88th ride of 2020 - Monday, 7/6/2020
2020 mileage: 2619.5
I could not do the very early ride that I prefer in this hot summer weather today, due to a 7:00 a.m. ZOOM meeting of the men's devotional group in which I participate. So when I got underway a bit past 8:15, it was already 75° and sunny (the temperature climbed to 89° by the time I finished). But I didn't find it particularly bothersome.
I rode again a round trip to Matthei Botanical Gardens (31.3 miles, today in 3:16). On my way home, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that over the last week, this has now become my most frequent ride.
On the way home, I had one distinctly unedifying encounter. As I was riding along the sidewalk on the north side of Packard St., shortly after crossing Carpenter Rd. (and while approaching White Castle), an older man lugging two heavy grocery bags that had his shoulders slumped WAY down, came shuffling across Packard 50 yards or so ahead of me. When he reached the sidewalk, he turned east (toward me) and began plowing blindly (into the bright sun) up the middle of the sidewalk, his head down and his eyes fixed firmly on the ground.
I slowed virtually to a stop and pulled over as far as I could get, so there was no danger of a collision. Nevertheless, when he reached me, he looked up at the last second, and shock and wrath overcame him. As his face twisted in an angry grimace, he gathered up tremendous indignation and spluttered at me, "JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!"
The first thought I had was, "Hey—peace man. We're in no danger here. But it wouldn't hurt you to look up on occasion!" This thought was followed quickly by another—"That's not his middle name!" 😎
Then as I neared home (on the Lohr-Textile Greenway, south of Ellsworth, with only about 2 miles left to go), I saw Jim Alvey again. It was about 11:45, and he threw up his hand in a friendly wave and said, "Getting hot out here, Allen!" I'm afraid I had the rather uncharitable thought, "That's what you get for riding so late!" 😎
I could not do the very early ride that I prefer in this hot summer weather today, due to a 7:00 a.m. ZOOM meeting of the men's devotional group in which I participate. So when I got underway a bit past 8:15, it was already 75° and sunny (the temperature climbed to 89° by the time I finished). But I didn't find it particularly bothersome.
I rode again a round trip to Matthei Botanical Gardens (31.3 miles, today in 3:16). On my way home, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that over the last week, this has now become my most frequent ride.
On the way home, I had one distinctly unedifying encounter. As I was riding along the sidewalk on the north side of Packard St., shortly after crossing Carpenter Rd. (and while approaching White Castle), an older man lugging two heavy grocery bags that had his shoulders slumped WAY down, came shuffling across Packard 50 yards or so ahead of me. When he reached the sidewalk, he turned east (toward me) and began plowing blindly (into the bright sun) up the middle of the sidewalk, his head down and his eyes fixed firmly on the ground.
I slowed virtually to a stop and pulled over as far as I could get, so there was no danger of a collision. Nevertheless, when he reached me, he looked up at the last second, and shock and wrath overcame him. As his face twisted in an angry grimace, he gathered up tremendous indignation and spluttered at me, "JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!"
The first thought I had was, "Hey—peace man. We're in no danger here. But it wouldn't hurt you to look up on occasion!" This thought was followed quickly by another—"That's not his middle name!" 😎
Then as I neared home (on the Lohr-Textile Greenway, south of Ellsworth, with only about 2 miles left to go), I saw Jim Alvey again. It was about 11:45, and he threw up his hand in a friendly wave and said, "Getting hot out here, Allen!" I'm afraid I had the rather uncharitable thought, "That's what you get for riding so late!" 😎
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