Speaking of bike commutes during my time in the saddle i've seen a few car/biker altercations, hell i've even started a few myself, both as a driver and a biker. Bikers in the city are feeling pretty sassy because a well known loved cyclist was killed when a dump truck took too wide a turn and crushed him under the rear wheels. This was only two weeks after another biker was killed in just about the same fashion. Needless to say bikers are on high alert. I am a different story. I've never been a reckless rider (in my opinion) but i guess fellow rider (it pains me to say that because he was commuting in his spandex and fancy racing jersey [douche]) took exception to my riding. We were sitting at an intersection and the light turned red, in all four directions, as it often does and after looking both ways several times, i rode through the intersection. A biker behind me yelled, "the light's red, the light's red." Knowing this already i kindly thanked him for the information. I guess my appreciation wasn't enough so he rode up next to me at the next light and told me, "i don't appreciate you riding like that. We all have to deal with the fallout of your actions." Okay? I thought. The only fallout of my running a red light would be ME getting hit by a speeding car but maybe i'm missing something. After his brief lecture he tore off ahead of me. I took full advantage of his draft and kept him in my sights and enjoying the free ride to work. So captain bike safety decides, instead of merging, to jump a 2 foot curb into traffic and cut across three lanes. Going in the same direction i, the reckless, fallout creating rider i am, signal and blend into traffic to get to the outside lane. We merge onto the next street and the bike Nazi jumps onto the sidewalk to speed around a delivery truck taking up a lane in the roadway. I ride up next to him and kindly suggest there may be some fallout from his actions. I guess the spandex was a little too tight because he just stared blankly. Moral of the story. . .don't wear spandex if you are going to lecture people about bicycle safety.
Feeling outdoorsy and having plenty of time on my hands, i decided to take a hike this weekend. I think i partially did to remind myself that life goes on, even in a downpour. I have just gotten a new pair of hiking boots and wanted to keep the trip relatively short to avoid blisters. I drove about 40 minutes into the gorge (Columbia River Gorge, that is) and stopped off at Wachlella Falls It's a pretty nice hike on any given day. It was a perfect Pacific Northwest day for a hike but not so good for taking pictures. I thought i would be the only one on the trail that day but i actually saw a few people out. In typical NW form, i even saw a lady packing a baby in on her fancy kiddie backpack.
Here i am standing on one of the many bridges that cross Tanner Creek. It doesn't the the falls any justice but the lower section is about 80 feet and from where i was standing you could feel the wind rushing from the flow of the water.
I stopped off under a little overhang to grab a snack and get some break from the rain. I snapped this photo of some ferns that were growing on the ceiling of the cave.
I think that's about all the energy i have for now. I hope you enjoyed the pics and i'll try to keep up with this. I plan on spending a fair amount of time outside of the house this winter. Hell. . .you may even see the official release of BRODY, boy-stud turned professional winter sport athlete (if you're lucky).
I hope everyone is well and wish you all a good t-day, even you veggies and your tofurky.
No comments:
Post a Comment