Riding Partners and Other Things One Shouldn't Take For Granted

Bill bought a new Giant 29er yesterday. He called, still hopped up on endorphins from his first ride, and told me it was unbelievably quick, like the extra three inch wheel circumference magically transforms a bicycle into some type of a perpetual motion machine that rockets up hills all by itself. I may have to euthanize my 26” wheeled ghetto bike this winter.

I couldn’t ride with Bill yesterday; Cindy was out of town and I was playing the part of mom again. I am getting much more adept at being a mom. I spared the kids my lecture on complex carbohydrates during breakfast, helped Allie floss, and warmed up the car before school. I have been riding outside a lot lately. One reason is, even though it has been rainy and cold, I know soon the trails will be snow-covered and my CamelPak will be frozen like a popsicle. Living in Michigan, one learns to appreciate mildly crappy weather. The other reason is my riding partners are nuts.

Bill spent the summer and fall working in Illinois. He moved back to Michigan last week. Bad weather just does not faze him. I have also been riding with Renee, a teacher both my kids had in first and second grade. She seems just as unaffected by crappy weather as Bill. She might casually say something, in her quiet, sweet voice, like: “Hum…I can’t feel my toes” but she is the one who asks to go riding in the feezing cold. I figure if she is man enough to ride in this, then I ought to be too.

I am a bit fussy in choosing whom I ride with. I've moved from one riding partner to another as things changed and never gave it much thought. This summer I found myself alone and it sucked. My hectic life off the bike made it difficult to even join the MMBA group rides. Going forward I need to be a better riding partner and won’t assume others will always just be there. Yes, this is an open apology to everyone I use to ride with.