homo

 

This one is partly a "bikes" post, but mostly an "other business" post.

Twice recently, when I've been out on the bike in full lycra-and-spandex regalia, I've heard the shout, "HOMO!" from a passing car. It's clear that this was meant to be a put-down.

I'm not clear that it's going to have the intended effect. First of all, my homophobic father threatened to put me in a military school when he saw my interests and affectations as a teen. He never told me why he was threatening to pull me out of school; and it wasn't until decades later than I figured it out.

I can see the reason for his thinking that I would wind up a member of the LGBTQIA alphabet mafia. I was an introvert, more interested in reading inside than in doing anything else, especially more manly outdoor activities. He pushed me into Boy Scouts, in which I was an indifferent participant. And, as my mother loved the show tunes of the 50's and 60's when I was growing up, I know more about American musical theater of those decades than any straight male you know.

The traditional trappings of homosexuality were undoubtedly attractive to me: art, theater, music, and entertainments caught (and still catch) my attention far more than sports or any traditionally masculine pursuits. I used to joke that I tried out for homosexuality, but I just didn't make the cut; I wasn't cool enough. The truth is, I'm just not attracted to men. (I've had some try to engage my interest. In the earliest cases, I was too clueless to determine their intent. Later, when I figured out what was going on, I could let them know that I was just not interested... but I was flattered at the men I attracted: good-looking, interesting, and accomplished guys!)

So the shout of "HOMO!" may not have had the intended effect.

But I had a further thought recently as I ruminated on the experience: the men (of COURSE they were men) who shouted from their cars apparently thought that their catcall would make me rethink my choices of apparel and activity.

Wait a minute. You think I want to be more like you? I don't think so. If "homo" is what you call me, I will wear the appellation with pride. Even though it doesn't fit, it's better than whatever else you're offering.

pseudo-recovery ride

 

So after Tom's ride yesterday, I had thought that I could use today's ride for a recovery. After all, co-leader Joe E agreed to take the faster folks, and three or four of 'em went off with him at the start.

(Readers on the Road Biking NJ Facebook Page: I linked yesterday's ride to your page, but there's a word in the title that's excluded by policy. You can see the post at the link in the previous paragraph, if you have the least bit of interest.)

Today's ride could reasonably have been a recovery ride: not too much climb, not long (for me), with a stop at a favorite bakery. 

But I got some eager horses, even among the not-fast folks. And one of my sweeps came in with an average of over 15mph. You can see on the ride page, my average was 14.9.

(My average on the slow trip home afterwards was 11.7mph. I was whipped.)

But the stop is great, and the proprietors were happy to see us. In fact, he took pictures, and put 'em up on his Facebook page.

 But I'll be napping this afternoon. Don't call me.

lying bastard 2023

 Tom never lets a barrier on a bridge out stand in his way.

I don't know how many years ago we did the first one, and I don't remember exactly why we call it that... but Tom H has been leading this ride, now yclept the "Lying Bastard" ride, for years. I suspect we first called it that because we suspected Tom of under-reporting the climb and difficulty, in the days before all of us had access to the elevation diagrams on RideWithGPS.

The elevation diagram for this ride looks like this:

So there's ups and downs, of course, but to me it looks like a general climb for mile after mile, until that long downhill at the end (and a piece of that final descent feels almost that close to vertical).

Tom calls us his "Insane Bike Posse", because even though we continually complain about his routes we keep coming out for 'em.

We start near the bridge in Frenchtown.

...and the first thing to do is cross the bridge.

The climbing starts soon after. Laura OLPH appears to be convinced that the hills in Pennsylvania are worse than the Sourlands, and she may be right, or it may be that we're just not used to them there. 

Tom is known for closed roads and bridges. I don't know where that bridge is from the top picture, but we've crossed it each year. In the past, there were concrete barriers we could ride around, but now there are piles of gravel, making the ride impossible. We made a team to pass the bikes over the barriers.

When I passed my bike to Peter G, he winced under the weight. "Now you know why I'm so slow," I said.

We stopped near the Lake Nockamixon Spillway Overlook:

We also stopped at the boat access.

I loved that guys mostly-spruce-and-cedar kayak.

 Because of the way the route works out we don't do a rest stop at a shop until about mile 34 (on this 44-mile ride). I needed it by the time we got there.

 No, I didn't get any pictures just before that woeful descent at the end; I was too terrified, and I think there was some gravitational lensing going on because of the pitch of the road. But I did raise my average speed by several points, although you couldn't tell by the low average posted on my ride page. 

We'll see what tomorrow's ride brings.

a little help ride

 At left, Joe E, one of the helpers.

The prediction was for a great day, so I posted a ride from my usual start to the Blawenburg Bistro. I set a limit of fifteen... which was full by Friday, then a couple of people cancelled, then it filled again, then people cancelled...

I went on a ride yesterday, and two of the riders asked if they could come along even if the ride were full. I had no idea it would be this popular! 

When I got home, I saw that Eric H, one of my regulars and another club leader, who had been closed out of the ride, had posted a "same as Jim's ride ride" with a few spots, so I was able to tell the guys on my ride from yesterday that they could sign up on his ride.

And when I woke up this morning, I'd received a message from another regular asking if I could squeeze him in. I'd had a cancellation overnight, so I registered him myself and let him know to come along. (For registration, I require the registrant's name and cell, and the name a cell of an emergency contact. I keep a list with all those items for about 50 or 60 of my regulars, because of course I do, so I can register them myself if I need to.)

(And yes, club members with a little imagination and investigative work, can figure out how to register other members for rides.)

So, oh my stars, I was gonna have twenty for this ride, thanks to helper Eric H leading the "goin' along with Jim" ride. I looked at the registrants, and saw that some of them were far faster than I... so I called in a favor offered by Joe E (picture at top); he would lead the faster riders, and I would ride with the slower group, with Dave H sweeping.

At the start:

It worked out well. Eric started off the ride hammering; the fast riders took off after him; Eric slowed down to a manageable pace, and the fast folks disappeared over the hill. We came upon Joe a bit later when he needed a Torx bit, and then he went off to catch his fast folks again. Meanwhile, those of us maintaining a more civilized pace* continued along until we met up with the speedsters at the Blawenburg Bistro.

(*Note that "a more civilized pace" is a relative term. I was one of the last coming back to the start, and my average was outside the C+ range. I go with the group; as best I can: when they're all fast, we go at their rate; when I have riders who ride in the C+ pace, we make sure they don't ride alone.)

So my gratitude goes to Joe E, Eric H, and Dave H, for the special help they gave me running this ride... as well as to all the folks who came along. I can do these rides alone, but it's different.

And less fun, generally.

Ride page.