The Joys of PE

No, I’m not talking about gym class. It’s back to the physics department for a lesson in Potential Energy. It’s the one redeeming factor for dragging all my gear up hills. At the top, Mr. Newton’s laws of gravity pull it back towards the center of the Earth and BB along with it. That really gets the handlebar streamers fluttering! And not just steep hills. Even declines of only a couple degrees offer the chance to coast. What’s that? Coasting? What kind of a geriatric pansy coasts? Well, after this weekend’s big ride, I’m learning the value of taking mini-breaks whenever possible.

Saturday brought BB and WL together for a trek north; the first with full gear. After 108 miles of wind, sun and a few decent climbs, we are still on speaking terms. More than likely, this is due to my effusive compliments regarding his physique. He was very body conscious at the beginning of the ride. Who wouldn’t be with 35 pounds of gear strapped to your rear? And a handlebar bag that a friend called a bike fannypack. That hurt, really CP, did you have to go there? In all honesty, under the grit and grime, Lightnin’ has the sinuous fortitude of a 100 year old oak tree. He attacked hills with vigor, putting to shame those brightly adorned weekend cyclists as he cruised by. However, he’s not the speediest on the take-off, nor the stop. We’ll have to work on this during the trip for either fleeing a slobbering rabble of mangy hounds or for stopping at a roadside varmint jerky stand (for photographic documentation purposes of course)!

On a completely unrelated note, White Lightnin’ has a nose for pork product: the black and white variety. On two different occasions, he alerted me to police cars lurking near intersections. Between his nose for bacon and my nose for the “magical animal” in Homer J Simpson parlance, this could be a match made in heaven.

On a silly note, I set up the tent in my apartment last night. I thought that I’d make sure I knew how to put it up before I hit the road. I have a suspicion that I’ll be doing it in the dark and/or rain on the first night of the trip. And no, I didn’t sleep in it.