Ride Home 6/13: Whales from the Narrows

I was under the impression from Internet Weather Hyperbole that I would be forced to ride home through some sort of monsoon/thunderstorm/derecho/mega-rain, but either I misunderstood or, shockingly, someone on the internet got something wrong. It was dry and sunny enough and remained that way for the length of the trip. I wouldn't have bemoaned the rain so much, except for my riding the fenderless bike with the rim brakes, the bike I didn't really plan to commute on, precisely because of sometimes wanting greater assurance in less sure weather.

This ride was marked by the battle between my left foot and the plastic and metal determined to keep it attached to my left pedal. There are many virtues to riding with clippy pedals (greater power, more efficient pedaling, the feeling of oneness with your bike as you fall over when you can't get your foot free in time) and generally, I really don't mind it. Maybe even prefer it. I certainly feel the difference, especially riding uphill, and more than that, I've always believed that you should have special shoes for each distinct activity in your life. I wear work shoes at work, tennis shoes for playing tennis, snow boots for walking in the snow, penny loafers for penny loafing, moon boots for lunar exploration, and, of course, pogo shoes for pogo-ery. It just seems prudent. But given my lack of practice with these bike shoes lately, each time I slowed to stop, it was a battle to get my left leg free. Subsequently, it was a battle to get my left foot back into the clips. It was a rolling hokey pokey with my left leg in and my left leg out, but the only thing shaking all about was my head, wondering how I got so bad at this.

PSA break:

This Sunday, in honor of father's everywhere, Kidical Mass Arlington is going to ride to ice cream! This time it's, North Arlington style: meet at Hayes Park, ride through Ashton Heights and Lyon Village and finish at Larry's Homemade Ice Cream in Clarendon. **To sweeten this incredibly sweet deal, Larry's is offering us HALF OFF ice cream. Hooray for Larry's!** 

When: Sunday, June 15, 2014 5:45pm (roll out 6:00pm - come early with a picnic!)

Meet: Hayes Park -- North Lincoln Street & 15th St N, Arlington
End: Larry's Homemade in Clarendon -- Wilson Blvd and North Highland Street. (an easy mile from the start via this route)

Route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4927969
Details: http://kidicalmassarl.blogspot.com/2014/06/fathers-day-more-ice-cream-615-545pm.html

I have to think that if, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Luke and Vader went for a Father's Day Kidical Mass ride, things could've worked out much sooner and with much less lightsaber hand cutting-off. So, keep that in mind as you make your Sunday plans.

Mass Ave to 21st Street to L, where I'm always amazed at how blithely some drivers cross into the cycletrack at the mixing zones. Like, if there's ever any place to look for bicyclists, who at this point are not an unknown entity in the urban transportation landscape, maybe it's as your cross through the bike lane. Maybe that's where they'd be? And maybe that's where you might want to expect them? Maybe? Guys? Anybody? Please? I can't wait until the future when there are self-driving cars and people can no longer ignore bicyclists. That'll be the robot's job.

15th to Pennsylvania to East Capitol and then home. This weekend I aim to fix the flat on the other bike and maybe bring in the Cross Check for a new derailleur. It wasn't a bad backup ride and I really do enjoy riding that bike a lot, but I'd feel much better if, I don't know, it worked. I know- what a stickler.