[CR]Most unpleasant bike ride

(Example: History:Ted Ernst)

To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "Bianca Pratorius" <biankita@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2005 19:48:59 -0400
Subject: [CR]Most unpleasant bike ride

Last friday was a really good bike riding day for me. I had been on the trainer once that week and I had done all my assistance exercises, and met early with my usual buds, who have long since making fun of my "old" bikes. Being older, taking a turn at the front at 27.5 mph on the flats seemed almost impossible even a few months ago, and add to this, that I don't have tons of time to train as some do. On this day, I took my turn at front, led out in sprints, and bridge climbs and felt that I was hitting a good stride for me. Not one day later, and I saw myself coming down with a horrible intestinal flu, I fell on my tailbone while attempting to mow the yard, and tore a large blister in my hand while stupidly working with a chisel without leather gloves. This week I didn't ride, but instead wasted away, moaned a lot and wondered if I would ever have the strength to ride again (it was one of those flues).

I was reminded of the most unpleasant rides I have ever taken, mostly because having the flu gives you lots of time to think. I remembered a cold season in San Francisco and the number of times I was caught riding home to Mt. Sutro in the rain. The one that stood out in my mind comes back to me as torrential rain and a 20 minute ride home cutting north through the park, and how it felt that nothing could ever be more unpleasant than to be soaking wet, cold and sick from repeated exposures like this, and cringing at the thought of how all this rain was hurting my brand new 1981 beautiful brown Fuji. Another ride recalled 1972, and my half hour trip on the unlit roads of Woodstock N.Y. to Bearsville, and me with only a dying army flashlight clipped to my bars, feeling that I was flying, with no visual of either the bushes to the side of me, nor the blacktop below. In a moonless night, I had only the rush of adrenaline and the keen senses of a teenager to accompany me.

What was your most unpleasant ride memory?

Garth Libre in Miami Fl.