As promised, the weather took a big turn for the better, and so has my back. So I saddled up for an easy ride to get back in the swing of riding. The route I chose would take me over most of the 28 mile route I did last week. I drove a segment of it to check the accuracy of my odometer. So I wanted to ride that segment, and check my Incite against the mileage from the car. It was spot on.
I must say that things were going annoyingly well. Once again drivers were giving me a nice wide berth. Sure, there were the occasional close pass, but nothing evil. A guy in a pick up said something I couldn't make out, probably harmless.
And so, just when I was mentally preparing another glowing report of the area drivers, the wheels came off.
It started with a maroon Saturn SUV that passed me while we were approaching a stop light. I was on the white line, or perhaps even right of it. The Saturn passed me, got ahead of me, and then did the "I will move as far to the right as possible" move, trying to block me from scooting through on the shoulder. Such a childish play really. It didn't have time to work, the light changed, and there were not enough cars lined up to impede me. So no need for the slow up.
But the real fun was just around the corner, literally. After the first incident, I rode a short distance to the next light, where I make a right. At this point the road parallels a path, which leads exactly nowhere. I have been "encouraged" by many drivers to use this path in the past. Don't think it is legal for me, and it is always being used by the usual pitfalls; kids, dogs, strollers. It's a dead end to boot.
Sailing along at 19 to 20 mph, the traffic was fairly light. There was a car, and a white van with some businesses logo on it travelling with me. We came up on a car making a left, so that car and and the van had to slow, bringing the van exactly next to me. This is when I sensed that the driver was crowding me, really angling towards me trying to corral my into the dirt. Fortunately, the turning car cleared, and both drivers went forward, leaving me. I thought that was the end of it.
I rode at a good pace for about 3/4 of a mile, approaching another light, and there was the van, pulled all the way over to the right, partially on the shoulder. A classic block.
At the light, there is a left lane, a straight lane, and a right lane. The traffic had backed up from the van, perhaps 10 or 12 cars. It was not going to be possible for me to get past on the right (I was going straight anyway), So I swung out to the left of the cars and rode down the yellow line. My intention was to pull back in once I cleared the van. There was no oncoming traffic, so this move was not risky, or in any way impeding other drivers.
As it turns out, the driver of the van was a dead ringer for Ernest Hemingway, the old man and the sea himself, and his language was quite salty.
I rolled past, and the F bombs commenced. "Get the fuck off the road!" "You fucking idiot!" A few others I missed because I was busy yelling for him to go fuck himself.
At this point all traffic is rolling though the light, and I am ramping up some big speed. A green Jeep was next to me, window down. I asked the guy driving if I could cut in, he said sure, so I was now through the light, and back on the white line.
It was then that it dawned on me that Ernest Hemingway was probably boiling mad, AND going straight as I had. I fully expected him to run me down. But he only wanted to roll up next to me, very close again, and launch some more f-bombs. I responded with a one finger salute, and for a split second, I think he actually thought about stopping and getting out.
I can't figure out why this guy got so bent out of shape. I was riding politely, not in his way, and carry a good pace. It is people like him that give the courteous drivers a bad rap.
We parted ways, and I smiled, knowing I now had a good topic for the blog. I actually saw the green Jeep dude later on the ride, he gave a me a nice nod of recognition, as if to say, "dang how did you get here so fast".
For the record, the ride was 23.5 miles, slightly windy, 17.5mph average speed. Not bad for being off the bike for a week.
Safe travels today.
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