After 4 days at a trade show in Salt Lake City, I was a bit anxious to get some exercise in. My bike commute home happens to take me over a 9,000 ft. mountain pass. A great way to break a bit of a sweat. The weather was not looking too good. It was sprinkling on and off all day. Feeling stir crazy, I decided to grab the raincoat and go for it. As I approached the base of the climb there was a steady light rain coming down. Once I get to the top I can always hitch down to my house if it is really pouring by then.
So up I go. Let me tell you that I am actually riding on the “old pass” road that used to be used for car traffic but now is closed for foot and bicycle traffic only. This is a great way to climb and avoid gas fumes and brake fluid stench.
Great temperature, feeling good, loving the ride, almost to the top and then STOP… Mommy and baby moose right in the center of the road. This mommy was not moving. With ears pinned back and lips slapping she was telling me to beat it. I backed off a bit and decided I was going to back track and hike up to the switchback above them. With bike in hand and my slippery road shoes, not to mention my protruding speedplay cleats, I try to scramble up. Now that everything is wet I slip into a small stream. Great! I finally get closer to the top and I look up. Yes, mommy is standing there staring at me…pissed off. I couldn’t believe it. She actually cut me off. So, back down the hillside I go. Foiled I sit and wait another 30 minutes. Considering I was only 15 minutes from the top I was pushing my luck by hanging around. Every time I gave a little “please move moosey moosey”, she would give me the death stare. They were not going anywhere.
Finally, I decide to ride back down to the bottom and hitch completely over to my house. Now I am wet and freezing and trying to get down quickly. With a mile to go to the main road I hear that dreaded ssssssssssssssss. No way do I have a flat. Oh yes I do. “Bleep”, “bleep” and “bleep” escape my refined mouth. I pull out the tire levers and start to remove the most difficult tire in the world. Lucky for me a nice young man heard my potty mouth and asked if I needed help. Wet, cold and completely worked I take a ride to the main road. With a quick flick of the thumb a truck full of landscapers pick me up and drive me over the cold, wet pass to my home. Never thinking I could epic on the road bike, it was finally over.
Note: I am not suggesting that hitch hiking is a safe option. But, when you are wet and cold it sure seems like the best option.