OK, my adventure tonight was not as exciting as the Loreena McKennitt song. . . but it was dark.
Riding a bike at night is a damn fool thing to do, but it can be an awful lot of fun. I had a songwriters meeting to go to, so I decided to bundle that with a trip to a nearby library. It was so close that I am ashamed to state the mileage for fear of ridicule by hardcore bike commuters. However, it did require strapping on helmet, gloves, and trouser strap, then locking the bike up at the end, so it was like a real trip.
It also involved a bridge. It was twilight as I departed but on the return trip the water below was very dark and spooky. I only dared peek momentarily at the inky darkness due to my rate of travel.
There were streelights on the bridge itself as well as all over the rest of my route into the city. I had four lights going too, three of them strobes. I think I was very visible, but more importantly, I was EXTREMELY DEFERENT to motor vehicles. If an intersection was involved, and I wasn't 100% sure I was safe, I stopped to get my bearings, doing it in a way not to confuse any turning cars as to my intentions.
It was short, but I had a chance to pedal hard, and the night air was exhilirating. Biking tends to focus your senses, esp. at night. Long story short: felt good.
2 comments:
Despite being american, the story was exhilarating and totally worth it for the phrase "trouser strap".
"Trouser strap" would be a great verb. "And then he trouser strapped me, officer."
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