The Dirt Field

While my training plan today called for a light workout while pre-riding the Liberty Classic course, my day unfolded in such a way that had me getting on the bike much later than planned and while still in Virginia. That is what happens when spend the morning cleaning the house, lounging at a coffee shop, and delivering your beloved pets to a stranger’s house. The ride ended up being awful – the weather was perfect, all of my newly-installed parts hummed flawlessly, and my legs felt great. I like my pre-race rides to be miserable sufferfests so that the race itself can only be an improvement.

Anyway, while I was out riding on the Washington and Old Dominion Trail (the W&OD, to the locals), I came up with a great idea. One day, when I am not preoccupied with suffering through intervals and rocking out to whatever auditory brilliance Flo Rida recently threw up, I am going to set up a stand alongside the W&OD. My stand will not be offering the usual lemonade and Gatorade (or, as more fitting on some parts of the trail, cans of Natty Light in paper bags and packs of Black & Milds). No, my stand will be giving away good, old unsolicited advice.

Here’s a teaser of the pearls of wisdom customers can expect to receive:

1) If you were driving and smoke was pouring out from under your car’s hood, would you keep going? Probably not. If your bike is shrieking, grinding, or clanking, there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Just because the bicycle is still willing to roll forward doesn’t mean that terrible noise should be ignored.

2) Some people love antique furniture because they feel like the old stuff was ‘just made better’. This rule does not apply to helmets. Unlike fine wines, they do not improve with age. Please don’t believe that helmet you have kept in your hot garage since 1992 is still going to protect your head in the event of a crash. Styrofoam ages and weakens. I applaud your willingness to wear a helmet, but let’s bring your headgear into the 21st century.

3) Speaking of helmets, if you can feel the breeze caressing the entirety of your forehead, you are wearing it wrong.

4) There are other people using the trail on most days. Much in the same way that people do not drive on whatever side of the road they want or stop in the middle of 495 just because (although my recent travel experience would indicate otherwise), there are rules the govern the trail lanes that are there for everybody’s safety. This isn’t Europe. We drive/walk/ride/whatever on the right and observe the center line.

5) Should you desire to stop, turn around, or look at a shiny object, please be aware that people may be approaching behind you and look first. Also listen for people calling “On your left!” or some variation, as they indicating an intention to pass. If you hear somebody yell from behind you – even if you can’t make out the words clearly – it is probably safe to assume they are going to pass and you should not do anything erratic. In the thousands of miles I have spent on the W&OD, I have never once been dismayed to realize that somebody had been trying to yell, “SHARK!”