Cyclists = Dicks?

So as you all know I consider myself a cyclist. No I am not a racer, but I am a commuter sometimes, and definitely an enthusiast. I have only got to ride maybe 12 times in 14 weeks (due to injury), I'm 40 lbs over weight, and I smoke. I enjoy my bicycle more than most people can even imagine. I am always happy even when the ride sucks, or I'm tired or bonking. I'm on two wheels and out in the open which equals happy. Knowing this I'm confused as to why people who also ride are such dicks. Not all but there are plenty of you out there to make a blanket statement. 

So on my ride this morning from downtown Fullerton to Anaheim Hills (Monte Vista and Weir Canyon), a hard ride for me, I said hello to everyone. Runners, commuters, racers, everyone. I do this always when I'm on the bike. I have an opinion that if I'm happy doing what I'm doing I should share it and pass it on. I did the whole put a hand as to wave, said morning, even communicated as to which side I would be passing people. I do this always road or mountain. It is a nice gesture, makes riding safer, and may make someones day to let them know others see them and they do exist. I got maybe five return hellos and waves back. Out of about forty attempts. I maybe egotistical but that is a crappy ratio.

Hey Mr/Mrs 45 year old CAT 4 smile when you ride at least announce to others you are gonna pass them. Makes others happy and communication can make sure that all are safe. While I know you are probably at 85% of your max heart rate, focused on make sure you completely exhale every fourth pedal stroke of your left foot so that you do it because you are right foot dominated. A simple fucking wave, or a simple two finger "I am fucking dying here" salute would be nice. Hey you never know a little smile on the ride while you are doing your intense training to the beach and back might make that 300th loss to the 19 year old, whose training consists of 10 miles a day to college and a balanced diet of Carl's Jr. and Taco Bell, a little easier to swallow.

Dear angry commuter, I know that you have to do this. You are eco friendly, lost your car due to the economy, lost your license due to a DUI. I know it sucks because it could be worse, you could not have a bicycle. You have to leave an hour earlier than your friends, it takes you an hour longer to get home. It sucks I get it. Here is a tip, enjoy the fact that you are on a bicycle. You get to be out in the open, see the Egrets in the Santa Ana riverbed, beautiful landscaped yards, and occasionally a really, really attractive person. Hell you might even meet a friend along the way. I say smile, say hello to others, sing a song out loud as you pedal it makes the time go by and makes your trek that much more enjoyable.

All in all a little gesture of happiness could make your day better, make someone else's day better, and you never know might start changing someones opinion of cyclists when they hit the trails with their loved ones for the nice Sunday family outing. 

WTF!!!!

What the fuck is going on. I have been unemployed for over a year so you figure I would be riding my bike or what not more often. Nope, not with my luck. I have been plagued by injuries, sickness, broken bicycles and other things. Here is a list of some of the recent shit that has taken me off the trusted steed. 

1. Gout! 2 weeks.Yeah I suffer from gout the rich mans disease. Started getting bouts of 6 years ago.  Thought at first it was just my bad ankles acting up. You spend all your life playing contact sports and getting injured as much as most people get hair cuts it is gonna catch up to you some day. There are many speculations as to why I have gotten this disease; constant meat diet, not enough rest, but most likely because I have drank myself stupid more times than I can or care to remember. 
2. Knee blowing out. 2 weeks. Goes back to first year in hockey. Was kind of poor and had to use, at that time, 12 year old shin and knee guards. Well every time I hit the ice, which was pretty much every practice and game in that first year, my knees would bruise, swell up and cramp up constantly. I think I had them drained like 15 times that first year and at least once a year after that. Beer and weed helped kill the pain probably helping the gout set in.
3. Severely sprained ankle. 12 weeks and counting. This one is awesome and stupid all in one shot. When I was sixteen I drove my buddy Coop, my girlfriend at the time Nicki, and her friend down to Newport for a day of surfing and skim boarding. Well we road in the morning, rested, then went skim boarding. As I was trying to pull 360’s the wave went out. The board stuck mid rotation and my left foot along with it. My body on the other hand kept a spinning. Here is where it gets gross. I rotated around my ankle almost 360 degrees. I stood up and just like in cartoons my foot came around. Well being the dumb ass I am, I stayed at the beach. I didn’t want to cut everyone else’s day short.  I tried to surf more, failed. I tried to body surf, failed. Walked back to the car at the end of the day, drove everyone home, then went to the hospital where they x-rayed, wrapped, and put my ankle in an air cast. Two weeks later I was Ice skating. So that was the start of a bad ankle. 12 weeks ago I had some garage installer  at my house. I told him to watch out for Jake. “Jake is an escape artist.” I said. Well I come outside and before I can grab Jake I notice the guys tool belt in my yard. Jake bolts down the stairs. My first thought is “oh crap the garage door is open and he is gone.” Before I could even think to look I started to chase after him, why I am not sure. I will never catch him on a descent.  But I did it anyways. About five steps from the bottom my heel slipped off the stair. I then went plummeting to the bottom, my left foot caught the last stair on the arch and then proceeded to roll to the left. Oh yeah I was barefoot. And to make it even more insulting I was sober as well as the door was not open. Well it didn’t hurt that day but the next day it was swollen. I didn’t stay off of it. The day after that it was painful and I couldn’t walk. A week later I finally went to the hospital. Once again x-rayed, and wrapped and a new set of crutches for the ol’ gimper. It still acts up and I have tried to ride a couple of times. Every time I ride I am couch surfing the next day.
4. Broken Bicycle. Constant. Well let us see first wheels. I broke a spoke in the front and repaired it. Magilla at the bike shop said “I need to go through and re-tension them it has been almost 18 months since we built them.” I said sure, well I was off the bike anyways due to above injuries so I handed them over to him. I then proceeded to brag on FB how my hand-built wheels, (which I built under some tutelage) were bomb proof. “2000 miles and only one broken spoke blah blah blah blah blah.” That came back to haunt me the next time I rode. I broke a spoke in the back wheel. I had to limp it on back to the house. I get that up and going and now they went out of true. Fixed that. Lets see how they do tomorrow. Anyone venture to guess? Then we are on to tires which I have gone through three sets in 6 months with only maybe 500 miles in between all three sets. Had Vittoria Diamantes, they wore out. So I installed my white Verdesteins. They cut in only 200 miles. Now I am onto my new Michelin Pro 3’s. Let us see how that goes. They are notorious for cuts.
5. Wasp Sting to the eye area. 3 days and counting. Monday I tried to do a favor for my next door neighbor. I was gonna be wasp killa. She bought the spray and I went to work. I killed 12 nests on her property. Probably over 200 stingy bastards. Well as I entered her half open garage, inside a wall mounted cabinet that I opened the door to was 2 hugh nests. The disturbance of the door swinging aggravated the nests and one flew towards me. I tried batting at it hoping to get the sting in the hand or arm or not at all. The quick little bastard thwarted my attempts at striking it and landed a knock out blow next to my right eye. It hurt like hell. Worse than I have ever been punched in the eye. Which has happened on a great many occasions. Got light headed. Proceeded to kill all the nests and that son of a bitch right then and there. Next day I looked like a boxer after the second round. I iced it hoping that would bring down the inflammation. It didn’t. When I woke up this morning I felt like I should of asked my trainer to cut the eye and get the cold press so I could see. My eye was almost swollen shut. Some ice, benedryl , and Advil it is only sort of swollen now. As for riding it has affected my peripheral vision, which is bad for the riding but it has given me a mild case of vertigo due to my peripheral vision being sort of not there. Makes me feel almost like I am drunk. 

So tomorrow I am gonna try and get a short coffee shop ride in. Let’s see if I can get through one ride with nothing going wrong.