Originally Posted by
Notso_fastLane
I don't mean getting annoyed at drivers, although that's entirely understandable.
I have had some really bad **** happen recently in my personal life.
Riding is my therapy. There are times when I'm riding and it's not for fun, it's not really for enjoyment, it's to vent rage, depression and other negative **** in a somewhat constructive way.
Rage rides almost always have a few personal records involved. Yesterday was no different. I felt better.
I try not to ride angry. There's a spot maybe a half-mile from my house, so pretty much at the start of every ride, where right-turning fast traffic crosses over the straight-ahead bike lane. Most of the time, with clear signaling, cars slow up and cross behind me, though occasionally some jackass speeds up to try to zip across in front of me. Last time a guy in truck went for it and finally hit the brakes a couple of feet from my left hip. There was yelling and horn-blowing, possibly a bird or two flipped, and a big jolt of adrenaline, which completely threw me off for the first half of the ride (although I did climb the first hill pretty quick!). However, somewhere 20-30 miles out in the country, calm resumed. This is what a ride - especially a long one that wrings you out - does. Allows you to empty your mind and think of nothing but the bike and the act of cycling. Just being able to leave it all behind even for a few hours is truly wonderful.