I still ride every day. Winter has arrived; I wear blue jeans. My right cuff is rolled up to avoid catching in the mechanism.
I live on the side of town where there is only a designated bike path close to schools.
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When nasty weather passes through, the branches end up pushed against the curbsides and bike lanes.
When I had a car that could pass inspection I'd transport my bike to the nice side of Fort Worth. There you'll find special
flat bike paths (which I NOW would really enjoy) looping around the city where it is scenic and pleasant. Quite a contrast
to the treacherous and ever busy city streets I inhabit now.
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The bike path riders are professional people with the expensive bikes and special gear. I call them costumes:)
Speed appears to be an obsession with such folks. I value life and limb far too much to exceed 10 or 15 mph.
So many unforeseeable events intrude in the course of a daily ride, I can't imagine how I'd have the time to cope if I were speeding.
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The bike riders on city streets appear to be insane young people with bicycles waaaay too small for their body. There is chaos in their manner of darting to and fro in front of this and that car. No wonder the automobile drivers have developed a fury toward us.
I had a man look me in the eye and suddenly turn in front of me as I zipped downhill (aided by gravity and wind at my caboose) creating
a crisis I only barely averted. My heart was pounding like crazy! It isn't the first time I've been the target of a bizarre attempted murder.
I don't know how it is in other states, but Texas men seem to have a visceral contempt for cyclists.
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I've been around bicycle clubs where ten to twenty people go out riding together. I'd rather have a proctology exam than be a part of that kind
nonsense. Why? I'm a lone wolf, I suppose--I dunno. I just don't get it. You have to deal with personalities, leadership struggles, egos, etc.
My sense of freedom and the opportunity to have fresh air (carbon monoxide mostly) and strenuous exercise at age 67 create more positives
than negatives. I truly enjoy riding on two wheels. I think I'd be dead in six months without the freedom to ride. It is the only pleasure I have left in life of a physical nature.