dual650c

I usually ride before I look at the forum each day - hence the thread title.

This morning I rode the same route I have ridden off and on for the last three years. I am not the only recumbent rider who uses this route regularly - there are probably at least 40 or 50 of us total (swb and lwb but not counting trikes).

But this morning a 30-something diamond-frame comfort bike rider did a double-take as I passed him coming the other way. After we passed each other, I checked my 6 to make sure I hadn't held anyone up from passing me (I was riding fairly slowly) and almost fell over laughing. The rubber-necking 30-something had continued to look over his shoulder at me/my bike for about 50 yards and lost his balance and toppled over. What a dilemma - stop and ask if he's hurt (other than his ego) or not stop and ensure his ego wasn't subjected to public humiliation.

It was a tough call.

I didn't stop.

Otoh, fate is a fickle b***h. Later in the ride, a very nicely shaped bum was astride a bike ahead of me. The possessor of that bum had turned around about 100 yards in front of me to join her boyfriend who was much faster than she (he'd passed me easily about 40 minutes earlier on my out-n-back route). As I said, the bum was VERY nicely shaped.

Anyway, they started riding beside each other, at first slightly below even my slow pace. But they picked up the pace slightly (back to mine) so I just slowed for a minute, let them ride together and didn't attempt to pass. (Sometimes the non-lead dog's view IS nice despite it monotony).

Anyway, after a half mile or so, boyfriend took off again and the bum dropped her pace slightly below mine. Which meant I crept up on her slowly. Eventually, I was just behind draft-position. Aargh. Decisions, decisions -again. Pass? Don't pass. Pass? Don't pass. Aaargh.

Just as I made up my mind to pass, the bum's possessor calls over her shoulder without looking - "You can pass now. Exhibition time has ended."

Zoink!

As I passed, she smiled and winked. I am fairly sure my face was still red - and not from exertion.

It was a good ride.

rydabent

Another reason to ride a bent or a trike. The view is better!!!

Jeff Wills

Yep.

A while back, I was riding north on a bike path while another rider was heading towards me. Then I noticed that he was drifting onto my side. And he wasn't looking ahead. And wasn't correcting. When we go about 30 feet apart, I yelled, his head snapped front, and we both hit our brakes. We came to a stop about 5 feet apart.

Then I noticed that we'd come to a stop beside the local Hooters, and the girls we practicing their routines in the parking lot.

I had to smile and give him a pass.

rydabent

jeff

A dollar says he was on a DF bike. DF riders will never admit it, but they spend a lot of time looking at their front wheel. Bent riders sitting up right can see what is going on around them.

Dudelsack 

I felt like a dirty old goat today. That's OK, because I am a dirty old goat, but still...

I was on a large organized ride that I was not particularly enjoying when I came upon a lovely leggy young woman. As I slowly passed her, I noted her bike was making some awful squeaking sound that really needed to be fixed. I gazed up and down the bike trying to figure it out. I'm sure I came across as a nasty old letch, and I am, but still...