Yakkity Yak, He Go Smack!

Please note, this is a public service announcement for all those that feel cycling with their cell phone is, in fact, a wise thing to do.

Friday, I knew I did not have a lot of time to ride so I thought I would make the most of it by doing laps on San VIncente (false flats – work those muscles!) in a higher gear, head over to Helen’s to pick up a few things that I had been meaning to and then take the flats at double speed. I felt very productive and just a little smug. As I was coasting and mulling over my plan for the days ride, some guy passes me without calling out and actually looks over his shoulder at me, as he swings one leg over the saddle and starts doing circus tricks. Honestly, that woke me up and I realized that I was not doing what I was out to do. I buckled down to get back to work and started to peddle, passing clown boy and then forgetting all about him.

A few miles up the road, I dismount, make a call to Dave, “Hey Birthday Boy, want to meet me for lunch?” (btw, when its your husband’s b-day he still pays). I get back on the bike, scoot over to the left turn lane when I hear coming up behind me “Yeah, I’m out on the bike in Santa Monica” then THUD! as he slams into the back of the car that was waiting at the light for the turn

There are a few things that you should know:
1) He never missed a beat and continued on his phone call while rubbing his injured parts.
2) The drivers wanted to know what happened but since the cyclist didn’t think it was important to hang up, I felt that maybe he owed them more of an explanation than I did
3) And this should not be surprising.. he did not have a helmet
4) Its a day later and I still can not figure out how you can miss a large white car, or why he was in the middle of the lane instead of off to the right.

Reason No. 10 to Ride

Reason number 10 to ride is that you see the coolest things!

So I’m tooling down the beach path, which is one of my favorite relaxed day rides (46 miles round trip if you are wondering) and I see this sign that says “Hang Glider Xing” , not your most common traffic post so I take notice. Right there, I mean right there! are the two most beautiful hang glider thingies practicing landing and taking off. It was amazing to watch. I also think that Southern California just may be the only place where you would see an official traffic sign for this.

Since I ride through Venice, Ca — land of the beach walk freaks you see on TV — I also viewed no less then 6 sidewalk Henna tattoo artists, body piercing and a guy on an oddly adapted mountain bike that had tires about 12 inches thick that looked like the kind of intertubes you may have used as a kid. Oh… and you know this was the same guy I saw with 2 large parrots on his handlebars!