Yesterday and this morning, I was in New York City on business. Between appointments I had a chance to ride in Central Park. I was supposed to meet a friend who is an avid rider--he commutes into NYC from New Jersey. But the snow on Monday-Tuesday made the NJ roads slushy enough that Jim took the train.
At 5pm, yesterday, I left my hotel at 26th Street and 6th Ave. One of the entrances of Central Park is on 6th Ave, so I turned north on 6th and got in the 5 o'clock traffic in midtown.
When I first started riding again in Lancaster, I was a little bit tentative riding in groups. I had been riding alone for most of the year and I did not want to mess up in a pack so I would follow three or four feet behind other riders instead of right up on their wheel (where I should be).
But turning on to 6th Ave, I had none of that hesitation at all. I got into the bike lane on the left side of the avenue, shifted to the big ring and started riding as fast as I could toward the park. As I approached the odd-numbered streets I would be scanning for turn signals and making sure I kept my speed up and get right by the front wheel of taxis so they could see me.
When I got near Herald Square I could see people waving for taxis in the bike lane. They were all women. Then I remembered it was Fashion week. I kept my speed and stayed in my lane. The people standing in the bike lane were facing me and decided the best plan was to get out of the lane when I got close. Around 40th the bike lane ended so I moved into one of the center lanes. I got caught at three lights in the 34 block trip. As I rolled into the park I realized I had no hesitation at all riding with the limos and taxis and splitting lanes. I have always liked riding in traffic since I was a kid in Boston.
Riding in NYC traffic made riding feel completely normal again. Today I rode a few miles with the daily training ride. I rode right on the wheel of the rider in front of me. Whatever was wrong in my head, riding up 6th and down 7th Ave cleared that up.
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It is wonderful getting senile - I forget what I have said and repeat myself. Thank you so much for keeping up this blog. Your adjustment is interesting to observe. Some of the younger guys who maybe weren't completely "formed" within themselves - or were in the infantry and out it the suck in a big way, saw and did things that are hard to forget, etc. - are having trouble with ptsd and adjustment to our superficial world. Some only write sporadically but when they do, it is about the difficulties they have. Problems with the VA, problems with getting their promised benefits for education, problems with back pay- on and on. It is a shame that they give up so much and really do suffer for their service and "we" let them down the way "we" do. I really with I could make that "we" completely Royal and order things to be made right. Oh well - I'm happy for you and know that you are adjusting to this life and appreciate that you continue to share with us. Lorraine
ReplyDeleteLorraine--Thanks for your kind comments. I really did have an easy deployment compared with the soldiers who were and are kicking down doors and hoping to detect the IED around the next corner. I am planning to continue blogging through April when we are back to being weekend warriors.
ReplyDeleteNeil