This makes the fourth attempt to post this. All the previous ones ended with a blank page, after several minutes waiting for it to load. So...wishing myself luck here...

Anyway, here's my tale:

I had an out-of-bike experience today.

I was pedaling along on Harbor Boulevard, when up ahead I spotted an older guy on a MTB. As I got closer, I became nonplussed (and I don't get nonplussed too often!). This guy was the spitting image of ME, six months ago.

He was a Clydesdale, of course. He was making his way on a shiney new MTB but his progress was painfully slow. He was clearly a Fred, as well -- nothing he wore but his helmet was related to cycling. As I passed him, I was astonished how much he looked like me a while back -- were we twins, separated at the LBS?

His expression was a combination of exhaustion and delight. Though he had no speed, he had determination. He was obviously new to cycling, but, despite the effort it demanded, having a ball.

I felt a sense of kinship and briefly considered pacing him, perhaps to engage in conversation, perhaps to bond with a fellow traveler at a simliar junction in life.

Yes, I considered all that, and then came to my senses, and hammered. Soon, he was yesterday's news. I dropped him like a lead pipe.

What a Fred!