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"The Pass"

Ahhh the mind of the cyclist. Warped in my case.

Some things never change, even if your body does. Your mind still thinks it's 15 years ago when you were in good riding shape and training five days a week. Your body is 15 pounds heavier and older and NOT training so much! But the mind. The mind of the cyclist remains the same. Like today...

First of all, knicker-length bibs, arm warmers, a base layer AND a wind vest. I felt it was the proper amount of clothing once out on the road and in a bit of cool wind. Sunny, yes, but only 61 degrees! Brrrr. I mean, 61 and sunny is awesome for a ride, IN MARCH but not the middle of June for Christ sake.

Anyway, nothing fancy here. The plan was to just do a few laps in the area for the exercise. But you never know what might happen out there on any given ride, despite how innocent it started out.

The pass.

Yes, this is what it probably felt like to me out there.

As I was riding out on my Lake Loop to do a couple of laps I suddenly heard noises from behind and then a guy on a rough looking bike with saddle bags slung over the back went past me on the left. He raised his hand a bit as if to wave as he went by me.

So be it.

Heck, I was only working mile number three of the ride and not even fully warmed up yet. Still, it kind of bothered me.

I rode behind him about a block back for about a mile, looking at the those saddle bags and entertaining the thought of chasing him down.

At first I let it go, but it was gnawing at me. I didn't like being passed by a guy riding an ugly bike making noise with it's saddle bags in back. I'm better than that. (again, makes no sense, the mind of a cyclist)

Please don't misunderstand me here. The guy did nothing wrong, broke no cycling protocol or unwritten rules. I had no reason to be irritated by him. Yet I was.

All of the sudden I changed my mind. I wasn't saving my legs for anything today. This wasn't going to be a long ride. No big climbs in store. I would use this as training. Yeah, that's it.

I grabbed a gear, went into the drops and told myself, "Go get him Phil."

Hard tempo. Nothing crazy. Hard tempo. I looked up and I was gaining on old saddle bags. And I know, I know, it ain't racin' unless the other guy knows you're back there. But hey, when he passed ME I didn't know HE was back behind me either.

Even?

I had set up the pass but was running out of road to do it. The little park with that walking path I use to turn around was coming up after a hard right hander. It would be time for me to pull off then and go back.

I took that sharp right hand bend at speed and held steady as I came up on his left and without a word floated past him. I can only image what the guy must have thought as to his surprise I came back on him.

"That guy again?!"

It's really all so silly. Reminds me of the days of chasing down "The Knave" one season in Wauwatosa. What an epic story that was!

So I passed the guy and then almost immediately turned left into the park to take the little turnaround path. I felt bad about that, but it's just the way it timed out. Sure, pass a guy, then pull off. Looks bad for me.

However, my spirits were lifted when on the way back a tall, tan blonde out jogging came up on me from the opposite direction and from behind her shades she flashed a big smile and gave me a thumbs up as she passed.

So in a way there were two significant passes during this ride.

The mind of cyclist.

RIDE ROUTE

Lake Loop, 2 laps + neighborhood crit , 1 lap

17 miles/14.4 average mph

Sunny and cool, 61, Wind 10 mph

2020 SEASON MILES

Indoor: 125.6

Outdoor: 690.5

 

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