Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Life Back Home

After coming back to reality in Decorah after a week in Colorado it has been a busy few days. I am taking Physics as a summer class at NICC for the month of June from 7:30-12:30 and then working between the bike shop, Pepsi and for Karl when finished each day. I am in the process of building up my new toy for the summer, a Salsa La Cruz! I have been putting quite a bit of thought into how I am going to build it up (opposed to the stock version they have displayed). It is going to be a pretty versatile bike for me allowing for miles and miles on gravel and I will so be able to throw some "slicks" on it for some road excursions. The plan is to ride it to class and back if time allows in order to get back for work in the afternoon to get my base built for longer rides.

Tuesday night was the local time trials. It was a nice, short race that I needed to have for some motivation to get back on the local trails. Even though I biked in Colorado it seems like it has been forever since I have rode in Decorah. Colorado was a blast, but nothing seems to compare to the stuff we have in Decorah. I am pretty lucky that I can roll my bike out of the garage and be on the trails in less than a mile. Not to mention we have some of the best stuff around!

Derek and I went for a ride tonight. The trails are in great shape and have been getting maintained well. Everything about the ride went well except for some obnoxious driver who got under my skin. There has been a lot of vandalism on the road signs that state to "Share The Road" on the way to Bluffton which has stirred some hostility. Apparently, people think it asks too much of them to give 5 seconds of their day to slow down, give a few feet for the biker, pass and carry on with their day. Instead, as Derek and I are biking to the trail head on Ice Cave Road, some punk in a '96 Saturn had the desire to rev up his engine to pass us, just missing while passing and yelling that "biker's (explicit) suck!" We're sorry that our presence is enough to ruin your day and your ignorant driving is more important than our lives. Some people need to get a clue and it's a shame that a few can potentially give Decorah a bad rap for cyclists. In all my years I have never had a problem riding through town without nearly every driving being a courteous, aware driver. What these people have against bikers, I have no idea.

Well, enough of my ranting. Hope everybody is having a great summer.

Do what you like. Like what you do!

No comments: