Sunday, February 6, 2011

Cowboy Criticism and Cycling For Centuries

Today I donned spandex shorts for a short ride out China Hat Rd. to Bessie Butte. This was the first day this year that I have bared my legs. Fortunately only gun toting cowboys pulling trailers full of 2-stroke motorcycles behind big trucks with mustaches saw me. Not that I have anything against folk carrying weaponry--I actually am fond of it and mustaches...the world would not be the same without mustaches! Oh how I love them. The unfortunate part about riding out China Hat Rd., by the way, here is a picture of our route:


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Anyway, the unfortunate part is that I think some of these cowboys don't appreciate cyclists on the roads that they are spending good tax money on. In show of their disinterest, they don't slow from their 70 mph speed and they don't cross the double yellow line (even when there is no oncoming traffic). I'm sorry that it is like this and that people don't respect people that are interested in different things than themselves. I'm sure I'm like that too, though. I want to be better about not judging people because their interests are different than my own.

This ride was Kalea's first longer ride of the year. We took it nice and easy. There is something spiritual about being out on a bike outside of the city. There is the noise of your tires on rough asphalt. The sound of the wind. The crispness of the air. The warmth of each ray of sun. There is something about riding from the city into the stillness. It's a strange juxtaposition. Under the power of just your legs you can ride into solitude where you can hear God. Today at Backporch I heard about a group that goes on long rides on Sunday mornings. Like 100 mile long rides. I think I want to join them. Not to get into shape or prove that I can do it, but so that I can see the land from a different, slower, quieter perspective.

1 comment:

  1. My neighbor went on that ride from Backporch this morning and from his report, it was anything but slow. They went 80 miles and averaged 22mph. If you can hang with them, you are my hero.

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