No surprises

While I have been rebuilding my confidence in bike riding, my favorite route has been a very safe and predictable spin around a loop at the local business park. The road is wide enough for 4 lanes but very sparsely traveled on Saturday mornings. This means that cars going either direction can ride in the center two lanes and not crowd me out as I ride along the edge of the road.

It has a good hill so I get a workout riding up, some practice with my gears riding down, and a level spot to warm up in if needed. Sure, it’s just a big circle. But I love to people watch. There are always people riding bicycles, people walking or jogging, and the occasional three wheeler cyclist. Usually I know the people riding the same direction I am going in because they pass me at regular intervals. I enjoy seeing where on the loop I pass the people riding in the oposite direction. Then the joggers and walkers who are alternating their pace or resting.

The outfits each wears are always varied. Most of the cyclists wear the usual bike shirt/shorts so I get to see what kinds of colors they are. Then there is the occasional guy with a soaking wet t-shirt (or no shirt) and baggy shorts. Most wear helmets, but the t-shirt type never does.

If we get their early enough, we get to see a peloton ride through on their way to more exciting and varied paths. I’m a tad jealous of their ability to ride in a pack and I often wonder if dh would like to ride off with them.

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