A Hundred-Miler to Rhode Island
The ride
I have three rules on these rides. In order of priority:
- Don’t die.
- Avoid grievous bodily injury.
- Finish the ride.
The first two rules carry a clear imperative: don’t get hit by cars. To avoid getting hit by cars, the people driving them have to see me and notice me. To that end, I use a bright daytime-visible front light, a flashing rear light, reflective ankle straps, a safety vest, and as a crowning touch, I wear a neon yellow helmet.
The helmet’s a recent addition. I felt silly wearing it out the first few times. It destroyed any last pretense I had of looking cool while riding a bicycle. People staring at me amplified my shame. Before folks would look at me briefly, then look away. Now, people I pass don’t look away. They even smirk!
This last ride, I realized that all of those smirks and little smiles were good things. They meant that people saw me and spent some amount of their time actively thinking about me. If someone’s smirking at me, they’re probably not going to forget that I’m there and hit me. Now, of course, I’d much rather their thoughts be about my devastatingly good looks. Barring that, I’m very happy for folks to fixate on my ridiculous reflective clothes.
This last ride, I felt glad to be visible. It drizzled most of the time. My glasses were beaded with water, and I was damp.
Notes:
- I saw a flock of turkeys! The gobblers strutted, plumage fully extended. They are aliens.
- Many of my city-dwelling friends don’t believe that turkeys can fly. They can and do, I assure you. They’re wont to take flight when startled, say when a cyclist comes around a tight curve to find a turkey in his path. Beast and man share a moment of fright as beast takes flight.
- There’s a lovely bicycle trail in Woonsocket. I haven’t had luck finding its name, but it was a relaxing, gentle trail that I enjoyed speeding down.
Nominal
I put aerobars on my bike! They’re extremely comfortable. It’s wonderful to be able to avoid putting any pressure on my wrists whatsoever. I’ve had slight finger numbness at the end of long rides. The aerobars eliminated that numbness.
They’re also fun! It feels like skiing! I’m outstretched over the front wheel, there’s not much in my field of view besides my hands and the open road.
I was thankful for the many hours I’ve spent riding on rollers. Having that baseline of attention to balance helped me feel at home using the aerobars.
Off nominal
When it rains and you get wet, dirt and grime stick to you. In particular, they stick to your hands and fingers and rub off on your food. I would not recommend eating gritty rice blocks.
The route
