Riding Home With Ed

Today began with me convincing myself not to let tiny things keep me from riding my bike. Wet bike clothes still in the washer? I've got others. Can't find my booties? I don't need them. Tires aren't pumped up and I'm gonna miss my bus? They'll be fine and I can use the pump at work for the ride home. Missed my first bus? Go get coffee and wait for the next one in half an hour.

So I made it onto the 2nd bus. There was an accident at Northgate. Ice on the road. When I got off at my stop, the roads were totally frosted over. The cars at the park & ride needed ice scrapers. The first portion of the ride was downhill, and I. Was. Cold. Thank goodness I'd borrowed Tricia's gloves the other night. (Both my other pairs were still in the wash, too.) I don't think I've really ridden in weather that cold. My toes were frozen by the time I made it to work. But at least the rest of me was starting to warm up.

As the day wore on, the sun warmed things up. I made sure to leave in time to do my whole ride home in the sun. And what a great ride it was! I was smiling as I made my way down Airport Road, and saw another bike commuter ahead. As I caught him, I realized it was Ed - a guy who works in my organization! He drafted me for a while, till we hit a light, and then I followed him. He showed me how not to wait for a stoplight that I've been annoyed with lately. Then, because he knew a shortcut, got ahead of me on the trail. But he waited for me! I caught up, and he said, "There's another shortcut coming up if you don't mind riding through the dirt a little." So I said sure - and with Britney Spears wailing through my earbud, I followed Ed (easily 55 years old, probably older) through our own little cyclocross course, me on my Madone, him on his Portland. I was grinning behind him, and he showed me all sorts of shortcuts and trails that I had no idea existed! It was a fantastic ride, and I'm so thankful to him for letting me follow his wheel all the way back to Seattle. He lives on Queen Anne, so we parted ways in Greenwood. And as I made my way down 85th, I was smiling at everyone - people in cars, the UPS guy, kids waiting at the bus stop... It was a wonderful end to a sunny day.

Thanks, Ed. And thanks, sun!