There I was on the Bike path...



Feanor

New Member
Jul 21, 2003
256
4
18
Because of the wife's recent accident, I've had to head off on the road by myself these days... Hopefully when the stitches are out in a few days she'll jump back in the saddle and head out with me...

The other night I was riding along down the ironhorse bike path, and in the distance I saw a recumbent rider approaching...

"Neat!", I thought to myself, "those recumbent bikes are kind of interesting"

I'm riding on the right of the path and as we close distance, the rider veers over to my side of the path... a bit confused, I move over to the left... moments later he does the same and we are again on a collision course.

This time I slow down and hold the middle of the path and with a slight wobble and to my great surprise he does the same and again we're destined to occupy the same space and time!

I unclip, and slow to a stop just as he is within about a dozen yards from me. He's an older looking gentleman with a rather perturbed look on his face... he then suddenly veers completely off the path opposite me and as I watch he slows to a crawl and then *Clunk* falls over in slow motion...

Laughing was thelast thing I was expecting to hear but that's what he was doing... My irritation being displaced now by confusion, I walk over as he is trying to extricate himself from his machine all the while chuckling at himself...

Then as I approach he says "I saw you coming and I panicked! I can only control this contraption when I'm moving along at a good speed when I saw you coming I slowed down and that's all she wrote!" he actually used that phrase :) I felt like I was talking to Jeff Foxworthy!

It turns out that his son bought him the recumbent for health reasons and because he had back problems and the son thought the recumbent would be better because of that.

We talked for a while and he showed me his bike up close (I never saw one up close before)

Then I bid him farewell and good luck and as I was getting back on my bike he was standing there with a quizzical look... I asked him what was wrong, and he said if I didn;t mind if I could give him a push as the path was in a slight uphill *laughing*

It was tough in my cleats but I gave him as good a running push as I could and when he sped up I yelled after him "You're free! you're free!"

He laughed (he had a really infectious laugh) and waved as he ambled off...

Id like to try a recumbent someday just for the experience :)

Feanor
 
What a great story! I think the absolute best part of cycling is that it allows us to be part of our community, interacting with our fellow citizens, instead of just driving through it, insulated from all others. You'd never have this kind of very human interaction if you were stuck in a car and both of you would be poorer for it.

I hope your wife is feeling better soonest.
 
Great read and a good laugh!

I'd love to try a 'bent one day too... looks like a heckuva lot of fun. :cool:
 
Originally posted by DiabloScott
Is that the Iron Horse Trail in Walnut Creek?

That's the one! :) although I was much farther south in the San Ramon/Dublin area at the time...

Familiar with the area?

LoL! I just looked and saw you are in Concord! so no doubt you are VERY familiar with the area :)

Feanor
 
Yeah - I was hoping I hadn't sneered at you in your Postal Posier outfit as I zoomed by in my Vuelta leader's jersey!
 
Originally posted by DiabloScott
Yeah - I was hoping I hadn't sneered at you in your Postal Posier outfit as I zoomed by in my Vuelta leader's jersey!

LoL! I actually haven't worn that Jersey in a week or so, I'm cycling thru the jersey's I have and am currently wearing a Red Santini no name red jersey :) I've noticed I can't ride as well in anything but the Postal one though :) Must be a psychological inspiration thing :)

I'll have a look at your site :)


Feanor
 
I believe recumbent bikes are a dangerous menace!!

Havent seen one yet that looked in control.:mad:
 
Originally posted by Nicko71
I believe recumbent bikes are a dangerous menace!!

Havent seen one yet that looked in control.:mad:

They are more stable than our beloved road bikes, the traditional ones, i hear.
They did manage to get banned from the Tour because of their speed and ease of transportation.
 
One thing I like about the bike path in Sacramento is how often, when stopping at a rest area under trees, others there would get into pleasant conversations and we all would share our experiences about cycling in general.

There are a wide variety of people who use the trail and a wide variety of bikes. There are club riders that ride in groups and seem to be tooling effortlessly along at 30 miles per hour. There are old folks who ride on old bikes at speeds that put some young yuppy riders on expensive bikes to shame. There are delightful attachments to adult bikes that let their child pedal along with them. There are a mix of recumbents as well. Some in-line skaters are so fast they nearly keep up with the fit bicyclists.

One day I caught up with my wife at a stop where she was talking with this old guy. He was telling her he rides 30 miles a day. He looked tanned and fit. Then he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit up. Amazing, he had lung capacity that puts a lot of 20 year olds to shame, but he has been a smoker all his life as well.

I was riding one day at a steady pace with my heartrate near the high end. I had a funny feeling, turned around, and was startled that a young woman was right on my tail, pacing me. She stayed right on my tail for over 5 miles and me, being male, of course, I could not slow down. I was at my V02 max point by the time I got to where I got off the trail. I signalled my right turn and gave her a friendly wave. She waved back and thanked me for being such a good sport.
 
That is such a funny story! Go seek him out again!!! Isn't it so cool that cycling gives us the opportunity to interact and have fun/happy and interesting conversations with total strangers in a world where cars and their drivers dominate and fight each other at the slightest opportunity?

Would have loved to see you penguin running giving him the shove to get on his way again too!!!

Alice :D
 
[One thing I like about the bike path in Sacramento is how often, when stopping at a rest area under trees, others there would get into pleasant conversations and we all would share our experiences about cycling in general]

Hey! I know that bikepath, along the American River, right? I rode it from my hotel in Old Town when I was in Sac this last fall, but tell you what, I got the dickens scared out of me one morning when I was alone (I'm a gal) and came smack into a group of homeless people standing in the path under a bridge. Some nice guy commuting into work let me ride back with him...

It's great to hear there are other paths in CA because I am often there for work, I bring my bike with, and it's less daunting then getting lost on unfamiliar roads. I may ask you all for some directions, particularly if there is a path that runs any distance around the bay area............

Pokey
 

Similar threads