Down and Out in Belmont and Waltham
The quest continues. I have found even more bombed out roads in Waltham, it is simply just not a place to ride a bike. This is unfortunate because it lies between me and my place of work. If I had an hour and a half in the morning to ride I would bee line it for Weston or Lincoln, or one of the other rich suburbs where three people live. Places with really high property taxes which help maintain beautiful roads.
The deluge this morning made for a heart pounding game of "What's in The Puddle?". A Coelacanth? A chest of Spanish Gold Doubloons? Or a giant pot hole, waiting to take me out and send me careening into traffic? Why is it always the latter? Why? Oh, because Waltham sucks that's why. You know what also sucks? The way this guy in a Volvo was driving as I came down Walnut Street in Newton tonight. I was riding up to a red light, he came up next to me and squeezed me to the curb. When I caught up to him at the next light I tapped on his glass and asked "Hey, I'm just curious...are you an asshole or an idiot?". That's kind of a standard of mine. Of course he started shrieking something through the rain streaked glass and flapping his arms wildly about. I couldn't hear a thing with my headphones on.
Listening to the sounds of "13 and God" while absorbing images like the ones bookending this post make all the stress of my silly commute worthwhile. Like the Icelandic Hidden Person run amok Bjork once said "My headphones - They saved my life".
5 comments:
some mornings, I really dislike my lobster gloves. no freedom of expression.
My life has been better since i slapped drop bars on an old mtb. The fatties are really nice for commuting.
I know, I bet I've left a whole lot of motorists driving off bemusedly going "Why did that guy on the bike just tell me to live long and prosper?".
TP,
I so know your pain...I wrenched my wrist after being forced into a puddle yesterday by a car. It was more of a large crevice than a puddle, luckily I didn't eat sh*t or flat, though I did tweak the rim. Since I'm mostly on the same roads, if you find nirvana on the way let me know. BTW Waltham is too close to Belmont, which may have the worst roads in the state. Go figure considering the tax bracket.
-C
I like the Orwell reference in the tititle...whether intetional or not.
I went to lobster paws to keep from "spreading the love" after taking the time to pull off the mitts the anger or the car is gone. A good thing, IMO.
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