Yes, I went for a bike ride. Outside. By myself, with no lights or reflective clothing, using my sketchy triathlon bike. 61 miles of central NJ roads, most of which were ridden to the left of the white line.
No flat tires, no crashes, no close encounters with cars or wildlife (other than a cat, a chipmunk and an insect that thwacked my ear). One of the very few infractions by a car was a vehicle that turned after the light had changed; ironically, it had a bike on the rear hitch.
Drivers were remarkably polite, all giving me plenty of room. Some even waited until safe to pass me (including a pickup truck that waited until after a blind curve to go by). I managed to avoid some potholes, rode some rough chip seal and some new pavement, too. I even chatted briefly with another fat triathlete on a Cervelo who I happened to catch as he finished his 60 mile ride. I think the masses of cyclists going the other way were part of the Twin Lights charity ride; too many to wave to after a while. Saw some orange tape arrows on a road that is part of tomorrow's Princeton 70.3 bike course (good luck to all doing it). Fought some headwind, had some tailwind for stretches, too.
So I got to enjoy a beautiful early fall day, and perhaps raise some awareness of bicyclists among car drivers. Win.
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"Go yell at an M&M"
No flat tires, no crashes, no close encounters with cars or wildlife (other than a cat, a chipmunk and an insect that thwacked my ear). One of the very few infractions by a car was a vehicle that turned after the light had changed; ironically, it had a bike on the rear hitch.
Drivers were remarkably polite, all giving me plenty of room. Some even waited until safe to pass me (including a pickup truck that waited until after a blind curve to go by). I managed to avoid some potholes, rode some rough chip seal and some new pavement, too. I even chatted briefly with another fat triathlete on a Cervelo who I happened to catch as he finished his 60 mile ride. I think the masses of cyclists going the other way were part of the Twin Lights charity ride; too many to wave to after a while. Saw some orange tape arrows on a road that is part of tomorrow's Princeton 70.3 bike course (good luck to all doing it). Fought some headwind, had some tailwind for stretches, too.
So I got to enjoy a beautiful early fall day, and perhaps raise some awareness of bicyclists among car drivers. Win.
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"Go yell at an M&M"