You Can Do That On A Bike

 As I pedaled across the bridge from New Brunswick to Highland Park, New Jersey, a police cruiser pulled up alongside me.

That should have been easy to do because no one else was crossing the bridge at that hour.  But I noticed that the cruiser approached me in an almost hesitant way. 

The officer in the non-driver rasped, “Stop.”  I complied.  He opened his door.

“You know, you were weaving all over the road.  I know there’s no traffic, but still...

I looked at him sheepishly.  “Where are you going’?”

He realized I was only a couple blocks from the apartment I shared.  “OK.  Be careful.  And next time, get a ride home.”

I don’t know whether he smelled the hooch or simply knew, from looking at me, that I could just barely see—let alone ride—straight.  (Had I understood then what I understand now, I would have realized that I can’t do anything straight!;-)

I was about 20 and since then, much fluid has passed under that bridge. It was one thing to ride home drunk from a party because of youthful folly combined with a lack of planning. So I have to wonder about the wisdom of a

bike ride with stops for alcohol consumption.

Apparently, some folks in Scottsdale, Arizona think it would be fun.  They’ve planned a  bicycle pub crawl  for Leap Year Day (29 February).

I wonder:  How does one crawl on a bicycle?  And how far do they ride between each pub? 

Changes

Yesterday I talked about beginnings and endings.

Well, that theme is relevant today.

No, I'm not ending this blog--or beginning a new one.  

What I decided, instead, was to try a new look to start the new year.  I've used the same format, layout and themes throughout this blog's history, which spans almost a decade.

You can keep bikes, friends, books and sometimes partners for ten years.  But I don't think most of you want to see the same thing all the time.

I must admit that I am having a bit of "separation anxiety", if you will.  But, as the I Ching teaches us, life is change.  

Riding To End, And Begin

Happy New Year!

I began this year with a whole wheat bagel from Lots o Bagels.  I brought another of their whole wheat bagels on my first ride of the year, to Point Lookout:  a 120 kilometer (72 mile) round trip.

That, after ending last year with  140 kilometer ride to and from Connecticut.  I encountered more traffic than I anticipated, but at least most of them, I assume, hadn’t begun to drink.

The moral of this post?  The best way to begin or end is to ride.

Hmm...Does that apply to the book I’m writing?