“Almost every problem a cyclist can have is improved by one thing. Keep pedaling!” Usually I live by that advice.
Q: “It’s starting to rain! What should we do?”
A: “Keep going! You won’t melt.”
Q: “It’s raining. Should we stop and put on our rain gear?”
A: “No. Keep going! It’s only ten miles to the end.”
Q: “My bike is making a funny noise. Should we stop?”
A: “Do you feel anything wrong?”
Q: “No, but it’s a kind of squeaky-creak thing. Should we look at it?”
A: “No. There isn’t a shop out here. Let’s finish, and then take it to the shop.”
Q: “I’m tired. Should we stop for a bit?”
A: “No. Finish up. Then take a nap.”
Q: “It’s really getting hot out here!”
A: “Keep going! The breeze will help, and it won’t get any cooler if we stop.”
Of course there are some situations that demand a stop…
Q: “My tire just went flat.”
A: “Let’s get it fixed and get going again.”
Q: “Something just fell off of my bike!”
A: “Grr. Okay, let’s go back and get it.”
Q: “My head is still bleeding, and now I’m seeing double.”
A: “Yikes! Let’s find a shady spot for you to sit down. I’ll call 911.”
There are occasions when an unplanned stop is absolutely necessary.
A few years back, some good friends and I were riding a 200K brevet out of Gainesville, Florida. We’d made the mistake of believing the forecast. The weather folks had called for a day starting out in the mid-40s, and rising to high 60s. We believed them. After all, this was Florida.
In the small hours of the morning, a strong cold front arrived. At ride time the temps were in the 30s and dropping. The ride started at 5:00 AM, with the temps in the low 30s and falling. The next two hours were horrible. By dawn, my beard was caked with ice and we were all in pain. With an indicated temperature of 22 degrees F, we spotted an open convenience store. There was no discussion. We all turned off the road and into the parking lot. What happened next looked like a slap-stick comedy routine. That stop was absolutely necessary!
There are other times when a stop is appropriate. I’ve pulled over to the side, during a hard and rewarding mountain ride. The view and the momentary silence called to me. Every once in a while, I am moved to halt and just be. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I heed it.
I’ve been out at night, riding through a wooded area, as Spring was coming into full bloom. The moonlight on the new Dogwood blooms was special and inviting. I stopped. I moved into the woods and just stood still. Breathing.
Sometimes, the best way to keep going is to stop for a moment.
Actor Gene Hackman was airlifted to a Florida hospital on Friday after being hit by a car as he was riding his bike in the Florida Keys.
ReplyDeleteHackman's rep told TMZ that the 81-year-old actor "suffered bumps and bruises after a woman bumped him from behind in her vehicle," but that he is "fine" and has already been released from the hospital.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, the accident happened just before 3 p.m. on the Old Highway in Tavernier, Fla. The impact knocked Hackman off of the bicycle.
The Floriday Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.
I'm sorry for Mr. Hackman, and for any other cyclist who is injured in an altercation with an automobile. And an incident such as this will certainly cause a stop in ride. While I hope Mr. Hackman enjoys a speedy recovery, I'm having a hard time figuring out the relevance of this comment.
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