Timing and Luck

Went for a ride this morning and was supposed to meet up with a few friends.  Luck would have it having a headband on, I thought I had my skid-lid, back to the house.  Forgot to get my pump off the road bike, back to the basement.  I showed up at the parking lot 10 minutes late and just kept rolling.

A few miles down the road I caught JW and was told he also got there late.  I had some work to do so the chase was on, not what I wanted but what the heck.  I hit Bolivar and still no sight of any club members, not even the super tourist who plod along enjoying the scenery.  Hmmm, maybe the changed the route and JW and I didn't know.  Half way down Canal I saw a couple riders up ahead so I upped the pace just high enough to keep my back in check.  I get to Zoar and no riders.  Hmmm, I know even the slowest of the cyclotourist wouldn't ride this fast.  I cranked up the pace and had those 35c knobbies humming along and a few miles later I finally catch BD and CK.  We loop back though Bolivar and there goes the rest of the club, the other way.  Where the heck were they?  Found out later they ad-libbed the route to avoid hills, got a flat and it took them nearly and hour to fix it.  That'll teach them to take the pussy path.

I talked the guys into adding on a few extra miles so we looped around  Beach City and Brewster before heading back to Navarre.  We were sitting in the lot and I made the comment that I wanted to check the sledding hill out and see if it was still good enough to bring Mak down for the afternoon.  CK said I should ride down it so I did.  I headed up the drive in one of the wheel ruts and was greeted by sleds coming down each rut so I jumped in the middle until they passed.  I cautiously rode down the hill thinking about the last time I did this on fat tires and separated my shoulder.  Then I tried to climb it, twice, but I kept getting stuck when the rear wheel would dig in and sink.  I gave up and headed to McDonalds to harass the seniors who were mooching AARP coffee.

Just as I turned north on Market I saw a group of kids carrying "stuff" down the street.  One yelled something and then I recognized them as my Orrville Teammates who were coming back from an auction.  They were 3 doors from home and invited me over for the 10 cent tour so I followed them over to Casa Del Huck-Brown.

After the open house I grabbed my bike and noticed the pump was missing.  DANG!!! (being polite)  That's the 3rd pump I have lost over the past 2 years.  Just as I made it up to SR21, a pick up truck started honking at me.  I thought "great, another moronic redneck who needs the whole friggin road for his fat butt.  When I turned to see what all the fuss was about a guy and his little girl were waving me over to the truck.  The guy asked if I was the one just down at the park riding down the sled hill?  Great, now I'm going to get heckled for rutting up the hill.  I said yes and he proceeded pull out my pump and said "you lost this".  SAWEET!!!  I thanked him and said that I had just noticed it was missing a few moments ago.  Sure am sorry I assumed he was an idiot!

If I had just rode on up to McDonalds and not taken the tour, I wouldn't have gotten my pump back.  Thanks Lorena!!  I owe you one.