I've been under a massive workload this year and it's just now slacking off. So today was the first time that I got my trusty bike out for a ride, doing an 18.5 mile "get reacquainted" ride up and down the C&O Canal across from Shepherdstown, WV.
It wasn't too hot and it was a great day for riding, other than the fact that the trail was pretty crowded and to a large part infested with the sort of casual riders who insist on slowly riding two abreast or bringing pre-teen kids out who have no concept of keeping to the proper side of the narrow trail. And of course mommy and daddy can't correct their precious little snowflake when he/she rides right at you in your lane because it might hurt the snowfake's self-esteem. Better that you should be forced to ride off the trail to dodge "baby oblivious" as the parents shrug and smile and toss off a token "sorry" as they pass in their spawn's wake.
(People who "parent" like this--and you know who you are--this is why the rest of us in America hate your kid. Just saying.)
But it was still a nice day's ride, if only to wake up a few muscle groups that I haven't made much use of in a while. And I really don't remember the seat being so hard last year...
Ah well. What matters is that I was finally out on the bike. And it only gets better from here.
I used to ride all the time...and have discovered that bike seats were invented by the same folks that invented neckties, thumbscrews and the Iron Maiden (not the band). A good way to get around the inherent uncomfortable-ness of bike seats is, in my opinion, to keep your "natural" seat as padded as possible. To accomplish this, I quit riding (Texas drivers are not very forgiving of riders, either...you get the weirdest looks when using actual hand-signals!). Dropping the "running" thing due to bad knees doubles the rate of "seat padding".
ReplyDelete"Better that you should be forced to ride off the trail to dodge "baby oblivious" as the parents shrug and smile and toss off a token "sorry" as they pass in their spawn's wake."
ReplyDeleteWell, if you let them have a few head-on collisions, they'll learn pretty quick. Come on, do your civic duty!
:)
That's why I never ride where the sheeple ride on weekends. If you have to ride places like that, choose early morning or late evening when all the jackwagons with their "I am the only one out here" attitudes are gone for the day.
ReplyDeleteOr take up mountain biking. For the most part, you don't even have to deal with that kind of frustration on remote trails.
I know the feeling. I'm supposed to be biking a 100 km ride next weekend, and have been way too swamped to ride as much as I should. It may end up hurting a tad. :S
ReplyDeleteI got one of those BELL gel seat covers. Rode fine for a year, then I found out gells can be hard too. I'm going to mix up a strong batch of ballistic gelatin and see if that will help. :D
ReplyDelete