Terrible cell phone picture at night.
11 PM. I have taken the kids out on a 10 mile ride today with a few hills thrown in. It is not enough though. Life has been extremely stressful lately and I'm getting it from all sides. So, a quiet evening alone with myself and the coy mistress were in order. I haven't had her out for a ride at all this week. She has sat forlorn hanging from the ceiling in the garage while I took my son off to a gymnastics meet in Las Vegas, and also while I rushed to get my son's pinewood derby cars done this week (the youngest took 3rd place in both). All work and no play makes Paul a pressure cooker ready to blow. So yes indeed, despite being a little sleepy, I needed some serious therapy.
Upon leaving the driveway I notice my foot is feeling pretty good with that extra shim under the cleat I stuck in it this morning. Any more and I will need a longer screw. For now it felt pretty good though. It's chilly but not cold. Still, I am glad for the long sleeve jersey and tights. Traffic is still a little busy but quickly dieing as America's most boring city (per Forbes magazine) goes to sleep. I climb up Power road heading out to the burbs and hills of Las Sendas. I plan to do a repeat on the main loop and then climb the mountain and head back home.
Turning off of Power things get a lot more peaceful. This is a neighborhood, a neighborhood on the side of a mountain but still a neighborhood. I might add further it is a neighborhood that goes to sleep early too. There is only an occasional car every 10 - 15 minutes. It's just the night, the hills, the city lights, the coy mistress, and me. Despite the hill work I am pleased to notice that I am not noticing my back. I think those shims are working. It's a good climb up the loop and I in fact do loop around for a repeat. It's a beautiful night and I find myself looking for tangents after I climb over Las Sendas Mountain. I pass a road I have never been up before with a sign on the street sign saying "No Outlet". That quite often in this area of snooty homeowners, (well, maybe they are not snooty, but they sure do look rich) put up signs like that to keep people from driving through their neighborhoods.
It's a long dark street heading up into the desert. It's a beautiful night with an almost full moon shining down on the long deserted road. I pedal on and am soon weaving among very large, secluded houses. Theres some cash invested up in these here hills. I weave around and come to a rather silly road block made up of some old beams on cinder blocks. Yup, no outlet. Ha. What is it about folks in snooty neighborhoods that makes them want to put a block across a perfectly good road so they are "seperate" from their neighbors neighborhood? I lifted my bike over it and guess what? The road on the other side was dirt for about 100 yards and then I was back on pavement heading down the hill. No outlet indeed.
Far below I descended to the city lights. It's a beautiful night. All is peacefull. There are no children arguing, getting wrapped up in themselves, whining. There is no stress of dealing with my wife who has been very stressed and tired lately, and bearing with all the things that come with that. There is no stress of having my Mom in the hospital and my father in-law recovering from a heart attack. There is only the moon, the smooth pavement, the hum of the tires, the bike, my thoughts, and myself. I find myself lost in thought as I descend to the house. I know the route so well my body steers me to home even though I am mentally in another world. I wish I could stay out here all night although I need to get some sleep, but I think it will do for now.
No comments:
Post a Comment