prerequisite to traveling with me). I thought I had someone lined up, but laundry and other mundane chores took precedence, and I was resigned to either going alone or maybe taking a trip with less roads and scary cars. But then I emailed a friend, who just happened to be done with work at 3 and had her bike and a bathing suit in her car. Hooray! We decided to meet in Arlington around 3:30.
Before I left, there were three important things I had to do: take a Claritin (check!), attach the water bottle cage I bought on Sunday (uh, shit, no hex wrench thingy), and install the lock holder jimjammy thing (wait, fuck, how does this possibly fit..grr...in...mother shit christ...here?) for my bike lock. My sinuses were a little clearer, but the water bottle and lock had to go in my backpack.
The ride to Arlington was strewn with arborial peril. I had to get off my bike a few times and walk under or over downed trees that were blocking the path. Finally, I caught up with Antonia, and we were on our way. When we got to Lexington, we stopped and looked at the bike map I borrowed from my roommate. Another cyclist stopped and asked if we needed any help, and we discussed a good route to Walden. And we were off again, headed for the hills. OF DOOM.
Up until yesterday, all of my recent long(ish) bike rides have been along the bike path, which is more or less flat. I knew about the hill on 2A headed out of Lexington, and I had climbed it before, so I figured it wouldn't be a huge deal, these hills. Piffle. My legs are pretty strong, I'm in decent shape, I'm no pussy. I just hadn't thought about the cumulative effect of going up and down these hills for about 3 hours. It kind of hurt, and it was hard. But it wasn't too hard. I got passed a few times by other, more serious cyclists with quads of steel, but I never had to get off my bike and walk.
After miles of twisty, hilly, trafficky roads, and after having to backtrack a couple of times, we finally made it to Walden Pond. I stripped off my soggy clothes (my shirt was like a size medium salt lick at this point), tried not think about my exposed, blazingly white, slightly smooshy belly (and the stretched out bathing suit bottom that might not be covering important bits as well as I'd like), and dove into the pond, where I floated and tried to ignore the squelchy pieces of who knows what that kept brushing against my legs.
On our way back to our bikes, a little boy came up and asked us in toddler-ese something like, "What are those helmets for?" We said something about them protecting our heads if we fell off our bikes. He looked skeptical. His mother came up to us and explained that she made her son wear a helmet when he rode his bike, and that he hated it. So she and her husband epoxied a dinosaur head and horns onto the top of it, which seemed to help stave off tantrums. Horns, eh? Hmm... Perhaps a future project.
We decided to take a more direct way back, which unfortunately meant riding on Route 2 for a little bit before it turned into 2A. Riding on a highway with no shoulder and with cars whizzing past you at 60 mph is no fun, but it didn't last too long, and it was the faster (and less hilly) way to go. More unfortunately, we took a wrong turn, and went about 5 miles out of our way. At long last, we reached Lexington and the bike path, and I furiously pedaled home, trying to make it back before dark. (I did, but just barely.)
I felt tired and sore, but also a little triumphant. I got in some good road practice, and I'm less skittish about cars now. I saw doggies and horses and cows and a bunny rabbit! I went for a nice swim. I realized that I really need to buy some proper bike shorts (ow), and that I need to install that water bottle cage before I go for another long ride. I slept well last night.
I did it I did it I did it. I wonder where I'll ride to tonight...
Posted by thevieve at July 25, 2006 10:34 AM