Instead, I caught the BP ride at the intersection of Macarthur and Clara Barton and rode in spirited fashion with a decent group. We rode hard and I felt strong, a fitting end to this cycle. The upcoming rest week coincides with a visit from my cousin and her family from NYC. She's an actress who actually had a bit part in one episode of The Sopranos, but that's a story for another time. Well OK, actually if you remember Dominic's wife in Season 2 Episode 5, in which Furio has to prove himself to Tony by making a statement when he and ChristoPHA make a collection at the tanning salon, that's her. Unfortunately that statement entailed the beat-down of my cousin and her "husband".
I digress (I'm such a namedropper). Anyway, as I was time trialing along Macarthur to make the catch I was able to see through the trees down onto the Clara Barton Parkway and saw a small pack slightly ahead of me on the CBP. Again, another opportunity to observe the landscape of the roads we ride on weekend after weekend. This was a cool vantage point.
Which brings me to my 2 part rant for the day. As I passed a group of riders in the opposite direction on Macarthur, I waved to acknowledge their presence and pay some respects to fellow riders out on the road. Crickets may as well have been chirping as that acknowledgement was not returned. Now, I get it when your hypoxic, or focused on the wheel in front of you, or actually don't see me. I don't get it when you DO see me and don't make a gesture. Are we such hard men that we can't recognize the camaraderie that is inherent in our pursuit? Are we too cool for school? Give me the finger if you want, I don't care. Just something.
All right then. Numero dos: While the former complaint is directed toward the sociopathic nature of a very small minority, this one has dire ramifications if the worst were to happen. I cannot stress this one enough. QUIT CROSSING THE YELLOW LINE. We all do it, and it's stupid, and we all know it. These training rides are not a controlled race situation. I don't think any of us want to see a headline in the Post similar to today's, which, while altogether different in the situational sense, is a distinct possibility in the tragedy sense if we keep on doing what we do.
There. Got that one off my chest. Sorry to end on such a downer.
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2 comments:
if someone gave you the finger back would you appreciate that even more?
because that's my goto gesture when somebody waves at me, esp cat 2s and above.
Yeah, like I said...just something, even though I'm a lifer Cat 4. Acknowledgement is all I'm after, since, as Stuart Scott says, I need that affirmation, baby!
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