Did I Pack Underwear?

The Thing I’m Doing This Year #15

Carli’s home. With Carli, Gina and Rose all needing a car to get to workouts or work, there was a brief discussion about buying another car. The discussion went something like this, “Hey Dad, we all think it would be a good idea to buy another car.” Then I said, “We don’t have any money.”

End of discussion.

But I had a solution … I’d ride my bike to work. No problem. So my first day back from Phoenix, I pack a backpack with clothes, plus, a bunch of work stuff. I bomb down Union towards the trail, the part I was nervous about … no problem. I get to the trail and I’m happy. Sunny, blue skies. The Rocky Mountains straight ahead, a bubbling creek to my right.

My reverie is interrupted by my brain, who has a question. “Did you pack underwear?”

No. No, I did not.

I laugh.

My back is killing me carrying this stupid, oversized, overfilled backpack. I got a new lock. It’s heavy. The guy at the bike shop couldn’t in all good conscious recommend that I buy any of his locks with cables (which makes up about 90 percent of their inventory) … anyone with a bolt cutter … so I buy a very heavy U lock.

I get to work in 38 minutes, covering 10 ½ miles. And for the first time in 22 years, I lock my bike.

I’m a quick adapter. I shed backpack weight. I trim distance off the route. But the one thing I can’t change. The ride to work is all downhill, barely have to pedal. The ride home is all uphill, barely can breath.

The second day at five o’clock the skies are dark, the family cars are ocupado. Well, looks like I better get going. I don’t want to get rained on or hit by lightning. My mind is ocupado. (That’s Spanish for occupied, FYI.) I’m riding under the interstate. There’s a creek to my left and support wall to my right. My mind is wandering when I see the shadow on the wall of another biker coming up fast on my right. I get all indignant. “This guy’s trying to pass me on my right.”

He doesn’t pass me … because … it was my shadow.

I take as many short cuts as I can find and get home a little quicker. Two blocks from home I noticed a white flash in my right eye’s periphery. I think, “Hmmm … someone must have taken a photo – right next to me – using their flash.”

Then I hear, KA – BOOOOMM!

The loudest crack of thunder I’ve ever heard while riding my bike.

Moments after getting home safely, the rains come.

The next installment … “Fishin’ Worms”