Due to annoyingly persistent cold symptoms, and a consequent lack of sleep, Dr. Diarist and I missed not only the third progressive (45 miles/72.4 km), but the fourth (55 miles/88.5 km) and will likely now miss the fifth (65 miles/104.6 km), for which we are certainly unfit, having missed half our training sessions. Sigh.
Last Sunday, though, we were able to meet up with a batch of good cycling buddies for a shorter, but far more doable 28 mile/45 km jaunt. It was colder than expected — though expectations may have been influenced by everyone’s desire to see the end of this winter, already!
Bill and Kay kept us company as far as Betzwood, where they turned back, but the remaining four of us forged onward. I’d left my lobster claw gloves at home, but my fingers were finally warming up; I wanted more miles for my pain! Also, we all wanted coffee and/or sustenance.
At The Oaks, we encountered this structure, which gave Fearless Leader Saul (left), Fearless Leader Mike (center), and new Bromptonaut Dr. Diarist (right) a chance to demonstrate Atlas-like prowess.
Much discussion ensued regarding odd bits of rod*, with which the structure is irregularly studded. None of us were able to come up with a plausible explanation for the protuberances; uncharacteristically, I failed to snap one of the peculiarities up close. I’ll have to rectify that next time.
Our search for coffee was a bit fraught: Did you know that Subway — a much-reviled sandwich shop chain — does not serve coffee after 11 AM? (We didn’t.) I’m afraid we left without purchasing anything, desperate though we were for sustenance. We took refuge in a nearby grocery store, which, while almost vacant, offered beverages of sorts, and food stuffs, as well as chocolate, which is what I ate.
The snowy, icy, terrain of previous months is almost gone, though we did find ourselves walking alongside railroad tracks on the way there and back. The most sheltered parts of the Schuylkill River Trail are still too compromised to traverse with bikes, but, barring a new freeze, they, too, should be clear soon.
*Lest you think it odd that a bunch of cyclists stood around in winter discussing steel fabrication, let me set your mind at rest: Bantering on about engineering, construction, and great ideas involving either or both is very typical of this crowd, and a particular bonus of riding with them. Hence, not “odd”, but “standard”. (And a very fine standard it is, too.)
10 replies on “The Weight of the World”
So a guy (let’s call him Saul) walks into a Subway near Oaks, PA and asks for a coffee.
He’s told “sorry, no coffee..we don’t serve breakfast after 11.”
The guy asks, “Is this a Subway rule that coffee is just for breakfast? What if you want coffee with lunch ? Let me ask you a question…can I get a pizza or Turkey sub for breakfast?”
The Subway guy answered, “you can get a sandwich anytime, but coffee only at breakfast …no coffee after 11. ”
“No coffee for you! Next!”
Ah, Saul, if only Jack Nicholson had been with you…
I love the photo of the three with the world on their shoulders! Hope you and Dr. D are feeling better, Brommie.
“Through the chair,” as we request at meetings, I will respond to Cathy’s comment with an excerpt from my recent column in the Journal of the Philadelphia County Dental Society.
“On our return home we stopped in Havre de Grace, MD, where the Susquehanna River enters the Chesapeake Bay. It’s a quiet, at least in February, lovely small town with history, shopping and dining, along with a 3/8 of a mile boardwalk along its wetlands. Even here, away from the office, I was afforded the opportunity to practice problem solving skills honed by years of practice. At a lovely restaurant/wine bar, I ordered an oven roasted turkey sandwich with cole slaw, Russian dressing, special sauce and Swiss cheese. When I asked for mayo instead of Russian dressing, the waiter in this virtually empty restaurant said, “Sorry, no substitutions.” Little did he know, he said this to the right person. I explained it this way. “I’ll tell you what we’ll do. I want a plain oven roasted turkey sandwich. Hold the Swiss cheese, Russian dressing and special sauce and put them on the plate, and I want some mayo on the side.” There were no sub- stitutions, just subtractions and additions. It’s important to follow the rules. Obviously, I left out memorable parts of Jack Nicholson’s restaurant speech in “Five Easy Pieces.”
Thank you Mme Chairperson.
HA! It’s all in the knees, Saul.
well said……and subtle
The website goes down, and I come back to you two witty souls, Saul and Cathy! Nicely done, both of you! (No wit here, today; scrabbling to catch up. But feeling a lot better, Cathy, thanks.)
a “well done” from the Diarist! I’m calling it a day now; it can’t get any better.
Interestingly, but alas not surprisingly, when I sent out the atlas unshrugged pic, my subject line was “the weight of the world”. Now I notice that is the title of the blog entry.
I’m afraid, Saul, that it seemed all too natural a title! (I rather like “Atlas Unshrugged, though; it’s got a nice ring to it.)
Thank you. You set the bar very high.
Not as high as a giant steel globe! (You are quite welcome, Saul . . . )