As I 'SPOKE,.....

So, its been a week! No excuses.....well maybe a few.  The Ings from New Zealand were in town...and they kidnapped us, and  made us play four hours of tennis every day. And you know how you are gripping the racquet all those hours? And how hard it is to type afterwords?

Anyhow, before and after the Ings I've been cycling. Yesterday I did 38 miles without blood doping...even though Peggy said I was a DOPE for going that far.  So here's some thoughts on cycling 38 miles.

When you are cycling for 38 miles? Start very early. Start early because if you are cycling 38 miles, all of those miles might not be in the morning.  Then as you are getting ready to pass someone on the bike path on the left?  You can't take the gentle approach and say, "good morning!"

"Good afternoon!" " Good night!"  Sorry, but not the same friendly connotation. They ring of scarcasm.  You might just as well say, "ON YOUR LEFT LADY!"

It's clear to me that if there is a cycling mixer going on in the neighborhood?  I'll not be invited.

I stop by the bike shop before heading out? They are having a sale on clothing? You may have already stopped by one of my HELMET protests. As long as I'm staying on bike paths? You'll see only my naked pate dripping with sweat.  My hair is no longer long enough to be blowing in the wind.

But anyway, the really good bargains? These padded shorts I imagine ease the pain of 38 miles on the trail "Pard!"  I look at them? I look at me in a mirror?  AT LEAST three more inches off my waistline before LYCRA lines MY LOINS. It'll be easy enough to pick me out of a crowd wthout a helmet.

But that's okay.  I'm not a loner.   I like the company of fellow life travelers. But I've also learned over time to not only accept, but enjoy time alone.  And I think that's important if you are going to do much cycling.  You are alone, and then not so alone. 

I don't have anybody riding next to me?  But I have two white tail deer cross my path. They are only about 10 feet away.

I've discovered that 38 miles for me is long enough to have endorphins kick in. And its probably good I'm experiencing this "cyclists high" sans other humanity.  "Oh, that it the most beautiful private reservoir in the WHOLE WORLD!"

I think it is actually a wastewater treatment pond.  But, hey, there'sa goose sitting in the middle of it? That's special isn't it?

How to wrap this up? Floyd Landis?  Just tell the committee  Endorphins look a lot like Synthetic Testosterone under a microscope. And if they don't buy that?

"ON YOUR LEFT YOU LUNKHEADS."

[lunkheads: If you're under 50 you'll need to look it up]