Yesterday morning I kept with my riding plan for this heat wave, which is expected to continue at least until Sunday. Once again, I set out after quick breakfast--coffee and two English muffins pan-toasted with olive oil, fresh-ground black pepper and rosemary--early.
(I like butter as much as anyone does. But I feel that olive oil is more elegant. Maybe it has to do with my Italian heritage.)
My trip took me to Fort Totten and back, via the Malcolm X Promenade and some zigging and zagging through northeastern Queens residential streets. All told, I did about 40 km (25 miles) round-trip before 10 am. And, yes, I did get my fresh Greek yogurt from Kesso's: Their hours coincided with mine.
At Fort Totten, I could see how hot an humid the day would be--and, in spite of the clear skies at that moment, I could tell, from the haze on Long Island Sound, that the storm forecast for the afternoon would indeed drop lots of water very quickly and hard: the thunder almost seemed to be an echo of the rain pounding against the sidewalks.
I felt confident, though, that I would get to my place before the storm. Maybe it had something to do with riding Tosca, my Mercian fixed gear: I couldn't coast; I had no choice but to pedal. It felt really good.
Somehow I think she knew that house was officer's quarters when Fort Totten was still an active military base. (A small section, fenced off, is still used for Army Reserve exercises, and the Fire Department trains in another part.) My bikes have such good taste in their destinations!
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