Two Wheeled Sights and Sounds

I didn't even consider paddling out in the dreck today. Although I did go to the home break, I didn't do so to surf. It was my starting point for my bike ride. I'm in training again. It's not for a race. It's for an ass-kicking. When Soul Brother #1 and I rode the other day, we ran into a group of riders who were assembling in the neighborhood for their own ride. I knew some of them, but most of them were new faces to me. We chatted with friends for a bit. Then I noticed this woman giving me a look that surprised me because of the anger behind it. I did not know her. I did know the look. Obviously, she felt this was her domain, that she ruled that roost. I was not welcome there. And you know what? Instead of laughing that look off, I interpreted it to mean that sista girl was calling me out. In other words, my ego took note and responded. As Soul Brother #1 and I rode away, I said things that still make me laugh because they came from me as a cyclist (and that's not the person I am off the bike or on the surfboard). "Oh no she didn't! Does she even know who I am?" (Oh my god!!! The fact that I even let those words slip out of my mouth cracks me up.) "Does she think she can bring it?" (As in "bring the noise" or, in my parlance, let her legs do the talking.) "Oh, I'm coming back to handle this!" There you have it. I've got to school this girl. Why? Because I can. Because I still have it in me to put another cyclist in his or her place. Because this may be the last time I feel this fired up and, now that I'm in my 40's, I don't know how much longer I'll have it in me physically to kick ass.

With that said, I rode up PCH today for the first time in about six years. I passed many a surf spot. Do you want to know how bad it was today? Malibu was empty! I don't mean there were a couple of people paddling around for no good reason. There was no one out there. That makes sense though. There were no waves out there either. Every spot I passed was flat and deserted. My friends at the home break all said I'd made the right decision going for a ride rather than a surf.