Finally – spring is here!
This week I was able to bike commute in to work two days in a row – both days needed 3/4 bottoms, full-finger windproof gloves and a light thermal jacket in the morning but the evening ride home was in a short-sleeved jersey and fingerless gloves. I felt strong and happy. After a long winter, it feels amazing to be outside and not bundled up.
Interestingly I’m still pacing last year’s total mileage and looking forward to many spring and early summer rides! I signed up for 30 Days of Biking – I’m pledge #2! – to help motivate me to get out and ride. The premise is simple – ride your bike any distance, any speed, every day in April. There’s no pressure, no metrics … just joyful bike riding. If you haven’t signed up before, I encourage you to take the pledge and share your daily experiences online.
Yesterday I had (yet another) close call with a female motorist. There is a half-mile section of road that has unbelievably terrible pavement on both ends of the bridge (while the bridge itself is smooth). The right side of the road is littered with potholes and places where the pavement has buckled, heaved and made mini-moguls. This used to be one of my favorite sections of road because once you get on the bridge you are in the treetops. So beautiful when the sun is rising.
Anyway, my commuter friend and I had just gotten to the end of the bridge and I was attempting to merge into traffic (take the lane at about 20mph) to avoid the nasty roadway when a woman passed on my left inches from me, nearly forcing me into the rough. Usually I left this kind of stuff go – no sense in getting upset, it happens – but instead I got mad and started hammering up the hill behind her. I wanted to catch up to her and ask her why she thought that was OK. I wanted to confront her. I had no chance to catch up to her so I ended up just flipping her off from about four car-lengths behind and yelling obscenities in her direction. The upshot is I scored a new PR on that stretch of my commute from giving her chase. Haha
This is the third time this year I’ve had issues with a vehicle and a woman was behind the wheel. Fellow women of the world – please drive safely. Don’t be a jerk.
Here’s a shot from yesterday’s bike ride home. There’s a tree that fell in the ice storm (way back when) and is perched precariously across the trail. There’s enough room to ride under it but every time I do I feel like I have tempted fate. I’ve dubbed it The Gauntlet. Hope the park service takes care of it soon!
Every weekend has at least one bike ride scheduled this month – so excited to be back in the saddle with wonderful weather!
See you on the road or in the woods!
wife. mother. awesome girl. 
My wife and I signed up for #30daysofbiking as well. Today will be a challenge with 10″ of blowing and drifting snow!
Wow! I’m pretty sure “to the end of the driveway and back” qualifies. Haha good luck and ride safe!
It’s never fun to have any kind of altercation with a motorist. I can REALLY relate to the anger. Congrats on the PR! 🙂
I don’t like to be angry about it – it’s not productive. But thanks – it was fun to see my new best speed increase a few mph. 🙂
My rule is Never Confront. Except for when I do. But when I do, I regret it. It accomplishes nothing but making me feel worked up. I have found that being involved in bike/ped advocacy takes away my need to confront. (Except for when I do.)
I agree. It’s uncharacteristic of me to attempt to confront.