fall city riding

even our four legged friends like bike rides!  say hello to the coolest chorkie in the world, sophie!   i should invent pooch helmets.  where would her ears go though?!?!

why, i don't even know what to think...

ok, so yesterday (saturday) was another perfect fall day here in dc.  i decided to bike to the pool, swim some laps and bike home.  after the pool, i made a quick diversion to my sister's place to say hello.  i had a glass of wine, it was kind of nice after the work out.  i left her place around 4pm and decided to bike home and get ready for the night.  i really need new brake pads, and had just enjoyed that glass of wine, so decided to not rush my bike ride home.  i kept a nice steady pace and was taking in the beautiful fall leaves lining the city streets.  per usual, i stop at the light at 14th and r st nw, i always hit this light.  i was stopped in the middle of the bike lane, behind the crosswalk waiting patiently for the light to change.  i had just caught it, so i sat there for a good 35 seconds or so waiting for it to change.  i checked out the subaru next to me and noticed the friends seemed mostly uninterested in each other's company.  they were each on their own cell phones with the exception of the driver.  to my right, a woman was stopped on her bike and talking to her friend who was on the sidewalk.  that's always nice to run in to a friend i thought.
so the light changes and i slowly take off and continue biking the last few blocks home.  suddenly, i see this guy come up to the left of me and turn right, cutting me off.  now this is odd, there was plenty of room behind me to pass and make his turn.  also, wasn't he aware that i was moving and why would you make a right turn from the left of someone while you are both on bikes??  i slow down, yet don't unclip.  quickly analyzing how ridiculous this guy's decision was, but then offended because did he really think he could pass me just because i was a girl and he was a guy?  i soon became horrified that this idiot could have caused me to crash.  i quietly, but firmly muttered, "seriously dude?  what the FUCK? come on now" and shake my head at him.  he apologizes profusely, he clearly knew he was in the wrong.  then i realized something, i just intimidated and scared the hell out of him.  i felt proud of myself and i pedaled off.
as i biked, i re-analyzed what the hell just happened.   at first, i felt kind of bad, maybe i was too harsh on him?  what if i came off as some scary bike chick?  you know, the girls with the scars that aren't afraid to go fast and crash hard?  what if it wasn't apparent that i like my face and bones the way they are, intact.  what if he never rides a bike again?  i hoped that wasn't the result.  i then come to the conclusion that he really made a poor decision and could have hurt both of us.  he didn't even have a helmet on while he rode his cruiser with one hand.  what was the point of his decision?  why couldn't he have just waited .2 seconds or gone to the right of me where he had plenty of room?  the level of intensity with which i said those words could have cut glass, although i said it low and was surprised he even heard me.  it was if he had heard my thoughts and felt my annoyance with him.  so, i decided, i didn't feel bad.  do you feel bad when you yell at the car next to you for cutting you off and not having patience?   i didn't have a horn (or bell), i had my mouth and i used it.  keep riding, but have some common sense out there.

luxembourg cycling project...

best new team in the peloton?  quite possibly with everyone making the mass exodus from team saxo bank and leaving mr. 60%, bjarne riis a lonely director sportif.  now riis is left standing there with the embattled contador.  well, maybe he won't be standing there if contador's people don't pay off the uci in time and he faces a ban for his plasticizers and tainted meat.  oh wait, he threatened to retire because his good name has been marred.   guess maybe he learned a thing or two from lance armstrong while they were teammates on the astana squad.  if contador isn't banned, whom better to be his new doping mentor than riis?  anyways, i digress...
let's focus on the more important subject here, which is my new favorite team to watch in the peloton, the luxembourg cycling project!  by now, if you've read my few blog postings or follow me on twitter, you know that my heart will always lie with garmin.  i suppose i favor them, because they are an american pro team, and they are actually pretty decent although some may disagree.  ;)  now, the reason i am looking forward to this new team is because my baby daddy andy schleck, his brother frank, and my other baby daddy, spartacus himself, fabian cancellara will continue to ride together.   mmmmm, hold on a few minutes..............................................................  ok, done daydreaming.  they will be joined by some of the best riders in the peloton, jens voigt, stuart o'grady, and jakob fuglsang to name a few.  how excited will you be to see big jens crossing the finish line and cancellara handing everyone their asses in the time trials???  mmmm, cancellara's booty............................................................   ok, sorry again, got distracted. 
so i think the 2011 year is shaping up nicely.  this new team is going to give the others in the peloton something to worry about.  i can't wait to see their final roster and all their new sponsors.  no need to speculate, the official news will come soon enough.  hurry up with the spring classics and my favorite stage race, the giro d'italia! until then my friends, let's hope for a winter filled with riding.