On Riding in Humidity

Thursday as noted, I rode from work to the dentist then on to the Thursday night hill crazy ride through Scarborough. It was supposed to, and in fact did rain on Friday morning, so I drove to work. I was going to go for a nice evening hammerfeast through the city but was instead tasked with going to the Data Centre, again.

I sent a note to Thi Ng and Ian Wilcox of the Beaches Cycling Club asking if either (or both) would like to do a quick early morning 80km tour of the city. Thi was booked up with his wife and Dim Sum, Ian the man who eats NCC (Nuclear Custard Cakes) went to bed at 3am and so naturally took up my offer and met me around 10:30 on the Lake Shore trail near the Boulevard club. I had already done a loop through Mississauga but was happy to add an extra 60km to the 70km I had already logged.

I think perhaps I pushed myself a little hard on the Mississauga loop, or more likely, Ian is in fact a space alien who has some sort of bizarre metabolism that can enable him to clock in speeds that convert typical tyres into jello. Or perhaps Ian takes EPO? Is there a motor in his bottom bracket (unlikely, I've done repairs to his drive train myself, I have never found anything unusual there). I suspect that the truth is a lot more innocent than any of my innuendo. I suspect rather that while Ian was sleeping, or perhaps under some hallucinogenic induced comma someone surreptitiously slipped Ian another one of those damned NCCs.

Assuming the guilty party is reading this post can they please stop feeding Ian that stuff? Damnit I'm busting every part of my anatomy trying to keep up with this guy, 40km/h, 45, 50, 55, 60 kilometers an hour, heck I'm passing the cars, and Ian is just motoring along like he is out for a pleasant ride to the store to get some baguette and maybe have a smoke whilst wearing a striped jumper. This is an annoying position to be in. I've got sweat pouring off me in such volumes that armed with a hydro electric damn a guy could make a pretty penny selling the energy from my falling sweat to Ontario Hydro. Then Ian starts complaining about a drop of sweat in his sun glasses, I'm thinking, I should buy myself a a new pair of swimming goggles for my next ride behind that engine.

So yes, Ian did make me hurt, but it was a good pain and I am looking forward to my next ride with Ian. No not because I want to hurt, rather because I have something special in store. A bungee cable and a six pack of real beer - for me, I'll give Ian the NCC.