Friday, April 10, 2009

Friday!

I walked to the dentist today, in the drizzle, and had five fillings done. My head feels thick!

Yesterday I rode out to El Cajon. It was partly sunny, so I put on a bit of sunscreen, but I wore my jacket, too. I didn't sunscreen my arms as I didn't want to get sun goop in the jacket.

I was fairly p.o.ed, so I planned to make a ride of it, heading east to Alpine. But I felt so tired in EL Cajon that I turned around at the 12.5 mile mark, and headed back. I had eaten a granola bar on the way out, and I was feeling a bit better, so I went back via Pepper Drive.

I got a flat on the rear near Pepper and First. And the sun came out. I couldn't find the hole in the tube, so I replaced it with a spare.

I rode up through Hillside Park along side Fletcher Parkway. I was nearly center-punched by a banzai biker screaming down the gravel path. A bit less hesitation, I would have been in the hospital.

I stopped by the library and checked out Friday, by Robert Heinlein. I slowly pedaled home. about a 100 yards from port I made the rookie mistake of assuming that a car without it's turn signal on is going straight. Oh, no, not necessarily.

So, the guy in front IS signaling, he is turning left. The truck in back of him, not signaling, pulls around the right, to pass (thinks I). So I pull around HIS right, 'cause I'm going straight, too. And bicycles are supposed to stay to the right, eh? But, no, he is pulling around so he can turn RIGHT. And so he does.

I'm not sure if I actually touched his truck. It just kept coming to the right on me. I should have hit it with my fist! I did shake my arm at his retreating figure, as it were.

I bite my thumb at you, sir!

How close can one come to death or injury, without actually getting hurt? I think that was about as close as I want to get. And it was all over in a second!

What have we learned from this? Never assume!

I ended up with forty-point something miles on the odometer for the week. Or maybe it was 42 miles. I forget.

I did not pick up any rocks. Well, one small one. For throwing.

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