"It's Like Riding a Bicycle"

2022-07-22 05:30

Whoever thought that one up had his head firmly ensconced where he needed a window in his navel to see where he was going.

We are suffering a heat wave. For that reason, I decided to ride before dawn, when the roads would be empty and the temperature tolerable. My outdoor thermometer said and says 71‎°F which is about 22‎°C. What my sensor doesn't say is that the relative humidity is in the high ninetieth percentiles. The weather channel fills in that data.

I donned shorts, a tee, a reflective vest, and my trusty helmet Off I went, planning to duplicate my bicycle trail from yesteryear, at least five kilometers. Reasons I didn't make it include:

1. When I changed out the seat, I apparently did not tighten it sufficiently. The post sank to the lowest setting and swiveled a bit.

2. I am unaccustomed to a seven-speed bike. My previous bike had no gears. I couldn't properly shift in the dark.

3. I commenced to sweat from the first hundred meters and it only got worse. Then I was short of breath. I barely made it back home, upright.

4. My music ran out after Bicycle Races and Somebody to Love.

My bicycle tool kit is missing some wrenches, or I'd have made a seat adjustment on the road. I don't know whether to order replacements or search for them.