Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Training is a spectator sport

Headed out on a hilly ride Saturday. Left the house and headed toward Wasatch Blvd. It's a good climb just to get the the road, but I wanted to work hills today. Finally got to the top and headed south. Got to a bigger intersection with another cyclist and 2 other cars all waiting to turn left. The other cyclist looked for cars at the light, none to be seen anywhere, so he made his turn. Now yes, it's illegal, and yes I stayed and waited for the light, but man, some people. The driver next to me rolls down his window and yells "that was very very illegal". Thanks buddy, we had no idea. He yelled some more at the cyclist and I told him to simmer down. He started saying something to me but I couldn't hear him. The light finally turned and I just told him to get some exercise, it'd make him feel better.
You know, of course what the cyclist did was illegal, it helps cyclists get the bad wrap some drivers give us, but come on, are drivers perfect? Do they follow the speed limit always? Stop completely at stop signs? How about always use their blinkers or give cyclists their legal 3 feet? Just food for thought......
Anyway, continued on toward te canyons when the looming dark clouds finally let go. I got pounded on and soaked! Kind of fun to feel water come up off my wheels onto my legs, luckily I wore some tri clothes that day eh? I eyed a covered bus stop incase it wasn't going to let up but it did so on I went. Dealt with a south wind which I was hoping wouldn't be there since it's downhill a bit to Draper and that would've been good practice, and fun! Oh well.
Rode past a private entrace with lion statues on either side of the gate and dinosaurs on the top of the columns - interesting. Anyway, as I headed into Draper I glanced into a neighborhood on my right and look what caught my eye
Seriously! A 7 foot tall Sully statue at a yard sale. Definately one of the stranger things I've seen. I was going to have my picture taken under him but people were already looking at me kind of strange parking my bike in front of a yard sale - come on people, perfect opportunity to peruse, right? ;)
Anway, rode into Herriman, up to Bachus. I was kind of pooped, wanting to get home, but decided to ride a few miles up Butterfield canyon. It's nice, very very low traffic, good roads. No shoulder, but doable. Definately one I want to hit up again soon. Turned around to enjoy the ride down, and about a mile into it going 35ish I see this family of wild turkey's crossing the road ahead of me. I yelled something to them about getting out of my way, you know, since turkey's understand us and all. Thought I was ok, which was good since I wasn't really in a position to stop, and here comes this last one 10 feet in front of me! I averted disaster narrowly, and so did he.
Anyway (I say that a lot, sorry), finished my ride home with some nasty cross winds and only about 5 miles worth of tail wind at the end. 55 miles in all, was hoping for more, but right now, hills are more important. Feeling good, tired, body heavy, but I'm working hard so that can be expected. Looking forward to a race next weekend!

1 comment:

Nurse Heidi said...

And you didn't grab that Sully for me?? I'm sorely disappointed... We have some friends that we spend a lot of time trying to one up each other on weird Christmas presents, and that would have taken the cake...