Looking at the weather forecast for the weekend, and given the warming trend we’ve had over the past few days, I got home from work yesterday as fast as I could so I could get a longer ride in for the first time this year, and I was not disappointed. The temps reached the mid-50s, and I even overdressed, slightly.
I survived that though. And I got to adventure around the local area. I even saw that they’re working on the new bridge to the northwest of base. I love the old bridge — I’ve taken plenty of beautiful pictures of it and from it, especially upriver…right where the new bridge is going to be. I suppose I could take upriver pictures from the new bridge, but the old bridge holds such charm in that it’s so low to the water, has no guardrail, and is an absolute fright to cross in the pre-dawn darkness. So quiet, and yet you can hear the rustle of the water right beneath you with nothing but your headlight beam stretching out on the bridge itself in front of you.
I’m gonna miss that. And I’m gonna miss the relative quiet the area once enjoyed, before the new roads, and now, the new bridge.
But, new roads mean new opportunities, and I hope to make the best of it.
As for the title of the ride, a funny story:
Let me start by saying, I’m not typically shy about where to go on the bike. I’m particularly fond of riding new routes before they’re even “routes.” New bridge that’s not yet connected? Why not? Laying the bed for a new set of rails? Looks good to me. So when I saw the new route for the road that would connect this bridge, I saw an opportunity. But there was this lady standing there with her vest and her hardhat and her flashlight wand directing what little traffic passed through he area. I saw my chance, and as I rolled past her, she waved her flashlight to let me through…on the old road. I smiled, pointed down the new road, and said, “this way is OK!” and took off. She yelled “No!” and started chasing me waving her wand. I waved back and was on my way. All good. But then my conscience got the best of me, and I thought, “wow, she looked pretty adamant about me not going that way, I hope I didn’t cause her any trouble.” I mean, it’s her job to keep people on the right roads, and her boss may have been looking right out the window at me as I pedaled by on his temporary road.
So about a mile or so later, I made a turn that would take me back. When I reached her, she was on the phone. I pedaled up and said, “I’m sorry, that was my bad,” and she laughed and said “that’s OK” and waved me on. I fully expected a tongue-lashing, Korean ajuma-style, but it was all good. It did change my route though, which is never a problem with me. I got to see more things, and a lot of construction elsewhere in places I normally travel during the summer months. Here’s hoping they’re done by then…but I doubt it. They’re always building something around here these days.
But then again…new roads, new opportunities…
