Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,127
Likes: 6,343
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
I have a few things in common with yall including [MENTION=301784]PatrickGSR94[/MENTION].
I had a banner month last month, at almost 600 miles, and I'm also commuting by bike more than before, which has been a goal. Right now, my log shows 2,491 miles for the year, and my goal for the year has been 2,500 miles. I'm going to exceed that for the day, so I could quit for the year if I wanted to.
I had several run-ins yesterday, too. A woman cut me off by crossing the bike lane and pulling into a parking garage. I normally wouldn't do or say anything, but I did this time. I asked her to look before turning. She apologized profusely and told me many times that she hoped I have a blessed day, so what else could I say? I said I wish the same for her.
I rode home on 5th Ave which is pretty crazy at rush hour. I was on the way to the blood center so I could donate platelets. Several taxi drivers honked at me furiously from behind. One of them tried to push me out of my lane by getting increasingly close as we went at nearly the same speed. I yelled NOT SO CLOSE NOT SO CLOSE, and he kinda-sorta backed off and didn't acknowledge my presence with a head turn. OK fine, that's life.
The blood center had plenty of drama, too! A first-time donor threw up after her donation, in front of everyone in the waiting room. We all sympathized, though she was embarrassed. The waiting room was unusually packed. I wonder if the Las Vegas disaster made people want to help. Three of the four platelet machines broke down, and there were several of us waiting to donate platelets. They can take whole blood instead, but I had donated whole blood only two weeks earlier, so I didn't qualify to give another whole blood donation. The guy ahead of me who was queued for platelets volunteered to donate whole blood so that I could donate platelets. We made the swap for everyone else's benefit. The guy on the table next to mine was in pain and complained. Some pain is a risk we donors take, but I also understand his point of view. Normally, these visits aren't nearly so eventful.
They say we shouldn't exercise after donating, but I rode my bike home, as I usually do. I've never suffered.