This year, I will be doing “something new.” I have chosen a “theme.” I will be blogging about biking adventures. This will include riding tales, travel, stories, absurdity, insanity, adventure, and hopefully a little humor and nonsense mixed in; my favorite topics.

By Zulu Delta

Let’s do the “fast-forward” thing. It’s now a few years later and time to ride the Hub On Wheels Bike Ride in Boston, Massachusetts again. I have “graduated from the 30-mile ride to the 50-mile loop ride.

I am riding with the Dynamic Duo; John and Radka. They are the ones who told me about this ride to begin with. Things were going well. I felt great, and the smile on my face was as big as ever. This was the second time I had done the 50 Mile ride; another milestone at the time. The first time I did the 50-mile loop, I rolled around the corner out in West Roxbury and suddenly came across a bunch of people walking their bikes. I thought there must be an accident or road construction. Neither. It was was Bellvue Hill Ave! It’s one of the steepest sections of the ride. Some people, knowing what was coming up, chose the pre-emptive strike, and began to walk. The first year, I made it up the hill, but it was “not pretty!” 

The following year, I was more prepared; mentally and physically. John and Radka were riding ahead of me. They were both in phenomenal shape at the time. I was in decent shape but the hill is still a tough climb. 

I’ll admit, by the time I got to the top of the hill, I was out of breath, and my legs were a little shaky. Coming over the crest of the hill, there were many riders on the side of the road; catching their breath and waiting for their friends. I scanned the area for John and Radka. I didn’t see them. I looked again……..and still didn’t see them. I began to get mad. I didn’t even stop to rest. I began to ride. 

In my mind, I just couldn’t believe it. “How could they go on riding, and not wait for me? We said we were going to ride together. “Cement Heads!!” Cement heads I screamed to them in my own mind! I would show them!

I now had a plan; I would catch them and show them just what a Cement Head thing it was to leave me by myself. I would catch them and blow past them, and make them chase me! 

I began to ride fast; faster, harder, and more powerful than I had ever ridden before…..maybe not since. I thought I would catch them any second, or any minute, or any moment.

I didn’t.

I was shocked, and I was disappointed. Disappointed that they ditched me, and disappointed to realize that maybe I didn’t ride as fast, or as hard, or as powerful as I thought I did. Maybe it was OK. The “Duo” was fast and strong, and powerful as well. No sense in being a Cement Heat about it. 

I finished the ride at Boston City Hall Plaza. I looked all around. I still didn’t find them. I called them; no answer. I hoped they were alright, or not mad at me for being so slow behind them most of the ride. Maybe they went home?

I sat down on the wall and gave myself a 30-minute window to wait for them, or a call, or something.  25 minutes passed when John and Radka rolled into the Plaza. I stood up, and we all suddenly stared down at each other; I then burst into laughter when I realized what happened. It turns out, I was the one in front, and they were chasing me. They told me they had been chasing me in vain since Bellvue Hill Ave. They rode hard but just couldn’t catch me. Over lunch, we laughed (we laugh a lot) as the full story came out.

The Duo beat me up the hill. At the top, John got off his bike and laid it down flat, and then bent over to tie his shoe. Radka, being short of breath, had her head down practically on the handlebars. For a split second, with her head up, she saw me ride by.  “Hey John, Zulu Delta just blew by us and didn’t even stop.” They were shocked and disappointed at me. Looking at each other, they both blurted out the words in unison; “Cement Head!!