I rode into an "interesting" part of town this evening. There was a Parents Association meeting at the small college my son is attending. I didn't know about it until I was leaving for work and my wife mentioned it. It started at 5:30. I told my wife I probably wouldn't go, then decided I would. The school itself is surrounded by a very run down neighborhood; there really isn't a good way to get there by bike. So I gritted my teeth, picked what I thought was the least bad route, and went.

The route included riding through some very heavy urban traffic. At one point I just decided to bag the vehicular cycling thing and ride the sidewalk over two railroad bridges. I think the cars appreciated not having to wait for my pokey butt to make up up the hills. Then across the freeway that bisects the city from north to south. On the east side of the freeway the neighborhood goes down really fast. The traffic thinned out a bit though, so I was back to the vehicular cycling thing. I was thinking I would make it no problem. For the last little bit I decided to cut through the neighborhood just south of the college and pop out opposite it so I could just cross the busy road it's on and head in. That was almost a mistake.

My biggest worry when riding through run down areas is not so much the people. I have an average looking bike and even though I run lights and a hi viz vest, I don't think most people would give me a second look (although I am a cautious when I see groups of youths). Anyway, my big fear is dogs.

So here I am cutting through this neighborhood and there she is- a pit bull in the front yard of a house. I think she saw me about the same time I saw her, and she stood up to greet me. She wasn't acting particularly aggressively but I didn't want to take a chance. I hopped off the bike and got it between me and the dog. Once I stopped moving fast and started to look human, she seemed to lose interest mostly, although she still kept an eye on me. I walked the bike back a couple houses to the last corner, and turned and jogged over a block. Maybe the dog wouldn't have chased me but I didn't want to find out. I don't think the locals bore me any ill will, but they may have enjoyed seeing a dog attack a pasty white boy.

After that it was just a few more blocks to campus. I stayed on the lookout for more dogs, just in case. But that was pretty much it. I was willing to try the ride during daylight but when the meeting let out after dark, I let my lovely wife sag me home with my bike in the trunk of her car.